Allen Americans goaltender Chris Whitley skates with his team to thank fans after the final home game in last season's playoffs. Whitley re-signed with Allen this off-season, and will be Allen's No. 1 goalie this season. (Photo Credit: John O'Neill)

Being a goaltender is hard work and is often unfair.  Playing that position is akin to being the quarterback of a football team; if a team isn’t doing well, fans will often look between the pipes to place blame, even if it’s undeserved.  But, when a team is winning, it’s often players on offense who get the credit.

But, it’s no secret that much of the Allen Americans’ success last season came from the net out.  Americans goaltender Chris Whitley led the league in wins last season, and was in the top five in GAA (only a tenth of a point behind Odessa’s Joel Martin for the lead).  Not too bad for a goalie with any amount of experience.  But, Whitley did all of this as a rookie in the CHL.  I recently spoke with him, while he is spending the summer in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

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First off, how has your summer been? What have you been up to?
My summer has been going very well! I have been teaching some hockey schools in Thunder Bay, as well as other spots in Northern Ontario. Also just spending as much time with my girlfriend as I can and playing some softball a few nights a week.

You’ve stated that you considered passing on playing hockey this year and instead working in another field your passionate about – education. Was it difficult to choose hockey over teaching this season? What factors led to your decision, ultimately, to come back?
Well it wasn’t an easy decision to make but in my heart I wasn’t ready to give up the game I love. I thought about it for a bit but after talking to a few guys and seeing the direction the team was going in I decided to come back to Allen for another year. I think my decision was made easier when guys like Bruce (Graham), Nino (Mussitelli) and (Colton) Yellow (Horn) re-signed; I knew we would have another chance at a run for a championship.

Last year obviously was an incredibly successful year for a team playing it’s inaugural season, but still had a less-than-optimal outcome. Does that outcome weigh on you, as a hockey player, or are you able to look at things in perspective? Does it add any spark to the fire of competition – to come back and win it all this year?
I think we had a very successful season and the Allen Americans organization should be proud. The guys as well as myself feel we have some unfinished business for this season. After being so close last year I think we’re all going to have that drive to win a championship this year.

What was the thing you were proudest of from last season?
I had a few things come to mind:  winning the Southern Conference as a first year (team), leading the league in wins as a rookie.  But, I would have to say getting a win in the ahl would be the thing I was most proud of last year.

Aside from the obvious (winning the championship), what would you have changed from last season if you could?
Not too much really… I think we had a great first season.

(Photo Credit: John O'Neill)

The team has brought back a lot of key components from last year, yourself included, and also added some offensive firepower in the form of former Amarillo Gorilla, Dave Nimmo. Is there another piece of the puzzle you’d like to see added? Is there someone from the core of last year you’d like to have in the locker room again?
I am glad a lot of guys from last year’s team decided to re sign with the team as well as add some more offence like Nimmo and (Judd) Blackwater. On the backend as a goalie you always want have a solid D core so I am glad Straubber (Brandon Straub) made the decision to come back for another year as well. I would also love to see (Justin) Bowers back but I know he decided to go back to the Coast and I hope he does well with Grenville.

What part of your game are you looking to improve or add to this season?
I am looking to improve on my fitness level first and foremost. I was used to playing 25 games a season in CIS hockey but I ended up playing 63 games total last year so I am definitely improving on my cardio.

What kind of pressure is on the team this season, after the (perhaps to some) surprising success of last season?
I think we are going to have a lot of pressure to copy what we did last season. We might have gotten away with the early part of last season being a new team but after winning 40+ games no team will take us lightly and we will have to be 100% prepared every game.

(Photo Credit: John O'Neill)

How are you staying in shape in the offseason? Do you have a particular workout regime you stick to in the summer, or do you take plenty of time off to clear the head and work on the physical aspects when the season gets closer?
I am a big believer in taking time off from the rink until July. I like to enjoy the summer and not think about hockey until mid summer so I can re energize for the next season. I like to just workout and then about three months before hockey starts re focus and get ready for another exciting season.

What is one of your goals that you feel is easily achievable this season, and what is one that will be difficult but you will still set?
I don’t like to set any goals that will be easily achievable. I just do what I can to help the team out and the rest will take care of itself on the ice. And obviously my goal is to win a championship, the hardest thing to do in hockey is win a championship and if you don’t have that as your mindset at the start of the season then you’re not going to do very well.

