Aeros Blog #24

06/24/2010 3:32 PM - Joe O'Donnell
Now for another edition of your favorite hockey blog…

Looks like my pick of the Texas Stars to dethrone the Hershey Bears was off the mark, however when the Stars won the first two games of the Calder Cup Finals, I was looking pretty smart. Guess that’s why they play a best-of-seven. Anyway, the AHL and NHL seasons have been in the books for a couple of weeks now and that means it’s time to get ready for the draft and free agency.

The NHL draft is in Los Angeles beginning on Friday. You can watch it on Versus beginning at 6 pm CST. Round 1 is Friday night and the subsequent rounds can be found on the NHL Network beginning on Saturday at noon CST. The Maple Leaf Pub, a very proud sponsor of the Aeros, will have the draft on Friday night. So head to 514 Elgin St. and enjoy some draughts (responsibly) and the NHL draft! By the way, the Wild have the 9th overall selection.

As for the Aeros, Mike Yeo is the new head coach, named to the position last week. I think it’s a great hire. For what it’s worth, I loved working with Kevin Constantine, Troy Ward and Luke Strand (08-09) / Mark LeRose (09-10). They were so knowledgeable and hard working that it was unbelievable at times. Those guys truly cared about improving players’ skill sets and winning hockey games. There was a lot of pride on that staff to have their team play hard all the time. With that said, I’m super stoked to have Mike Yeo here. I think it’s exciting for the fans and I don’t think that can be understated. The man has a Stanley Cup ring for crying out loud and he’s a former Turner Cup Champion from his days here in Houston. This is going to be a great year for the Aeros, I can feel it!

On the assistant coaches’ front, here’s what coach Yeo told me when I asked about the hiring process on Monday:

"We are still in the process of putting our list together. We already have a good group of candidates and we will be starting the interview process with them very soon."

Obviously with the draft and free agency (July 1) approaching, the hiring of assistant(s) / coach(es) may get put on the backburner – slightly.

Here are some other hockey links / tidbits to chew on:
• Click here for my phone interview with Aeros’ GM Jim Mill from earlier this week.
• Goaltender Cory Schneider earned himself a two-year, $1.8 million contract a few weeks back, meaning he’ll be Roberto Luongo’s backup in Vancouver this season. That of course means the Manitoba Moose are looking for a new number one goaltender.
• In the last five Stanley Cup Finals, the home team has won each of the first three games.
• Quite simply, here’s the greatest commercial I’ve ever witnessed.
• The NHL’s TV contracts with NBC and Versus expires after this season, so it’s fair to think that if the NHL has another solid season ratings-wise, that ESPN might once again show an interest in the NHL. The decisive game six between the Blackhawks and the Flyers earned a 4.7 rating, more than four times the bleak 1.1 rating game three between the Senators and Ducks received back in the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals. It was also the league’s highest rated TV game in 36 years.
• Since the NHL lockout in 2004-2005, the salary cap has gone up 52% to $59.4 million. The cap floor (the minimum teams can spend) is now $43.4 million. That’s a 102% increase since the lockout. Hopefully it doesn’t get too far out of hand and put the NHL and its smaller market teams in a tough spot in a few hands.
• Check out my blog on the website of Sports Radio 610 where I argue that the Stanley Cup is the hardest championship to win in sports. My on-air co-host (for most weekend shifts), John Wessling, told me to blog about it after we raised the topic to the listeners and got into some heated debates. I blogged (and still want to add more to my “defense”) and he posted it. For those of you that don’t already know, you can hear me on SR610 on Saturday night from 7-11 pm and Sunday afternoons from 11 am – 3 pm. Of course, the schedule is tweaked sometimes, including this weekend.
• Speaking of John Wessling, he’s the feature act at The Improv in Houston on Wednesday, June 30th. Dude is funny. Check him out.
• One last plug: The wife of former Aeros’ assistant coach Mark LeRose is a pretty darn famous author. Here’s her latest book on amazon which has been out for a couple of months now.

I’ll have another blog up soon in addition to some more prospect profiles. So keep checking out aeros.com to stay current.

