CaliRubber.com INSIDE: More good things in store for Jr. Kings Unassuming Laricchia the wheel deal High hopes reign at San Jose State Semchuk leads Fresno’s youth charge AMERICAN BEAUTIES U.S. National Team calls on four of California's finest VOLUME 2 ISSUE 2 October 2008 California’s Authoritative Voice of Ice and Inline Hockey Inside... Billy Faust and the entire LA Jr. Kings program have plenty California Rubber Magazine is published by: Good Sport Media, Inc., P.O. Box 24024 Edina, MN 55424 to look forward to this season (see story on Page 14). 10 times a year, once monthly September through May and once in the summer. Postmaster: send address changes to : P.O. Box 24024, Edina, MN 55424 Ph. (612) 929-2171 b Fax (612) 920-8326 E-mail: [email protected] Express/Overnight Mail: 4524 Washburn Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55410 Subscription Rates: $29.95 USD b Single Copy: $3.95 USD Mail subscriptions to: P.O. Box 24024 Edina, MN 55424 Subscriptions are non-refundable REPORT AN ERROR IMMEDIATELY California Rubber Magazine will not be responsible for more than one incorrect insertion Visit our Web site at: www.CaliRubber.com Photo / Tom Faust Tom Photo / On the cover: California’s USA Hockey National Team Development Program contingent, from left, Shane Sooth, Emerson Etem, Chase Balisy and Matt Nieto Photo / Robert J. Meyer senior editor & publisher: Brian McDonough California Rubber Magazine content & multimedia editor: Chris Bayee is a production of: senior designer: Jennifer Hron CaliRubber.com 3 More Californians head north to WHL alifornia players’ presence is draft pick who attended Detroit Red Cbeing felt in the Western Hockey Wings training camp as a free agent League more than ever this season. and played on their prospects tourna- - ment team in Traverse City, Mich., A California Rubber study of ros ters from team Web sites and news last month, was acquired in a trade Deines III/Everett Silvertips Photos / Frank releases reveals that 20 of the 40 by Prince George after playing last U.S.-born players in the WHL at the season in Edmonton. Center Matt start of the 2008-09 season are Cali- Sokol signed with Saskatoon after fornia natives or played their youth splitting last season with Portland hockey in California. That’s up from and Prince George. 16 last season. The percentage also Two Californians aged out: Moose climbed from 42 percent of U.S.- Jaw goalie Joey Perricone and born players to half. Regina center Tim Kraus. Perricone Three Southern California clubs signed with the Las Vegas Wranglers - L.A. Hockey Club/L.A. Selects, the of the ECHL. Kraus’s younger broth- Los Angeles Junior Kings and the er, Kevin, is playing with Vernon in California Wave - provided seven the British Columbia Junior League newcomers. this season. Everett forwards Tyler Parker Other notable returnees among and Markus McCrea and Koote- the Californians are three recent nay defenseman Tyler Vanscourt NHL Entry Draft picks: Kelowna played for LA Hockey and Selects. center Colin Long, whose 100 points Everett forward Tyler Maxwell and were second in the WHL by one point; Kamloops defenseman Brandon Vancouver defenseman Jonathon Underwood played for the Junior Blum, whose 63 points were second Kings and the Selects. Kamloops among defensemen; and Spokane forward Uriah Machuga and center Mitch Wahl, who was 21st in Lethbridge forward Brandon the league in scoring (73 points) but Brossoit played for the more importantly helped the Chiefs Wave. win the Canadian Hockey League’s Two Californians Memorial Cup in June. Manhattan Beach’s Tyler Maxwell is playing switched teams. Defen- See the complete list of Califor- for the Everett Silvertips this season. seman Cameron nians playing in the NAHL, USHL Cepek, and WHL at CaliRubber.com. a 2006 Montreal Canadiens - Chris Bayee Get Weekly Alumni Updates at CaliRubber.com! BLocals rally to save Berkeley calirubber Bcom Iceland BJr. Kings’ calirubber Bcom McColgan on fast track BInterview: AHC’s Ben Frank inaugural BDucks’ issue Marchant one of the good guys calirubber Bcom BInterview: Kevin Culbertson BInline student- ave of opportunity athletes honored Advertise in California Rubber Magazine! B LA Selects California continues to groom emerging talent celebrate The PathLA Selectsnational have title to established Promise themselves as one of the top Call: 612-929-2171 or BdevelopmentalStoddard programs in the country VOLUME 1 ISSUE 4 April 2008recognized for charitable work BInterview: CAHA’s Charles Fuertsch California’s Authoritative Voice of Ice and Inl ine Hockey e-mail: [email protected] for details. BHaley works way to Division I deal BSDSU evolving into national power BPIHA rolls into Northern California ockey California’s Authoritative Voice of Ice and