December 2010 • 1 + )) , -, !""#$""#%"##"# &'( ) &%* ! " 2 • December 2010 D E C E M B E R JEFF MCNEIL HOMETOWN: POSITION: HEIGHT: Mulliken, MI Forward 6’3” TEAM: BIRTHDAY: WEIGHT: Ohio State Buckeyes June 7, 1988 220 lbs. Coach, parents, teammates - do you know someone who displays work ethic, dedication, integrity, sportsmanship, and exellence on and off the ice? FCA Hockey requests your help in highlighting one athlete each month who displays these qualities. Athletes chose will recieve a shirt and book from FCA Hockey. FCA Hockey is dedicated to igniting the hockey world for Christ by reaching athletes, coaches and the community. For more information visit www.fcahockey.org. Send nominations to FCA Hockey Director Rick Randazzo at [email protected] or apply online at www.fcahockey.org. December 2010 • 3 CONTENTS Cover Story .......................................................................4-5 Cedar Rapids Roughriders ................................................. 15 Eastern Junior Hockey League .............................................6 Portland Jr. Pirates/New England Huskies ......................... 16 United States Hockey League ..............................................7 Texas Brahmas/El Paso Rhinos ........................................... 17 New York Apple Core/Capital District Selects ...................8 New Jersey Titans/Florida Eels/Boston Jr. Bulldogs ......... 18 Boston Shamrocks/Mass. Maple Leafs .............................. 11 International Junior Hockey League .................................. 19 Boston Jr. Blackhawks ......................................................... 11 Atlantic Metropolitan Hockey League ...............................20 Philadelphia Revolution/Connecticut Jr. Wolfpack ........... 12 Atlantic Hockey League Directory .....................................21 Bay State Breakers ............................................................. 12 Metropolitan Hockey League Directory ............................21 Western States Hockey League .......................................... 13 Empire Junior Hockey League ............................................22 Northern Cyclones/Yellowstone Quake ............................ 15 Continental Hockey Association .......................................23 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Joshua Boyd e-mail: [email protected] USUUUASSS AAHockeyA HHHoooccckkkeeey yyS SSanctionedSaaannnccctttiiiooonnneeeddd JJJuJunioruunnniiiooorrr LLL eeLeagueseaaaggguuueeesss LAYOUT DESIGN AND PRODUCTION: FFforFooorrr ttthethhheee 22 22010-11000000999---222000111 0Playing00 PPPlllaaayyyiiinnng ggS SSeasonSeeeaaasssooonnn Chase Designs Joshua Boyd [email protected] Dan Esdale, USAH VP, Chair, Junior Council USA Junior Hockey Magazine (019-181) is TTTierierier II I published monthly by Hockey Media Group, United States Junior Hockey League USHL.com 360 West St., Duxbury, MA. 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Minnesota Junior Hockey league MNJHL.com Northern Paci!c Hockey League NORPAC-HOCKEY.com Visit our Website at: usajuniorhockey.com Western States Hockey LeagueTTTierierier IIIIII III JuniorJunior Junior BB WSHL.orgB Continental Hockey Association Jrhockey.net ContinentalContinental HockeyHockey AssociationAssociationTier III Junior B Jrhockey.net Jrhockey.net EmpireEmpireEmpire JuniorJunior Junior HockeyHockey Hockey LeagueLeague League Empirehockey.comEmpirehockey.comEmpirehockey.com Great Lakes Junior Hockey League GLJHL.com GreatGreatContinental LakesLakes Junior JuniorHockey HockeyHockey Association LeagueLeague GLJHL.com GLJHL.comJRHOCKEY.net Metropolitan Jr. Hockey League Metleague.org TOTOTO ADVERTISEADVERTISEADVERTISE MetropolitanMetropolitanEmpire Junior Jr.Jr. Hockey HockeyHockey League LeagueLeague EMPIREH Metleague.org Metleague.orgOCKEY.com TO ADVERTISE Great Lakes Junior Hockey League GLJHL.pointstreaksites.com IN USA Junior Metropolitan Jr. Hockey League METLEAGUE.org Southeast Junior Hockey League SEJHL.net HockeyHockeyHockey MagazineMagazineMagazine TTTierierier IIIIII III JuniorJunior Junior CC C Hockey Magazine ContinentalContinentalContinental HockeyHockey Hockey AssociationAssociation Association Jrhockey.net Jrhockey.net Jrhockey.net for as little as SoutheasternSoutheasternSoutheastern JuniorJunior Junior HockeyHockey Hockey LeagueLeague League SEJHL.net SEJHL.net SEJHL.net $ 199.00 a month Go to: www.usahockey.com Go to: www.usahockey.com Call ClickGoGo on: to:to: Players, wwwwww.usahock.usahock Clickeey yon:.com.com Juniors ClickClickClick on:on: on: Players,Players, Players, ClickClick Click on:on: on: JuniorsJuniors Juniors 781•934•[email protected] [email protected]@[email protected] 4 • December 2010 World party International Junior Hockey League continues to grow, attract players from all over globe By Joshua Boyd know when you have an opportunity to he junior hockey landscape, espe- have more imports.” cially in the New England region, The mix of nationalities in the league Tcan be a pretty crowded neighbor- has actually had a reverse effect, and more hood. local players are taking the advantage to The Eastern Junior Hockey League play good hockey against players from and Atlantic Junior Hockey League are diverse backgrounds. established Jr. A circuits in the area, and “We’re getting more local kids now three more Jr. B leagues are in various because they see the level of play is areas of the six-state region. good,” said Salsman. “If more local kids So, when the founders of the find out what a great league it is, the independent International Junior Hockey high school kids who might have been League were designing their new thinking that high school hockey is the institution six years ago, they knew had way to go will see that this is a heck of to do something different. a lot better. It’s an eye-opener for them “I was going to retire, but they asked me – everything is done at a faster pace and to put it together,” said Charlie Nielsen, the kids buy into that.” the IJHL’s Commissioner. “There are so With eight players coming from many junior leagues that the only thing Russia, Salsman said that the Blackhawks you can do to bring in quality players is make sure to quickly indoctrinate them to be different. We had to look for some into the North American culture. top-flight foreign players, and run the “We made sure to establish a very league as inexpensively as possible.” strong English program. The Russian Opting out of USA Hockey certification, kids are working really hard and taking the IJHL is able to provide teams with no three to four English classes per week,” import limits. While that has certainly said Salsman. “They love Boston and all brought in dozens of international the sports teams and opportunities they players, the team’s low-distance travel have in front of them.” system also attracts American players The top scorer in the league, just who want to live at home, go to their after Thanksgiving, was a Russian – the local high school or college and still play Blackhawks’ Vadim Kravchenko had extremely competitive hockey. scored 57 points in 23 games. The IJHL operates in three different “When I saw him in our tryout session divisions – the New England and Mid- in Moscow, it took me about 30 seconds Atlantic divisions play full seasons at the before I realized this kid was going to be Super Elite tier, while the Elite Division good,” said Salsman. “We feel that he’s a Jeff Hall, of Southern New Hampshire University, is a former New England Stars player in the Division 1 player.” runs from September through November, International Junior Hockey League. allowing younger players to suit up for The Blackhawks have had a long- their high school and not have to worry the Cubs, with a big crowd of about 300 national.