- Aero Joe

Aeros Blog #23 (Calder Cup Finals Preview)

06/03/2010 9:04 AM - Joe O'Donnell
I’ll preview the Calder Cup Finals in a moment, but first some thoughts on the Stanley Cup Finals:

First off, as a Flyers’ supporter I love the effort they’ve put forth in the first two games. However, sometimes effort and passion just ain’t good enough and the two losses they’ve suffered so far is evidence to that. But a win tonight by the Flyers and all that changes, as we’ll officially have a series. Here’s how they can get it done (since I said in my last blog that they would split in Chicago and clearly I was wrong there).

• Score at least one, first period goal
• Somehow keep Patrick Kane and his line-mates off the board again in Game 3 (much easier said than done)
• Keep the ‘Hawks to under 35 shots and less than 4 power play opportunities

Now to the Calder Cup Finals:

The Hershey Bears are supposed to be here. The Texas Stars are a mild surprise to be here. And really, it’s the same thing at the NHL level with the Flyers and the Blackhawks. So the question begs: Does that matter at this point in the season?

That’s for you to decide. As for me, it’s prediction time.

By my calculations, there hasn’t been a repeat champion in the AHL since Springfield hoisted back-to-back Calder Cups in ‘90 & ’91. And no one has won the Stanley Cup in consecutive seasons since the Detroit Red Wings in ’97 & ’98. That tells me it’s too difficult in today’s game to repeat as champs – there’s too much parity, too many guys who want it so badly that they’ll bring their respective games to a desperate enough level that they won’t let you beat them, too many bounces that need to go your way over 16 wins, too many obstacles to overcome and win it all again.

So, Texas Stars’ fans, enjoy this journey. You will be the 2010 Calder Cup Champions. Here’s why:

The Stars have three players that played with the Manitoba Moose in last year’s finals against the Bears in Greg Rallo, Ray Sawada and former Aero Max Fortunus. Those guys will help the Stars be better prepared (even if it’s marginally) for the Bears’ tendencies and their 18 returning players from last year’s championship club. On top of that, the Stars have showed an unbelievable resiliency in winning two, road game 7’s this postseason. That should bode well for them when facing adversity in this series. Now the Stars may be slightly star-struck (no pun intended) at Giant Center in front of 10,000 fans or so for games 1 and 2, but they should get passed that after a period or two and get back to playing Stars’ hockey. “Fill-in” goaltender and former Aero Matt Climie passed all the tests necessary so far this postseason, especially in game 7 in Hamilton where the Bulldogs out-shot the Stars 40-23. The Stars are a veteran defensive team that prides itself on being poised in their own zone and opportunistic on offense and if they can continue that philosophy they will certainly frustrate the heavily-favored Bears.

Meanwhile, the Bears, although dominant record-wise at 12-3 this playoff year, have won seven games in overtime and they’ve won five times when trailing after two periods. That’s living on the edge and that is why a team with as much gumption as the Stars will present a problem. You don’t erase third period leads against the Stars (6-0 record in postseason when leading after two). The Bears’ high-powered offense will “get theirs”; I have no doubt about that. In fact, the offensive numbers say we should see some higher scoring games in the Finals, which should make for exciting hockey. Defensively the Bears have been good, if not great, holding their opponents to just over 27 shots per game and there’s no reason to think they won’t keep that trend going. Keep in mind, the Bears have had another long layoff after they beat the Manchester Monarchs in the Eastern Conference Finals and at some point that has to catch up with them and cost them one of the first two games, right?

For some insight from the only AHL broadcasters remaining, here’s what the Bears’ John Walton and the Stars’ Josh Fisher provided when asked for the most important thing in order for their team to have success in the Finals:

John Walton, Hershey Bears
“Playing with a lead seems to be almost vital for Hershey now. Although the team has advanced back to the Finals, nothing about this postseason has come easy with an AHL record seven overtime wins, and more wins when trailing after two than leading after two. It's tough to maintain that kind of record through four rounds. Texas has that same comeback swagger as well this playoff year, making it a very intriguing matchup when you drill down into it. You have to believe with what both teams have done this postseason; this series could easily go six or seven games."

