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Higgins "Bear-y" Happy
2008-01-17 01:52:00
Compuware Midget Minor, Stuart Higgins , and the University of Maine have reached a mutual verbal agreement for the U16 forward to join the Black Bear s freshman class of 2010. Maine is also the alma mater of Compuware head coach, Todd Jenkins. Congratulations to the Higgins family, Compuware Midget Minor, and the University of Maine. Couldn't happen to a nicer family or a more deserving player. Jenkins is profiled and Higgins is quoted in a nice article published in today's issue of the Bangor News.
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NC double "Eh"?
2008-01-16 18:48:00
College Hockey News reports that the NCAA is now allowing Canadian universities to apply for membership. I don't know if this ups the competitive ante between major junior and the NCAA, but it is certainly an interesting development. In a few years kids who want to play hockey for Canadian schools will be able to compete against US colleges, and that's a great thing. Seems like it might be a greater challenge to build teams that are competitive enough to lure top talent from the CHL. What are your thoughts? Leave a comment. Lots of other sites are reporting on the development so I have to admit I jumped in because I couldn't resist the temptation to write the tagline, NC double 'Eh'.
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2008 USHL Draft Lists Begin
2008-01-16 12:05:00
The USHL Draft Lists for the USA 92's and 93's have been posted. The Ontario lists are due next week, 01/22. It's getting late so I don't have much time or energy to devote to analysis or comment. There are 474 players on this year's list. That averages out to 39.5 players per USHL team. I believe there were 300 92's listed last year. It's hard to count how many teams are actually represented because some are spelled differently. For instance, I have to manually correct the spellings or else my spreadsheet counts "Jr. Canadiens" and "Jr Canadiens" as two separate teams (due to the missing period). Eyeballing it, I'd say there are about 200 teams represented on this year's list. Several teams have players represented in the double digits (Texas Attack 11, Mission 11, Belle Tire 12, Shattuck 11, and Team Illinois has 12 if I counted correctly). Honeybaked takes the second place spot with 14 players. Compuware Midget Minor has the distinct honor of having all 20 of i...
More About: Season , 2008

Victory Honda Cup Schedule
2008-01-15 19:46:00
The complete 2008 schedule for both Midget Major and Minor divsions is now available.
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Victory Honda Cup 2008
2008-01-15 19:32:00
The next big event for the elite U16 set is this weekend's Victory Honda Cup co-sponsored by the National Team Development Program (NTDP) at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. Top Midget Minor teams from around the country will vye to impress coaches and scouts from the National Teams and the NCAA. Just another tournament, you say? Somehow I doubt that the 15/16-year-olds hoping to land an invitation to tryout for the NTDP in a couple of months see it that way. How do keep a kids' feet on the ground and relieve some of the pressure they must be feeling? Personally I think homework, chores, and a few non-hockey-related fun activities might help. If you have any ideas, please share them anonymously (or otherwise) with the world by clicking "comments."Compuware's schedule:Friday, 2:00 pm vs Little CeasarsSaturday, 11:30 am vs Colorado ThunderbirdsSaturday, 6:00 pm vs New JerseySunday, 1:30 pm vs Chicago MissionThe semis and finals are Monday, 01/21. If anyone can find a web site for the...
More About: Season , Tournament

Back on Track
2008-01-13 18:46:00
Compuware got back on track last week with a couple of wins over Victory Honda and Honeybaked. Comp was able to get 3 points on the board before Victory Honda tightened up the defensive end playing one of the best games I've seen from them this year. It looked like Comp was going to have an easy time with Honeybaked Saturday after a strong first period, but the Hogs kept it coming and the teams went tit for tat to the 7-6 end. Here are a few highlights from the Victory Honda game. Congratulations to all three teams who gave us some very exciting hockey.
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2008 USHL Draft Lists Update
2008-01-09 00:23:00
USHL Central Scouting reports today that their draft lists will again be released in a staggered fashion. "The first segment will be released on January 15. Subsequentsegments will be released on January 22 and January 29. Players born in1991, 1992 and 1993 are eligible to be listed." As in prior years, players in both the USA and Ontario will be listed.
More About: Lists , Update , Draft , 2008