Inline H VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1 January 2008 S B UTHERN EXP B SURE California’s Authoritative Voice of Ice and Inline Hockey Hockey’s future in San Diego is brighter th an ever VOLUME 1 ISSUE 5 Spring 2008 California’s Authoritative Voice of Ice and Inline Hockey 4 Wave Makers Interview Lance Burrow b Kyle Delaurell, from Mission Viejo, finished as the NAHL Show- NorCal president case Tournament’s leading scorer last month in Minnesota with nine points hockey dad turned administra- (three goals) for the Wichita Falls A tor, Lance Burrow was recently appointed president of the Northern (Texas) Wildcats. He was named to California Junior Hockey Association. the All-Tournament Team for his California Rubber’s Brian McDonough efforts. caught up with Burrow to get his take on where hockey is headed up north. b San Clemente native Brandon California Rubber: How did you first Richardson finished tied for the top get involved in the California hockey spot in scoring at the last month’s scene? USHL Fall Classic in Sioux City, Lance Burrow: I became involved like most others - as a hockey parent when Iowa, striking for three goals and my two sons decided they wanted to three assists in three games for the play the game, first as in-house players Indiana Ice. and later as travel and tier players. Being a resident of San Jose and having friends who were already play- b Long Beach’s Shawn Jameson ing in-house at Sharks Ice San Jose, it was named to the NAHL Showcase was just natural that my boys started their hockey with the Jr. Sharks. All-Tournament Team after record- I had previously been heavily involved in Pop Warner football and was fa- ing five assists from the blue line for miliar with youth sports organizations, both as a coach and as an administrator, so it was a natural transition into the organizational structure of the Jr. Sharks the Wichita Falls (Texas) Wildcats. organization. I first volunteered to be the vice president of the organization, which involved b Forward Sam Cimino and defen- ice scheduling and other duties. When Jill Miller decided to step down as presi- seman Ben Paulides were named to dent, I became the travel president until recently when I was elected president of NorCal. the NAHL Future Prospects All- Tournament Team after leading the CR: Talk about your role as NorCal’s president? Have you set any expectations or San Jose Jr. Sharks’ U18 squad to goals? the event’s championship game last LB: My role is spelled out in our Bylaws and to be blunt, it sounds like a boring job when one reads the actual job description. month in Minnesota. However, I would like to see the organization become more involved in the growth and prosperity of youth hockey in Northern California. While I come from the Jr. Sharks organization, which has been described as the “1,000-pound Podcasts gorilla” or the “Walmart” of youth hockey in the North, I don’t bleed Sharks teal. I ’s at er C recognize that for the sport to prosper, all of the youth hockey organizations in the b a o l North have to prosper as well. We’re lucky in that there are a number of excellent t iR c u youth hockey organizations with lots of tradition behind them. O b The Santa Clara Blackhawks, the Tri-Valley Blue Devils and the California b o t e Cougars are excellent organizations with long traditions of winning and hockey r n . excellence, not to mention the Santa Rosa Flyers and the Fresno Jr. Falcons, as c e o well as the Capital Thunder and the Stockton Colts. t m s Recently, the Vacaville Jets have come on the scene and so too has South Lake i ! L Tahoe. Despite the fact that youth hockey has suffered lower turnouts nationwide, such is not the case here in California, which is experiencing continued interest in and growth of the sport. LA Hockey Club President James Gasseau Los Angeles Kings Prospect Gabe Gauthier Interview Continued / Page 26 Anaheim Jr. Ducks President Art Trottier Play Hockey in College: RightFitHockey.com CaliRubber.com 5 By Matt Mackinder Each player also t used to be that players from tra- has his own Iditional hockey hotbeds dotted the story to tell rosters of the United States National about humble The Fab Four Team Development Program. beginnings tape as well as anyone in this age But in looking at this year’s Under- and the trek to Ann Arbor, Mich., with group.” 17 lineup, four players from California an eye on the future as well. It’s with his skill that Balisy hopes are listed, giving to take his career as far as he can. notice that the Chase Balisy “College hockey is one of my goals, Golden State is Balisy played last but I would have to say that my biggest slowly, but surely, year in Canada and goal would be to play in the NHL,” becoming a place won the OHL Cup Balisy said.