Josh Fisher, Texas Stars
“First goal, specialty teams and goaltending. Texas is 6-1 in the Calder Cup Playoffs when scoring the first goal of the night and 6-5 when allowing the first goal. The Stars have not scored the game’s opening goal in their last ten straight, dating back to Game 4 of the West Division Finals at home against Chicago. Texas’ power play has been much better on the road than at home in the playoffs. The Stars are converting 24.2% of their road chances compared to 18.9% of their home chances. Stars’ goaltender Matt Climie went 4-3 in the Western Conference Finals against Hamilton, sporting a 2.43GAA and a .931 save percentage in the series. In Game 6, Climie made an AHL playoff-high 51 saves at Hamilton, a 3-2 overtime win for Texas. Four of Climie’s five playoff wins have come in overtime games.”

With all that said, I’m confident this will be a long series and even as I’m typing this there’s a part of me that thinks I’m going loco…The Pick: Stars in 7 (via a 4-3 O.T. victory on the road).

One final thing from the world of hockey…check out this story about a reported Central Hockey League / International Hockey League merger from the Shreveport Times.

Also, my sincerest thanks to all of my colleagues that helped provide insight for my blog throughout the 2010 Calder Cup Playoffs. It was greatly appreciated!

Savor this time hockey heads, because in a matter of weeks there won’t be any live hockey until October…

- Aero Joe

Aeros Blog #22

05/27/2010 11:52 AM - Joe O'Donnell
Whenever I’m back at home in the suburbs of Philadelphia, I’m treated like a king. Not really sure why but maybe it’s because I was a pretty good kid growing up or something. Anyway, it’s almost 11:30 am Eastern Time as I sit down to crank out this blog and I’ve just finished eating an omelet that my Mom made for me. Can you guess what type of omelet I devoured?

Ham and Cheese. Hope you guessed correctly.

Alright, moving along...time to give myself a pat on the ‘ol back for correctly picking the Hershey Bears 6-game victory over the Manchester Monarchs in the AHL’s Eastern Conference Finals and for correctly selecting the Texas Stars to beat the Hamilton Bulldogs (although I said it would be six games, not seven).

Couple of quick thoughts:

• I was partially stunned that the Monarchs won two straight games against the Bears and really could have won that series after dropping the first two games in Hershey. I didn’t think the Bears (12-3 playoff record) knew how to lose back-to-back games.

• Partially stunned, Part 2: That the Stars lost the first two games in Hamilton and then were down in the series 3-2 going back to Hamilton and then trailed 2-0 in game seven and still won the series. Talk about showing character. Of course Aeros’ fans remember how special it was last year to win two, decisive game seven’s on the road in the same playoff season and the Stars equaled that feat to punch their ticket to the Calder Cup Finals. Very impressive.

• Go Flyers!

• How about Stars’ goaltender Matt Climie? The former Aero made 40-plus saves on the road last night in the game seven victory. Climie is a free agent at season’s end.

• And, Go Flyers!

I’m going to hold off on my Calder Cup Finals pick (by the way, I’m 4 for 5 in picking AHL series so far) for a few days since it doesn’t start until Thursday, June 3rd.

I will however comment on the upcoming Stanley Cup Finals. First off, I was at game five between the Flyers and Canadiens (you would know this if you followed me on twitter) and the Wachovia Center was rocking. Honestly the place was so crazy that you would have thought the Flyers had won the Stanley Cup already. Here’s a photo that shows the sea of orange & black:





If the Flyers are going to beat the favored Chicago Blackhawks, who tore through the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference Finals, they are going to have to steal game one in Chi-town. They’ll have to split at home in games 3 & 4 and then win the game five in Chicago and six at home in front of a raucous crowd. Tough sledding, I know.

For the record, I’m still not sold on ‘Hawks netminder Antti Niemi. I’m not sure if that’s because he played in the AHL last season or because all year long the ‘Hawks have been arguably the league’s best defensive team in front of him. He’s obviously passed the postseason test so far, but he really hasn’t been in a precarious situation since early in the first round when the Nashville Predators “woke up” the ‘Hawks by playing them tough through the first few games. Oh, and his pads are illegal. That’s right, you heard it hear first: Niemi’s leg pads are longer than the maximum 38” allowed by the NHL Rule Book. Pure guesswork here, but I think I’m on to something. Even Yao Ming’s legs would be covered by those things.