Dustin Friesen, acquired by Idaho in a trade with Utah last January, re-signed with the Steelheads for the 2010-2011 season. (Photo Credit: Idaho Steelheads)

The Idaho Steelheads have announced the re-signing of top forward Dustin Friesen for the upcoming 2010-2011 season.  In addition, the team has signed Friesen’s former college teammate: forward Rob Pearce.

Friesen was acquired in a trade with Utah this past January, and immediately became one of the Steelies’ top forwards.  The Saskatoon native scored 18 points, including 15 assists, in his 30 regular season games with Idaho.  He kept his strong play alive in the playoffs, adding a goal and 12 assists in 15 games.

Pearce played with the Ontario Reign last season, and had a goal and two assists in the five games he played against Idaho.  He and Friesen were teammates on the University of New Brunswick team that won the CIS University Cup in 2007.

The team’s press release is below:

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(Boise, ID) – Head coach and director of hockey operations Hardy Sauter announced Sunday that one of the key cogs of last season’s National Conference championship team has signed and will be returning to the Steelheads.

Defenseman Dustin Friesen was one of two players Sauter announced, with forward Rob Pearce being the other. Before turning pro, the pair played together at the University of New Brunswick.

The 27-year-old Friesen was acquired in January by the Steelheads from the Utah Grizzlies and instantly became one of the team’s top players. He handed out 15 assists in 30 regular-season games with Idaho and cemented a spot in the team’s top defensive pairing.

Once the Kelly Cup playoffs rolled around, Friesen became arguably the team’s most valuable player. He averaged nearly a point per game (13 points in 15 games) from the blue line and led the ECHL in post-season plus/minus with a whopping plus-19 rating as the Steelheads reached the Kelly Cup finals.

Pearce, also 27, spent last season with the ECHL’s Ontario Reign. In 46 games, Pearce had 16 points (5 goals, 11 assists). He had a goal and two assists in five contests against Idaho. He and Friesen were teammates on the 2007 CIS University Cup championship team with New Brunswick, with Pearce scoring the game-winning goal in overtime of the title game.

That brings the total number of defensemen invited to training camp thusfar to seven: Friesen, Dustin Molle, Weston Tardy, Cody Lampl, Brendan Milnamow, Jason Fredricks, and Mike Berube. Sauter has also signed seven forwards – Pearce, Adam Huxley, Matt McKnight, Geoff Irwin, Kael Mouillierat, Brandon Campose, and Malcolm Gwilliam.

The Steelheads open the regular season on October 15 when they host the Victoria Salmon Kings at Qwest Arena. Ticket plans for the 2010-2011 season are available right now, starting at just $275 per seat for all 36 home games during the regular season. Partial-season plans are also available. Contact the Steelheads front office at 208.383.0080 or log on to www.idahosteelheads.com for more information

Dallas Stars defenseman Nicklas Grossman agreed to a two-year contract on Thursday worth $3.25 million. (Photo Credit: Resolute)

The Dallas Stars signed one of their restricted free agents on Thursday.  Nicklas Grossman agreed on a two-year contract worth $3.25 million.  The deal will pay Grossman $1.5 million this season and $1.75 million the next, putting him under contract with the Stars through the 2011-2012 season.

The 25-year old Swedish defenseman has been one of the more solid pieces of the D corps over the past couple of seasons, and has developed quickly.  He was thrown into the fire a bit in 2008-2009, but proved himself to be a pretty responsible defender last season.  His physical game really stepped up last season as well.

Here is the team’s release on the signing:

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Frisco, Tex. – Dallas Stars General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk announced today that the hockey club has agreed to terms with defenseman Nicklas Grossman on a two-year contract worth $3.25 million ($1.5 million in 2010-11; $1.75 in 2011-12). This extension puts Grossman under contract through the 2011-12 season.

“We are very happy to sign Nicklas to this new contract,“ said Nieuwendyk. “He is a solid NHL defenseman and is an important part of our young core.”

Grossman, 25, skated in 71 games for Dallas last season, collecting seven assists and 32 penalty minutes. He recorded 150 hits and 100 blocked shots in 2009-10. Grossman posted a career-high +5 rating Oct. 9, 2009 at Calgary.

