Verreault-Paul signed by Hershey Bears

Francis Verreault-Paul

Hershey, PA (NHN)-The Hershey Bears have signed Francis Verreault-Paul to an ATO contract. Verreault-Paul, of the Innu nation, was the best player in CIS (Canadian University) hockey the past three seasons is coming off of a CIS championship win with the McGill University Redmen.

He scored 21 goals and added 13 assists in 23 games this past season and added another 13 points in the playoffs.

In four years at McGill, Verreault-Paul had 156 points, good enough for 2nd place on their all-time scoring list.

He also won the Guy Lafleur Trophy as Quebec's top university player last season.

Mark Chipman's dream made NHL playoff race possible

Mark Chipman made the dream happen

Photo by Darcy Finley

Winnipeg, Manitoba (NHN)-Well it's official. The Winnipeg Jets are playing for pride and have reached that never ending land of optimism also known as 'next-year' country.

The Jets, who were eliminated from playoff contention in Saturday's 3-2 OT loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning were the feel good story of the NHL since it was announced that True North Sports and Entertainment had acquired the Atlanta Thrashers and were moving them to Winnipeg.

Suddenly Winnipeg became back into the land of the living.

After all, things come from the Canadian prairie but rarely if ever do big things come back.

Commodities, ideas and sometimes even titles are a few examples.

Eric Roy has a future in the game

Eric Roy is a potential first round NHL draft pick for 2013

Photo by Ryan Jeanes 

 Winnipeg, Manitoba (NHN)-Eric Roy is making a name for himself in the Western Hockey League. The 17 year-old defenceman is in his second season with the Brandon Wheat Kings.

Roy, a Cree Metis from Beauval, Saskatchewan was the first from his community to play in the WHL or 'dub' as the players like to call it.

And while that feels pretty good, being the first to play in the NHL would be better.

The fly in the ointment is that Roy will have to wait another year before that door can open for him.

He just turned 17 and isn't draft eligible until 2013.

Michael Ferland will leave Brandon a winner

Michael Ferland will play in Calgary Flames organization next season

Photo by Ryan Jeanes

Winnipeg, Manitoba (NHN)-Every once in a while a late bloomer surprises us. Usually it's a teenage girl who turns out to be the prom queen but in Michael Ferland's case he wasn't even supposed to be at the dance.

Ferland, 19, has turned into a legitimate NHL prospect and if you believe most observers, he wasn't even supposed to play 'AAA' midget.

Getting cut by rep teams in September was routine for him.

But Ferland just wouldn't be denied.

Jordin Tootoo nominated for Bill Masterson award

Tootoo was the first Inuk to play in the NHL

Photo by John Russell/Nashville Predators

Nashville, TN (NHN)-Jordin Tootoo has been nominated for the Bill Masterson award by his NHL club. The trophy is given to the NHL player who demonstrates perseverence, sportsmanship and dedication to the game of hockey.

Tootoo sought help through the NHL's substance abuse and behavioral health program in December of 2010, returning to the Predators lineup following his treatment to play well in the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

His on ice play improved considerably and he has enjoyed his most successful statistcal season to date. Tootoo's coach, Barry Trotz, told Native Hockey News earlier this fall that, "He didn't have much order in his life and therefore his game had no order."

Trotz said once he put his personal life in order, his game followed suit.

"He wasn't going to grow if he didn't do that," he added.

TJ Oshie hitting his stride--fourth NHL season his best so far

T.J. Oshie leads the St. Louis Blues in scoring

Photo by Ryan Jeanes

Winnipeg, Manitoba (NHN)-T.J. Oshie is living proof that you don't have to possess the most talent, the hardest shot or be the best playmaker to make a contribution in the NHL.

But you do have to show up every night.

Oshie has done just that so far this season, his fourth NHL campaign.

In fact he's probably the perfect fit for a team that isn't fancy, just effective.

Jets release Mobile App

Winnipeg, Manitoba

MTS CENTRE (NHN)-The Winnipeg Jets will now be available to their fans no matter what handheld wireless device they have the club announced this morning. They have launched a free wireless application called Winnipeg Jets mobile app. The app was designed by MTS for Blackberry, IPHONE and Android devices.

The app is an interactive experience featuring statistics, photos, videos and media releases about the Winnipeg Jets.

According to True North Sports & Entertainment CEO Jim Ludlow, they wanted to continue to lead the marketplace in ways to reach and interact with their fans. "Less than half the teams in the NHL offer official team mobile apps, and less than a third make them available across all three platforms. We are proud to remain at the forefront of what fans expect from their sports teams."

The app is now available at Apple's ITunes Store, RIM's App World and Google's Android Marketplace with the noteable exception of those running Blackberry's OS 7 devices, who can expect a short delay in availability.

Wade Redden still alive in the AHL

Wade Redden patrols the blue line for the AHL's Connecticut Whale

Photo by Chris Rutsch

Hartford, CT (NHN)-Wade Redden isn't bitter about playing in the American Hockey League. In fact, he understands all too well the dynamics of the new NHL.

He's just making way too much money for another NHL club to take a cap hit that large. He knows it, the rest of the League knows it and so does everyone else.

And therein lies the difficulty.

Redden's contract, which pays him $6.5 Million per season is what is keeping him in the AHL. "It's a double edged thing," he said. "It's the reason I'm down here. If I made less there would be room to be going somewhere."

Redden says it's great to have enough financial stability for the rest of his life but it has left him handcuffed. "I likely won't get another opportunity to play in the NHL," he said. "It's not ideal but I'm making the most of it and things have gone pretty good for the most part."

Winston Day Chief already a Leader--Education gave him future outside of Hockey

Blood Nation's Winston Day Chief toils for the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns

Photo by Ryan Jeanes

Winnipeg, Manitoba (NHN)-Winston Day Chief is a quiet man in a loud game. He prefers to let his play do the talking. Day Chief, 24, hails from the Blood Nation in Southeastern Alberta and is in his 5th and final season of CIS hockey for the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns.

"I've brought him in for team meetings for the past three years and you'll be lucky if he says two words," said his coach Greg Gatto.

But one thing is clear. His coach thinks the world of him.

Wacey Rabbit back in AHL after spending last year in Austria

Wacey Rabbit has learned versatility as a pro

Photo by Darren Abate

San Antonio, TX (NHN)-Wacey Rabbit likes playing hockey in Texas. It's mid-winter in the Lone Star State and daytime temperatures are something similar to that of southeastern Alberta home in summertime. "Yesterday I left the rink and it was 26," said Rabbit, who is in his fifth AHL season. "The fan base here is good and we're getting between 8 and 9 thousand a game, so things are going well here."

But the season didn't start well for the San Antonio Rampage, who won only three times in their first twelve games. Rabbit even found himself sent down to the ECHL due to the sheer number of players sent to the Rampage by the NHL's Florida Panthers.

But players who are as versatile as he is don't stay in 'the coast' for long.