One thing we’ve seen in these playoffs (at all levels of professional hockey) is that talent doesn’t always win. Character, determination and destiny (or call it what you like) seem to be having their say as well. I’m not making a pick here b/c I’m too emotionally involved (Go Flyers!), but I think it’s going to be a great series and quite frankly, the NHL needs it to be to continue to help grow the game in the states.

More from me in about a week or less.

- Aero Joe

Aeros Blog #21

05/20/2010 12:03 PM - Joe O'Donnell
I’m heading out of town tonight and will be gone for a week, so I thought I’d throw some updates your way before I “get out of Dodge” (I believe that’s an old expression…at least that’s what my Mom has said to me once or twice).

• If you missed it late last week, there’s a new, two-part audio interview up with Aeros’ GM Jim Mill as well as other updated audio: Part 1, Part 2
• The Wild announced last week that J-M Daoust and Chad Rau have both been signed to NHL contracts. Aeros Press Releases
• Also, I’m now tweeting! Follow me on Twitter
• The Oklahoma City franchise is now officially the Oklahoma City Barons, a new West Division rival for the Aeros. FYI, their parent club, the Edmonton Oilers, have the first selection in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft.
• Reports are that Mark Holick from the WHL’s Kootenay Ice is going to be the new head coach of the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch.
• Swedish goaltender Daniel Larsson, who spent the last two seasons with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, is headed back overseas next season after failing to reach a contract agreement with the Detroit Red Wings.
• Former Aero Trent Cull was just named as the new head coach of the Sudbury Wolves (OHL). Cull was most recenlty an assistant coach with the Crunch, and according to reports, he applied for the vacant head coaching position here in Houston.
• The Times Union Center in Albany, the building that will host the New Jersey Devils farm team this season, is going to receive some significant renovations this summer. Just last week, the Albany County Legislature approved a proposed $1.6 million dollar bond to improve the arena. It will mark the third time the Devils’ farm team has played in Albany. The Devils AHL affiliate had been in Lowell the last couple of seasons.
• In addition to the Philadelphia Flyers becoming a part of hockey and sports history with their remarkable comeback from a three-games-to-none deficit in their best-of-seven series against the Boston Bruins, the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL pulled off the same feat last week against the Reading Royals. All told, there are now seven professional hockey teams to accomplish the feat (3 NHL, 2 AHL, 1 IHL and 1 ECHL). It’s also the first time that two professional hockey teams have completed the three-game comeback in the same season.
• Found this interesting, a quote from AHL President David Andrews regarding the future of the AHL in Des Moines, Iowa: “I think it's a great building and I think it's a good market. They were making good progress there with the Chops franchise. They just got themselves in a deep hole early on in the beginnings of the franchise that they were unable to climb out of. Clearly, Global Spectrum, who managed the building there, really would like to have an AHL team. The Polk County Commissioners have asked us to work with them to try to acquire one. It's going to be a question of whether at some point one of our teams in another market begins to struggle and is looking for a new home. I think that if that unfolds Des Moines has a great facility and is well-situated geographically for us. It would have to be pretty close to the top of the list of potential new locations for us." That was courtesy of a blog called Hundred Degree Hockey.
• And this from Blair Betts, Flyers forward, on how there are often unlikely heroes in the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs and the fact that there are so many players in the AHL that are just waiting for an opportunity to make their mark in the NHL: “A lot of guys in the American Hockey League who have the capabilities to play in the NHL just don't have the opportunities."
• Hamilton Bulldogs’ head coach Guy Boucher was talking the other day about the affiliation with their parent club, the Montreal Canadiens, and how so many former Bulldogs have been called up and had an impact on the Canadiens’ 2010 playoff run. Here’s one quote about the Canadiens’ philosophy on giving players a shot in the NHL if they earn it through their play in the AHL: "What that did is instill a feeling of fairness," Boucher said, "It gives real hope that if you work hard and follow what you're supposed to, that anybody has a chance to go up there." And then this from Boucher on how the Canadiens never told him who to play and how much to play them, and the subsequent impact it had on the Bulldogs: "The players have to earn it," Boucher said. "For me, a first-liner can end up on the fourth line in two seconds, and vice versa, within a game or from one game to another. What it did is it made me put in the values of work ethic, the attitude, and the discipline standards that are crucial to success but also crucial to developing guys, and them finding out how to earn something rather than being given something."
• The 2010 Memorial Cup (battle for junior hockey supremacy) is underway and you haven’t seen any of the action, you’re missing out. The games are available on the NHL Network and the championship game is slated for Sunday, May 23. The defending champion Windsor Spitfires (OHL) are still awaiting to find out their opponent. Here’s a little nugget to make you a touch smarter at your next social function…Since the Memorial Cup went to a tournament-style format in 1972, here’s the breakdown of the champions by league: WHL – 18, OHL – 13, QMJHL – 7.