The Stockholm, Sweden, native has appeared in 222 career NHL games, tallying 26 points (2g, 24a) and 109 penalty minutes. Grossman set new career highs in goals (2), assists (10) and points (12) in 2008-09. He also represented his country at the 2009 World Championships, helping Sweden win the bronze medal.

Photo by: Resolute

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(Boise, ID) – Forward Malcolm Gwilliam and defenseman Jason Fredricks have signed with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads, head coach and director of hockey operations Hardy Sauter announced on Thursday.

Gwilliam is a 25-year-old forward out of Kamloops, British Columbia. The 6-foot-2 Gwilliam played in five games with the ECHL’s Reading Royals at the end of last season after wrapping up his college career at Michigan Tech, the alma mater of former Steelheads standout Taggart Desmet. In 152 games at Tech, Gwilliam totaled 31 goals, saving his best season for his last. In 35 games last winter, he had 30 points (14 goals, 16 assists) and was the captain for the Huskies.

Fredricks, 23, appeared in 23 games last season for the South Carolina Stingrays. He scored one goal, handed out nine assists, and had 12 penalty minutes in that stretch. He put up 41 points (10 G, 31 A) in four seasons at Colgate before turning pro in 2009, when he skated in five games for the AHL’s Providence Bruins.

The pair joins forwards Geoff Irwin, Kael Mouillierat, Brandon Campose, Adam Huxley and Matt McKnight along with defensemen Mike Berube, Cody Lampl, Weston Tardy, Dustin Molle, and Brendan Milnamow on Idaho’s training camp roster.

The Steelheads open the regular season on October 15 when they host the Victoria Salmon Kings at Qwest Arena. Ticket plans for the 2010-2011 season are available right now, starting at just $275 per seat for all 36 home games during the regular season. Partial-season plans are also available. Contact the Steelheads front office at 208.383.0080 or log on to www.idahosteelheads.com for more information.

You can read the press release below for the highlights, and download a copy of the schedule (in Excel format) right here.

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FRISCO, Tex. — The Dallas Stars announced today the National Hockey League club’s local television schedule for the 2010-11 regular season. All 82 games will be televised in the Dallas-Ft. Worth market and, for the first time ever, all will be offered in high-definition (HD).

“We are very excited about providing our fans all 82 Dallas Stars games for local television with every one of them offered in HD,” said Stars Executive Vice President Geoff Moore. “I’d like to thank our great partners – Jon Heidtke of FOX Sports Southwest and Gary Schneider of CBS 11 and TXA 21 – in working together with us to make that happen. Along with Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket, we have an ‘all star line up’ for our viewing and listening public. With Ralph and Razor again calling the action, we look forward to a great broadcast season for the Dallas Stars.”

FOX Sports Southwest returns for its 18th season of carrying Stars telecasts, with 62 regular season games scheduled to be shown on the network. Twelve of these games will be shown on FOX Sports Southwest Plus, the network’s alternate channel which is carried by participating cable and satellite providers. Specific channel information for individual carriers will be announced at a later date.

FOX Sports Southwest provides quality local sports programming to over 10 million cable and satellite TV subscribers in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and parts of New Mexico. The Stars’ regular season opener on Friday, Oct. 8 at New Jersey is featured on the FOX Sports Southwest schedule, as well as the club’s home opener on Oct. 14 vs. Detroit.

FOX Sports Southwest’s comprehensive coverage includes “Stars Live” pre and postgame shows before and after every game, a weekly “Stars Insider” magazine show, and interview and documentary specials airing throughout the season.

Seventeen games will be broadcast locally over the air on TXA 21, which enters its first season of a four-year agreement to televise Stars games. Stars broadcasts on TXA 21 will air primarily on Saturday nights, beginning on Oct. 9 when Dallas visits the NY Islanders. Stars games on TXA 21 will include 30-minute pre and post-game coverage.

The Stars join an extensive sports lineup on TXA 21, including Texas Rangers Friday Night Baseball, Dallas Mavericks basketball, as well as Big 12 sports, SEC football and the High School Football Game of the Week. If it’s local sports in Dallas/Fort Worth, it must be 21 (www.txa21tv.com).