100k Milestone
2008-01-08 23:05:00
Today, the A-Train Vlog crossed the 100,000 page-loads marker with over 44,500 unique visitors in 2007. The purpose of the vlog isn't to be commercially competitive with any other site, rather to be a resource to those interested in youth hockey as well as a fun tribute to my son and his teams. The growth of the vlog each year hasn't been remarkable by commercial standards, but it has been amazing to witness nonetheless. Writing the vlog has taught me so much about technology, parenting, teamwork, leadership, humility, and so many other things. Now that we've entered the final year of posting, it'll be interesting to see how it all ends. Thanks to those who have shown their support in writing and in person. Stay tuned for more exciting stuff in the coming months starting with tonight's game against Victory Honda. It should be another good one.
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Hafner vs Hafner
2008-01-08 02:33:00
Compuware slashed Belle Tire 3-0 in what could have been a slug-fest if not for determined officials. This was the same score in the teams' last meeting which was at the Joe Maire Tournament. Comp netminder, Luke Hafner stopped 32 shots to earn the shut-out, and he even got an assist on the final empty-netter of the game. Luke's cousin, Rusty Hafner (Belle Tire), didn't get an assist, but he did pick up a game suspension for dropping the gloves. I'm not sure if the purpose was to infuse some energy into his team or to settle a score, but it made for an interesting continued rivalry between these two teams. I can't believe this is the first time they've met in league play this year. Maybe they'll get to play one another again at the Marlies Tournament in Toronto after Christmas. If not, their next scheduled meeting is January 6th. BT is probably one of the most unpredictable teams in our league. They're capable of winning any game, and you never know what's going to ha...

Honor and "The Code"
2008-01-08 02:33:00
The donnybrook at Culver brings into sharp focus the issue of honor and codes of conduct. It also highlights the importance of having three officials on the ice at all times, but that's another story. I must start by saying that I am not speaking for my team or my son. The views expressed in this post are mine alone, but I hope they might lead to positive and constructive discussions.Most hockey fanatics understand if not appreciate the role of fighting in the sport. They understand it to be a deterrent of exceptionally vicious or careless behavior on the ice. The thinking goes that when players know they will be held accountable for their actions on the ice, they will be restrained and more often play within the rules. I don't think it always turns out this way, but I do support the use of measured force to prevent injury, to protect oneself, and to protect one's teammates.The problem is, in my estimation, that learning when and how to defend one's honor or the honor of one...
More About: Code , Honor

Compuware vs Honeybaked Highlights
2008-01-08 02:33:00
Here are some highlights from last weekend's 3-1 over Honeybaked. The song is "Big Leagues" by Tom Cochrane. Enjoy. Postscript: the song's got a great vibe, but a sobering message when you learn thatit's about a kid named George Pelawa who was drafted in the first round, 16th overall by the Calgary Flames in the '86 draft. Out of Bemidji High School, he was killed in a car accident before he ever reported to camp with the Flames. As much as the song is a great celebration of high hopes, it's also a reminder that nothing is promised, and we really need to treasure every moment we have in the present. Here's the music video.
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Ham Heist!
2008-01-08 02:33:00
The Associated Press is reporting this morning that bacon bandits burgled more than 16 metric tons of cured meat from a warehouse in Australia overnight, scrawling "Thanks" and "Merry Christmas" on the wall before making their getaway. Following the coincidental 3-1 victory of Compuware over Honeybaked, authorities are questioning a certain blogger who has been known to binge on bacon following a certain team's victory over a certain other team. I just want to set the record straight that I had nothing to do with that robbery. Honestly, what could they possibly do with 16 metric tons of pork? I think that amounts to something like 1,936 20-lb hams! How long will it take them to unload that much meat even on the black market? How do they keep it fresh and inconspicuous at the same time? All I know is if you see 20 kids trying to hawk hams as a Christmas fund-raiser, don't come knocking on my door. Congrats to Comp on the win and the continued unbeaten streak in league play....