Well, I “stole” a lot of my material for this blog, scouring news stories over the last few weeks to bring you all of the above, so props to those who did the reporting / posting. I’ll be back with another posting in about two weeks that will be a little more AHL / NHL playoff focused.

- Aero Joe

Aeros Blog #20 (Conference Finals Preview)

05/12/2010 2:00 PM - Joe O'Donnell
Almost one year ago today – 362 days to be exact – the Aeros were taking to the ice in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final in Manitoba against the Moose. It’s a much different picture today for the Aeros, as they continue their search for a new head coach and the sting of missing the playoffs for just the third time in 16 seasons is just starting to fade.

Right now there’s a lot of scoreboard watching being done by Aeros’ fans, as the 2010 Calder Cup Playoffs play out and a champion is eventually crowned some time in mid June.

With their thrilling, come-from-behind 6-5 overtime victory in Game 7 over the Chicago Wolves Tuesday – on the road mind you, the Texas Stars are the new West Division postseason champs. The Aeros of course held that honor last season.

In my last blog I said the Wolves would win in a decisive seventh game, and for a while it looked like I would be spot on. The Wolves had two, two-goal leads and a one-goal lead after Jason Krog snapped a 4-4 tie halfway through the third period. But the Stars would not be denied and from the parts of the broadcast I heard (listening to the Stars’ Josh Fisher) it was all Texas late in regulation and overtime, as they ended up out-shooting the Wolves in the game 53-29. The Stars were more desperate, more determined and despite having several key players either injured or suspended during the epic seven-game series, they found a way to prevail. Mighty impressive to say the least…

Before I get to my Conference Finals predictions, here is some fodder from around the AHL:

• The Dallas Stars have purchased the Iowa Chops franchise, which needed to happen for the Texas Stars to be a permanent fixture in the AHL. The Austin-based Stars were granted a temporary membership by the AHL for this season and they needed to purchase a full-time membership to play past this year. From what I gathered, the whole thing was never really in doubt, but they did have to purchase a membership. The reported sale went for $3.75 million.
• Several current AHL coaches are being considered for NHL jobs, and leading the way are Moose head coach Scott Arniel and Hamilton Bulldogs’ bench boss Guy Boucher. Arniel has already interviewed for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Atlanta Thrashers openings, while Boucher hasn’t interviewed with anyone yet given the fact the Bulldogs are still alive in the battle for the Calder Cup. Kevin Dineen from the Portland Pirates has also been interviewed by the Blue Jackets.
• Speaking of coaching opportunities, the Aeros aren’t the only West Division team looking for a head coach, as the Peoria Rivermen are not bringing back interim head coach Rick Walmsley.
• Also, the Peoria-Journal Star reported that defenseman Jonas Junland turned down a one-way, $500,000 contract offer from the St. Louis Blues to head back overseas to play in the Swedish Elite League. Junland is of Swedish descent.

Western Conference Finals: Texas Stars vs. Hamilton Bulldogs

These two teams are amazingly similar – built around their team defense, solid goaltending and their fluid skating ability. Thus, without question, this is going to be a long series. Here are some regular season numbers to compare:

• Each team won once in the head-to-head matchups, with the Bulldogs win coming via a shootout.
• The Bulldogs ranked 1st in team GAA (2.28), while the Stars were 4th at 2.48
• Both teams were in the top 5 in the AHL in wins when scoring first (HAM: 40 & TEX: 35)
• The Bulldogs led the AHL in road wins with 27, while the Stars finished 4th with 22.