VERSUS will exclusively televise three Stars contests: Monday, Nov. 29 at Carolina; Monday, Jan. 17 vs. Los Angeles; and Tuesday, Feb. 22 vs. New Jersey. VERSUS is the exclusive national cable home for the National Hockey League.

NBC Sports (KXAS-TV, Channel 5 in Dallas-Ft. Worth) has the option to choose from two games on the Dallas Stars local TV schedule during the spring. First introduced in 2007, the NHL on NBC will feature flexible scheduling for regular season dates on the network. NBC will have nearly two weeks in advance of a particular weekend to select which games will air. No matter what NBC decides on possibly picking up Dallas contests, all 82 Stars games will be televised locally in Dallas-Ft. Worth.

Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket enters its second season as the flagship home of Dallas Stars hockey and will broadcast all 82 regular season contests and all playoff games, with extensive pre and post-game shows planned for most games with studio host Matt McClearin, and home post-game shows with Bob Sturm and Dan McDowell. The Ticket will also broadcast one Stars pre-season game – Sept. 30, 2010 vs. Colorado. The all-sports station broadcasts on both 1310 AM and 104.1 FM.

Forming the broadcast team for the Stars for the 15th consecutive season will be Ralph Strangis and Daryl Reaugh. Strangis begins his 21st season as a Stars broadcaster while Reaugh will serve in his 15th season as the Stars’ color analyst.

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Cedar Park, TX – The Texas Stars, in conjunction with the American Hockey League, announced on Wednesday the 2010-11 AHL regular season schedule.

The Stars begin their second season in the AHL on Sunday, October 10th at 3:00 PM in San Antonio at the AT&T Center. The Stars will raise their Western Conference Championship banner on Opening Night, when they host the Rampage on Saturday, October 16th at 7:00 PM at Cedar Park Center. The 80-game regular season schedule features 40 home games and 40 road games.

Texas will resume its in-state rivalries with Houston and San Antonio. Last season, Texas posted a 16-7-0-1 mark against the two teams, including an 8-3-0-1 record against Houston. In all, Texas will face the Aeros more than any other team in the AHL with 12 regular season meetings, including six at Cedar Park Center with Houston’s first visit of the season slated for October 30th at 7:00 PM. The Stars and Rampage will clash ten times over the course of the year. The Stars went 8-4-0-0 against the Rampage last season.

Texas welcomes a new West Division rival in 2010-11 with the addition of the Oklahoma City Barons. The Edmonton Oilers AHL Affiliate will play Texas a total of ten times during the regular season, including the first meeting of the year at Oklahoma City on November 5th at 7:05 PM. The Barons will make their first visit to the Cedar Park Center on Tuesday, November 30th at 7:30 PM.

The Stars will see three of their four 2010 Calder Cup Playoff opponents throughout the year. Texas will meet West Division foes Rockford (6) and Chicago (6) a total of 12 times. The Ice Hogs, whom Texas swept in the 2010 Calder Cup Playoffs, will host the Stars on Wednesday, October 27th at 6:35 PM at the Rockford Metro Centre. Rockford will come to Cedar Park Center on February 11th at 7:30 PM. The Stars return to AllState Arena, where they clinched the West Division Finals by winning Game 7 over the Wolves, on Thursday, October 28th at 7:00 PM. Chicago’s first meeting at Texas is slated for Wednesday, November 10th at 11:00 AM.

In a rematch of the 2010 Western Conference Finals, Texas will meet the Hamilton Bulldogs for a pair of games during the 2010-11 season. The Stars bested the Bulldogs last season in a dramatic seven-game series to advance to the Calder Cup Finals. Texas won the final two games of the series on the road, including a thrilling overtime win in Game 6 at Copps Coliseum. Hamilton will visit the Texas Stars on Saturday, December 18th at 7:00 PM. The Stars return to Copps Coliseum on Saturday, March 12th at 4:00 PM, the first visit since Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.

The Stars will also see West Division rivals Milwaukee and Peoria. In all, Texas will play 56 games within its own division, including six games apiece against the Admirals and Rivermen. Peoria will play all three games in Texas during the month of October. The Rivermen visit Cedar Park Center on October 17th, 23rd and 26th. The Stars will play at Carver Arena for the first time on Saturday, January 15th at 7:05 PM. The Stars and Admirals will each host three games in the season series. Milwaukee will come to Texas for the first time on Saturday, November 20th at 7:00 PM.