A-Train Vlog Moved
2008-01-08 02:29:00
I apologize to those of you who have experienced trouble finding the vlog through your existing bookmarks. I have moved the blog to a new address, http://atrainhockey.blogspot.com. If you bookmarked http://www.atrainhockey.com, you didn't notice any changes, but if you had the orgininal blogspot address, you may have wondered what the heck was going on. Basically I needed to do some administrative web stuff that involved organization and consolidation, kind of like "spring cleaning" in the winter. I hope this wasn't too much trouble for you. Set your bookmark to either of the above addresses and you'll be fine. If I make changes again in the future, I'll post a warning before actually making it happen.
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Tires Topple Tootsies
2008-01-08 02:27:00
Honeybaked and Belle Tire put an end to Compuware's undefeated league play last weekend with 6-4 & 2-1 wins respectively. The Honeybaked loss marked the largest number of goals against Comp in a single game all year. Belle Tire outworked the boys in Orange who had several excellent scoring opportunities, but goaltender Kyle Laslo was having none of it. What do Tires and Tootsies have in common? They both roll. The backround music is "Let Me Roll" by Seal. Congrats to Belle Tire & the Hogs.
More About: Season

07 Marlies Classic Highlights
2008-01-02 00:44:00
Here are some highlights from Compuware's run at the Marlboros' Holiday Classic Tournament. I also included some of the opposition's highlights in recognition of some great efforts. Spanning seven games, it runs 17 minutes, so if you have a slow internet connection, go grab a cup of coffee while it's loading. This reel is dedicated to our Compuware teammates who couldn't be with us in Toronto, Jordan Nickerson, Andrew Wilson, and Jared Knight. We're looking forward to having you guys back in the lineup soon. Go Comp!
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Hometown Hockey
2007-12-31 15:47:00
In tournament action, Compuware topped the Marham Majors 4-1 this morning. Goals game from Zucker, Gunn, Cook, and Moffatt. Williams got the win in goal. Their next game is at 3:45 vs Brampton Battallion. Brampton fell to the Majors yesterday, 9-1.Rogers Television is broadcasting some of the Marlies games locally. Thursday's and Friday's games being broadcast are exclusively Canadian teams, but Sunday's Minor Midget Semi-Final and Monday's championship games will be televised. DVD's or VHS copies of the games can also be ordered by contacting the Rogers Television Dub Request Line at 416-446-7175. For the complete schedule and ordering information, check the Rogers Television web site.
More About: Hockey , Season , Toronto Marlboros

JC's Finish Comp
2007-12-30 17:12:00
After getting past York Simcoe Express 4-2, Comp uware went on to defeat Ottawa Valley 8-0 to advance to the semi finals this morning. The rematch we hoped for took place, and the team played great against the Jr Canadiens. The score went back and forth, but the Canadiens finished on top 4-3. It was a great tournament and great to see our boys do so well against one of the best 92 teams anywhere. The JC's advance to the finals against the Toronto Red Wings who outdid the host team 2-1. I hope someone can arrange for the Marlies, Red Wings and Canadiens to come down to Detroit to plays us again at the end of the season. Maybe after the OHL Cup would be good. Regardless of who wins, the hockey is great to watch and experience. When we get back home, I should have some pretty good highlights to share. Congrats to the entire Compuware team on a very respectable 6-1-0 finish in Toronto, and Happy New Year, everyone.
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Comp Climbs to Conference Quarters
2007-12-29 17:02:00
At the time of this post Pointstreak hasn't been updated, but Comp uware won its fourth consecutive game of the tournament against the Rideau St Lawrence Kings decisively. This should put our team in 1st or 2nd place heading into the conference quarter finals which begin at 2:15 this afternoon. The opposing team depends on the seeding. There are two conferences of six divisions each with 5 teams. There are two semi final games which determine the winner of each conference. Disappointingly, the semi-final game which will be broadcast on local cable television is not of our conference. It's game #127 which determines the winner of the Huele Conference which includes the Marlies, Red Wings, and Belle Tire. I'm hoping to see Compuware get to play the Jr Canadiens who are in our conference, but that depends on the seeding and on both teams' continued success. That would've been a great matchup for television, but the only way we'll get to see the Orange Crush in HD is if they ...
More About: Season , Toronto Marlboros