I really see this series as being filled with low scoring, one-goal affairs. That’s kind of a contrast to the 2010 postseason as a whole (NHL, AHL, ECHL) because the games seem to feature more scoring this year than in years past – now that’s just my opinion from looking at box scores, etc.

Anyway, you’ve got two, first-year head coaches hungry for success and two defensive minded clubs that both play a grinding, physical style. Here are a couple more things to consider:

1. The Stars won last night (Tuesday) in overtime and have to play Game 1 in Hamilton on Thursday night. Will fatigue play a role for them early in the series?
2. If the Montreal Canadiens prevail against the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight (Wednesday) in Game 7 of their Stanley Cup series, defenseman P.K. Subban and other valuable reinforcements won’t be available for the Bulldogs. That could loom large.
3. How long will Stars’ goaltender Brent Krahn be sidelined for? He suffered a concussion in Game 6 against the Wolves, so former Aero Matt Climie made the start and earned the win in Game 7 helping them advance.

If the Wolves had beaten the Stars like I predicted, I’d be picking the Bulldogs here. But I won’t make the mistake of going against the Stars again. They are playing inspired hockey and you can’t underestimate the desire of this team. They found a way to win against a more veteran and championship-laden team in the West Division Final, after disposing of a solid IceHogs team via a four-game sweep in Round 1. The Bulldogs were one of the most consistent teams all season, but not having Subban and forwards Tom Pyatt and Ben Maxwell – potentially - hurts their depth considerably. If Climie can hold the fort for the Stars (as Aeros’ fans saw him do last season in the Western Conference Finals), the Stars will win this series. No offense to the Moose or Abbottsford Heat, but I don’t think the Bulldogs have really been tested yet this postseason. That changes in a hurry on Friday night. I see the two sides splitting the first two games from Copps Coliseum in Hamilton and the Stars eventually clinching the series north of the border after taking two of three in Cedar Park.
The Pick: Stars in 6.

Par the course, here’s what some of my colleagues had to say when I posed some questions about the series:

Josh Fisher, Texas Stars’ broadcaster:

What have you been most impressed with during the Stars’ playoff run?
Resiliency – They have shown the ability to play a different style once desperation kicks in. They had a team-record 53 shots on goal in Game 7 against the Wolves. The determination factor was amazing. They outshot Chicago 24-6 in third period and overtime combined.

What style of play will be necessary for success in this series? We need to stick to our system. Defensive style. Collapse to the net, keep shots to the perimeter. It’s a very good match-up with Hamilton, two similar style teams.

Any other trends, stats, or line combinations that the fans should know about?
Game 7 was the best comeback in team history for a team that only had one come back all season when trailing after two periods of play. Not only did they overcome a pair of two-goal deficits, they also erased a one goal deficit in the last ten minutes. Texas was 1-21-1-1 overall when trailing after two periods, including a 1-10-1-1 mark at home.

Now to the Eastern Conference Finals – Manchester Monarchs vs. Hershey Bears

This is almost like the Bears’ parent club, the Washington Capitals, playing the Montreal Canadiens in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs a few weeks back (and we all know how that turned out for the Caps). And I say that solely because you’ve got the best team in the regular season (Hershey) going up against a hot goaltender and his underdog team. Monarchs’ goaltender Jonathan Bernier has a 1.48 GAA in 10 playoff starts in 2010 and an 8-2 record to show for it, so the Bears, who scored an eye-popping 4.28 goals per game in the 80-game regular season and 40 goals in nine playoff games (4.4 per game), will have their hands full. Keep in mind the Bears have been off for 12 days since sweeping the Albany River Rats. The Monarchs had the fewest regular season wins (43) of any remaining team in the “final four” but they ranked 4th in team defense and they’ve gotten amazing balance in the playoffs, with 14 different skaters scoring at least one goal. The Bears are the defending champs and are coming off the greatest regular season in the AHL’s 74-year history plus they are 8-1 in the playoffs thus far.