The Stars play a total of 22 games against North Division foes and 78 of their 80 regular season games against Western Conference rivals. The Stars will also meet Grand Rapids, Lake Erie, Manitoba, Toronto and Abbotsford in 2010-11. Texas will play three games in Grand Rapids and three at home against the Griffins. The Stars will play a pair of games in December at Grand Rapids and an additional game in February. The Griffins come to Texas for the first time on Tuesday, January 18th at 7:30 PM. Texas will also play two games against Syracuse, its only opponent from the Eastern Conference.

The longest home stretch of the season spans from Wednesday, November 24th to Thursday, December 7th. Over that stretch, five different teams will visit Texas, including Houston, San Antonio, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City and Manitoba. The Stars will venture out on the longest road trip of the season from February 14th to February 26th. The Stars will play eight games in seven different cities, including stops at Lake Erie (Cleveland, OH), Grand Rapids, Chicago, Milwaukee, Peoria, Houston and San Antonio.

For the first time in team history, the Stars will play a matinee game, with four afternoon games slated for the year. Texas will host Chicago at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, November 10th at Cedar Park Center. The Stars will also play at 11:00 AM in Chicago on Wednesday, January 12th. The Lake Erie Monsters will host Texas at 10:45 AM on Wednesday, February 16th at the Quicken Loans Arena. The Stars round out their matinee schedule with a home game at Cedar Park Center at 11:00 AM on Monday, March 7th against the Syracuse Crunch.

Texas Stars Schedule Notes

Home Games by Day: Mon. – 3, Tues. – 9, Wed. – 2, Thurs. – 0, Fri. – 7, Sat. – 16, Sun. – 3
Road Games by Day: Mon. – 1, Tues. – 1, Wed. – 6, Thurs. – 2, Fri. – 15, Sat. – 6, Sun. – 9

Weekend Home Games: 26
Weekend Road Games: 30

Home Games by Month: Oct. – 6, Nov. – 8, Dec. – 6, Jan. – 5, Feb. – 5, Mar. – 7, Apr. – 3
Road Games by Month: Oct. – 4, Nov. – 3, Dec. – 9, Jan. – 6, Feb. – 9, Mar. – 5, Apr. – 4

Games by Conference / Division:
Western Conference (78) – West Division (56) / North Division (22)
Eastern Conference (2) – East Division (2) / Atlantic Division (0)

Opponents’ Visits to Texas (40): Abbotsford-2, Adirondack-0, Albany-0, Binghamton-0, Bridgeport-0, Chicago-3, Grand Rapids-3, Hamilton-1, Hartford-0, Hershey-0,Houston-6, Lake Erie-2, Lowell-0, Manchester-0, Manitoba-2, Milwaukee-3, Norfolk-0, Oklahoma City -5, Peoria-3, Portland-0, Providence-0, Rochester-0, Rockford-3, San Antonio-5, Springfield-0, Syracuse-1, Toronto-1, Wilkes-Barre-0, Worcester-0.

Stars’ Visits to Road Cities (40): Abbotsford-2, Adirondack-0, Albany-0, Binghamton-0, Bridgeport-0, Chicago-3, Grand Rapids-3, Hamilton-1, Hartford-0, Hershey-0,Houston-6, Lake Erie-2, Lowell-0, Manchester-0, Manitoba-2, Milwaukee-3, Norfolk-0, Oklahoma City -5, Peoria-3, Portland-0, Providence-0, Rochester-0, Rockford-3, San Antonio-5, Springfield-0, Syracuse-1, Toronto-1, Wilkes-Barre-0, Worcester-0.

1st Half / 2nd Half: The Stars will play 21 of their first 40 games of the season at home, while finishing the second half with 21 of their last 40 games at on the road.

Back-to-Back Series:
Overall: 17
Back-to-Back at home: 6 Road game followed by a home game next day: 8
Back-to-Back on road: 5 Home game followed by a road game next day: 5
Home-at-Home: 3 Three games in three nights: 7

Longest Home Stand: Seven games over 14 days from Nov. 24 – Dec. 7.
Longest Road Trip: Eight games over 13 days from Feb. 14 – Feb. 26.