Slow Day
2007-12-28 15:57:00
Compuware only has one game today at 5:40 pm vs the Clarington Toros. Last night Comp blanked the Brampton Battallion 8-0 with Luke Hafner getting the shut-out. The A-Train contributed two assists, and Paul Pearson figured a goal and assist into the mix. Alex Aleardi put up a whopping six points on the final score sheet.
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Sokil Kyiv Bound for T.O.
2007-12-26 16:54:00
Of the teams heading to Toronto this week for the Marlies tournament, perhaps one of the most intriguing is the Sokil Kyiv (aka Sokol Kiev). They're from Ukraine, and according to Wikipedia Sokil is a Slavic word for "Falcon". The word apparently was derived from the Czech word, Sokol, with the same meaning and also was the name given to a youth movement founded in Prague in 1862: "Primarily a fitness training center, the Sokol, also through lectures, discussions, and group outings provided what Tyr? viewed as physical, moral, and intellectual training for the nation." If you haven't already clicked the link, you'll want to do so because the history of Sokols is fascinating. It reminds me of what we used to call the "Soviet machine" that cranked out top athletes and fierce nationalism. In some ways, there are parallels to our own National Team Development Program. Like many teams in North America, Sokil shares their name with a pro team. Here's a link to an informative ar...
More About: Season , Bound , Toronto Marlboros

Back on Top
2007-12-25 21:42:00
Following two draws over the weekend with Mississauga and the Nats, the Jr Canadiens slipped in the rankings and Compuware returned to the number one spot with three wins at Culver. The teams are closely matched on paper. Comp is sitting at 36-6-2 with 210 goals for and only 75 against. The JCs are at 37-5-2, 257 goals for, and 81 against. We can only hope that these two teams get another chance to play one another in TO next weekend. They each have to earn it, though, because there are several spoilers waiting in the wings. Being this close, the rankings may go back and forth a few times throughtout the rest of the season, but for now, it's great to see our team back on top. Merry Christmas, boys.
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OHL vs USHL Draft Lists
2007-12-25 21:42:00
The USHL Central Scouting Draft Lists are posted publicly on the USHL web site beginning in December each year. OHL Central Scouting also compiles a draft list, however, its list is a closely-held secret. The USHL list is usually sorted by team name without regard to the ranking of players. The OHL list ranks players by category, AA, A, B, C. The highest ranking is AA and although players used to be ranked sequentially, these days they are grouped. There is no correlation between the OHL ranking and the level of league play. That is to say that current AAA or B team players could and may both be listed as AA (top end) on the OHL Central Scouting List. The OHL draft doesn't occur until May, but the lists are already being circulated internally, and every eligible '92 is looking forward to the event. With 20 teams, the first two rounds of the draft will take the top-ranked 40 players. Recently I heard there are about 46 AA-ranked players, but I have no idea how that will c...

Culver Cornfield Cup
2007-12-25 21:42:00
The next tournament of the season for Compuware will be the Culver Academies Cornfield Cup December 14th-16th. Comp has one more game next weekend against the Silver Stick runners-up, Belle Tire. That should be a pretty intense game. In addition to MWEHL teams, Victory Honda, Chicago Fury, Team Illinois and Little Caesars, the Cornfield Cup is also hosting the Pittsburgh Hornets (ranked 121st) and Madison Capitals (ranked 39th).Following Culver, the next big event for this month is the Toronto Marlboro's Tournament 12/26. More on that later.