Texas Stars 2010-11 Season

Here’s the release from the Stars:

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Frisco, Tex. – The Dallas Stars announced today that Matt McClearin has been named as the studio host of the hockey club’s radio broadcast, heard on the Stars’ flagship station – Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket. McClearin will host the pre-game show and intermission reports, as well as road post-game shows.

McClearin is a 10-year radio veteran, having done talk shows in San Antonio, Austin and Dallas. He can be heard on The Ticket every Saturday from Noon – 2 PM on his show The Scrubs. McClearin was named as the 2001 Young American Broadcaster of the Year. He enjoys doing community theater and stand-up comedy in his spare time. McClearin and his wife Ashton are expecting their first child in January.

Mike Berube

This afternoon, the Idaho Steelheads announced the signing of two new players to the club.  Defenseman Mike Berube and forward Brandon Campose will join the Western Conference Champions for the 2010-2011 season.

Both players are new to the Steelheads, but both previously played in the WHL, though not for Steelheads Head Coach Hardy Sauter’s former team, the Spokane Chiefs.

Berube, though, has played in the ECHL before.  The Edmonton-native racked up 97 penalty minutes in 66 games with the Charlotte Checkers last season (this season, Charlotte will compete in the AHL).

Campose has played for the University of British Columbia for the past two years.  The young forward compiled 37 points (11G, 16A) in his collegiate years, but his best hockey season was in 2007-2008, playing for Everett Silvertips and Chilliwack Bruins.  Campose totaled 73 points that season (26G-47A).

Here is the full release from Boise:

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(Boise, ID) – After re-signing eight members of last season’s National Conference championship team, Idaho Steelheads head coach and director of hockey operations Hardy Sauter announced Thursday two new faces that have signed with the team.

Defenseman Mike Berube and forward Brandon Campose at one point both played in the Western Hockey League, the same league Sauter coached in the past three seasons before being named head coach of the Steelheads last month.

Berube, 22, played in 66 games last season with the ECHL’s Charlotte Checkers, totaling 11 points (3 goals, 8 assists) and 97 penalty minutes. He also skated in four contests with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. Prior to that, the 6-foot-1 Edmonton native spent five seasons of major junior hockey in the WHL with Prince George, Red Deer, and Vancouver.

Campose, also 22, has spent the past two seasons playing at the University of British Columbia after spending the previous two seasons with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips and Chilliwack Bruins. His best season came in 2007-2008, when he scored 70 points (25 goals, 45 assists) in 67 games with Chilliwack.

The two bring Sauter’s training-camp roster to ten players. Previously signed were forwards Kael Mouillierat, Geoff Irwin, Matt McKnight, and Adam Huxley along with defensemen Cody Lampl, Dustin Molle, Weston Tardy, and Brendan Milnamow.

The Steelheads open the regular season on October 15 when they host the Victoria Salmon Kings at Qwest Arena. Ticket plans for the 2010-2011 season are available right now, starting at just $275 per seat for all 36 home games during the regular season. Partial-season plans are also available. Contact the Steelheads front office at 208.383.0080 or log on to www.idahosteelheads.com for more information.

The T-Stars will play their first home game on Oct. 16th against a yet-to-be-named opponent.  An announcement about the rest of the Texas Stars’ regular season schedule is expected soon.

Further details about the preseason schedule can be found in the press release from the Stars:

Cedar Park, TX – The Texas Stars announced on Wednesday the 2010-11 preseason schedule.

The Stars will play three preseason games, including a pair of contests against their intrastate rival the San Antonio Rampage. Texas will play San Antonio on Thursday, September 30th at 7:00 pm at Northwoods Ice Center, the Rampage’s official practice facility. The Stars will return home to Cedar Park Center for a rematch with the Rampage on Saturday, October 2nd at 7:00 pm. Texas will round out its preseason with a 5:00 pm faceoff against the Houston Aeros at Cedar Park Center.