Cornfield Update
2007-12-25 21:42:00
Compuware is 2-0 in its first two games with a 6-1 victory over Madison last night and a 4-1 win this morning over Victory Honda. Their next game is 6:15 pm vs the Chicago Fury. Comp is 4-0 against the Fury so far this year.Game report: Fury ties Comp 3-3. Looks like Comp finished 1st in their division setting up a Sunday game against the other division's 1st place team, Little Caesars.
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Cup Runneth Over
2007-12-25 21:42:00
Compuware captured the Culver Academies Cornfield Cup in a 7-3 win over Little Caesars today. Reports trickling in have the sounds of a melee reminiscent of the Wings/Avs rumble which saw Osgood and Roy go toe-to-toe. Even the midget goalies squared off at center ice in the bench-clearing brawl. While I have stated in a prior post that I appreciate the importance of sticking up for your teammates and the role of fighting in hockey, I also worry as a parent that things can get out of hand. When benches clear, I'm thinking that may be an indicator that something has gone too far. I wasn't there, so I can't comment further until all the dust settles. For now, let's just say this Cup runneth over.

07 Marlies Holiday Classic
2007-12-25 21:42:00
The Toronto Marlboro's Holiday Classic Tournament kicks off the day after Christmas. Last year, the '92 age group was headed by the Canadiens, York Simcoe, Honeybaked, North Jersey, and Syracuse. Compuware made a good showing, but hopefully they'll go further this time. Compuware's round robin competition this year are the Markham Majors, Brampton Battalion, Clarington Toros, and the Rideau St Lawrence Kings. The brackets and schedule are on the tournament web site, but the results are also being managed on Poinstreak where it looks like they are very organized and easy to follow, slice, and dice. There should be a lot of good hockey games in Toronto next week. Good luck, teams & Go Comp!Marlies Tournament Web SiteCompuware Schedule on PointstreakTournament Standings on Pointstreak

Black Hockey Players Wall of Fame
2007-12-13 21:23:00
Last year, we created a Black Hockey Players Wall of Fame which is a photo gallery of players drafted by or who played in the NHL. When we moved from Colorado, the ISP account which hosted the pages featuring African-Canadian and American players was canceled, so I apologize to those who have been looking for the pages in vain. I've re-published them in a new location. Please help spread the link. Thanks to those who have asked for an update.

Tag Your MySpace
2007-12-07 20:03:00
Want to see the latest headlines from the A-Train Vlog while on your MySpace page? You don't have to leave MySpace to find out that a new highlight video has been posted or something exciting in the hockey world has just happened. Just click on the "Grab this Headline Animator" link and it will tell you how to add it to your MySpace "about me" page.↑ Grab this Headline Animator
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USHL Draft Lists
2007-12-05 19:00:00
As in years past, USHL Central Scouting will be adding players to its draft lists on a staggered basis beginning this month. At the Bantam level in prior years, they also published a ranking of top-ten teams, but at the Midget Minor level, its more problematic because of the mixed birth years. Some teams carry 91s and 92s, some only roster 92s, so the comparison is not uniform. I'm removing the USHL Top Ten link from the side bar, but the link to their 92 draft list will remain and you can check it throughout the season as they add players. At this time, I don't know the date when the first pass will be published.
More About: Lists , Draft

Remember Dewey
2007-12-05 15:13:00
Gather round for a history lesson kids. The picture that you see here is President Harry Truman holding a copy of the Chicago Daily Tribune in 1948 the morning after Truman won the election. The newspaper, in its haste to beat the competition to press, ran what turned out to be the wrong headline as Truman defeated Dewey.Today's blip on the hockey recruiting scene was only that for most hockey families, but for 92's it was a little more than that. It was a lesson that when you're too anxious for results, you miss important information along the way. It was a lesson to bloggers that almost 50 years have passed, and human nature is still trusting when it should be more circumspect. It was a lesson to all of us that there are those who care less about sharing truth and information than making bubbles in the wading pool. The cool thing about the internet is that within an hour, people who really knew the truth were already sharing the correct information. Western College Hockey ...