2010-11 Preseason Schedule:
Thu, Sept. 30 at 7:00 pm @ San Antonio (Northwoods Ice Center)
Sat, Oct. 2 at 7:00 pm vs. San Antonio (Cedar Park Center)
Sun, Oct. 3 at 5:00 pm vs. Houston (Cedar Park Center)

The Western Conference Champion Texas Stars will host their first home game at Cedar Park Center on Saturday, October 16th. Season ticket packages to see the Stars play in their second season at the Cedar Park Center are on sale now. For more information on Texas Stars season tickets call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit www.TexasStarsHockey.com. Anyone interested in purchasing season tickets, suites, group tickets or mini-plans may call the Texas Stars front office.

The Allen Americans announced the signing of forward Judd Blackwater on Thursday. Blackwater has two years of pro experience, playing in the ECHL and AHL. (Photo Credit: Sean Blair/Stockton Thunder)

The Allen Americans added another young, successful hockey player on Thursday, signing a former All Star at the ECHL level, Judd Blackwater.  The 23-year old forward comes to Allen after playing in the ECHL for two seasons and amassing 78 points (33G, 45A) in 112 games.  Blackwater also played 21 games in the AHL during the 2008-2009 season, posting five points in those stints.

Blackwater is a friend of Colton Yellow Horn (the two played together with the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder last season) and joined the team at least partially thanks to his influence.

I knew of Blackwater thanks to Stockton’s respectable playoff run in the 2008-2009 season, ending in the Northern Conference semi-finals against the Las Vegas Wranglers.  He seemed well-respected by his teammates, and his coach in Stockton, Matt Thomas, once said of him: “Judd possesses one of the nicest set of hands I have ever seen in the game, let alone our league.”

Allen is adding a strong playmaker who has competed at an all-star level in a very comparable league, and that is never a bad thing.  Especially as the team is still uncertain whether or not All-Star forward Justin Bowers will return for the upcoming season (Head Coach Dwight Mullins says the team is giving him plenty of time to weigh all of his opportunities for the upcoming year).

Does this signing perhaps indicate the team thinks Bowers might not return for the 2010-2011 season?  That is still unknown, but this arrival of Blackwater is certainly comforting if Bowers doesn’t come back to Allen.

Here is the team’s press release and Blackwater’s stats:

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ALLEN, Texas – The Allen Americans are welcoming All-Star Judd Blackwater to the 2010-11 team. The forward signed with the club today for the upcoming season.

“Judd has a strong tradition of winning and compliments guys we have already signed. He has been successful so far in his young career and fits the player model that we look for, which is a young, skilled player,” Americans Head Coach and General Manager Dwight Mullins said Thursday.

The 23-year-old turned professional with the ECHL’s Fresno Falcons in the 2008-09 season. Blackwater was called up to the American Hockey League’s Rockford Icehogs and Rochester Americans for a combined 21 games in his rookie year. He collected five points during his time in the AHL while grabbing 22 points (7g-15a=22) in 49 games in the ECHL’s regular season between Fresno and Stockton. That same year, Blackwater helped Stockton come within one win of reaching the finals, earning eight assists in 10 postseason contests.

Blackwater decided to sign with Allen because he heard good things about the Americans from his friend and one of the club’s returning forwards, Colton Yellow Horn. Allen’s close proximity to four AHL clubs was also attractive. “Yellow Horn had great things to say about the team, and it sounds like a great place to play. There are a lot of AHL teams around, which is what I’m striving for.”

The forward also noted the team’s success in its first year. “They went far last year, and hopefully we’ll win the championship this year,” he said.

In his sophomore season, Blackwater increased his point tally to 56 (26g-30a=56) in 63 games between Stockton and the Alaska Aces. The left winger was selected for the 2010 ECHL All-Star game and scored three points in four playoff games for the Aces.

Blackwater was born June 22, 1987, in Lethbridge, Alberta. The left-handed shot weighs 195 pounds and stands six feet tall. He played for the Western Hockey League’s Spokane Chiefs for three years and helped lead them to their first Memorial Cup Championship in 17 seasons in 2007-08.

Individual tickets for the 2010-11 season go on sale Sept. 3, but season tickets and partial plans for Allen’s second season are on sale now. Ticket prices start as low as $9 per game, and there is free parking at every game. For more information, call 972-912-1000.

2010-11 Signings To-Date
Judd Blackwater
Bruce Graham
Liam Huculak
Nino Musitelli
David Nimmo
Brandon Straub
Tobias Whelan
Chris Whitley
Colton Yellow Horn