Since I didn’t see either of these teams play this year, I’ll go off gut instinct. Bernier steals a game early in the series while the Bears are rusty and maybe the Monarchs win a close one on home ice as well.
The Pick: Bears in 6.

Bears broadcaster John Walton on Hershey's postseason run:

Biggest strength this postseason?
The offense, Giroux and Gordon have combined for 19 goals in the first two rounds.

Biggest surprise this postseason?
The amount of time we've been behind in the third period. Three wins of the eight, we've been trailing after two, and three more we were behind at some point in the third period after being tied after 2. Still 8-1 through two rounds. Not a game you want to play too much, but we're seemingly never out of it. I guess that would also double as our big area of concern.

The intangible?
Having what Frenchy calls our "shot mentality", shoot first, ask questions later. We're facing a heck of a goalie in Bernier in this series, we better be all over that one. We had two guys with 100 points, and they didn't have one that even got to 50 in the regular season. But yet, they're here after beating the top two teams in the Atlantic. We better produce when we can if we want to advance.

Here’s what Kim Mueller, from the Monarchs’ PR staff had to say when asked the following questions:

Biggest strength this postseason?
The biggest strength of the Monarchs this postseason is goaltender Jonathan Bernier. He was named the AHL’s outstanding goaltender for the 2009-10 season and has lived up to that title thus far in the playoffs. In 10 postseason games, he has an 8-2 record with a 1.48 goals-against-average and a .952 save percentage.

Biggest surprise this postseason?
The biggest surprise this postseason has been the timely scoring ability of left wing Bud Holloway. Out of the Monarchs eight wins, Holloway has been credited with the game-winner in six of them which ties him with right wing Darren Haydar (2006 Milwaukee Admirals) for the most game-winning goals in one playoff season.

Area for concern?
The Monarchs are a very young team compared to the Hershey Bears, with very limited playoff experience. But thus far through the playoffs, the Monarchs have not let that affect their game. They are a very close knit team that know how to come together and win games.

One difference-making intangible or key to winning the series?
The Monarchs need to play a full 60 minutes and they need to play smart. They will need to stay out of the penalty box, keep Hershey to the outside and keep the crease clear.

**

One final thing – I had the chance to catch up with Aeros’ GM Jim Mill earlier this week in a two part interview where we discuss the future of the Aeros, the 2010 Calder Cup Playoffs and much more.

Part 1
Part 2

Enjoy the conference finals at both the AHL and NHL level, because pretty soon there won’t be frozen pucks flying around until October…

- Aero Joe

Aeros Blog #19 (2nd Round Preview)

04/28/2010 9:42 AM - Joe O'Donnell
So it’s the Wolves and the Stars in the AHL’s West Division Finals.

Before I go any further – kudos to Lane Lambert’s Milwaukee Admirals who gave the Wolves all they could handle taking them to a decisive seventh game. In my previous blog, I said Wolves in 5 and Stars in 6. It ended up being Wolves in 7 and a sweep by the Stars (surprising, I know).

Here are some tidbits from around the AHL:

o Rumors have it that Lowell will be moving their franchise to Albany for next season, which would be closer to their parent club in New Jersey and also make a prime rival for the Adirondack Phantoms.

o If you’ve been “sleeping at the wheel” lately, you’ve probably missed some of the other franchise movement – here’s a summary: The Edmonton Oilers are putting their AHL affiliate in Oklahoma City (previously based out of Springfield), the Columbus Blue Jackets affiliate will play in Springfield and the Anaheim Ducks will move their prospects into Syracuse (last season the Ducks didn’t have a primary AHL affiliate, they instead sprinkled their prospects across the league). The AHL is slated to have 30 teams in 2010-2011.

Now for a breakdown for the West Division Finals:

First of all, this series is going to be spectacular. If you get a chance to go to Austin for a game, do it! As a hockey fan, and a fan of the AHL, it will be worth the trip. Here’s the schedule: Wolves vs. Stars series schedule

Offense: Jamie Benn (6 pts. in Round 1 vs. Rockford) gives the Texas Stars a legitimate offensive threat, something they didn’t have during the regular season while Benn was playing in the NHL with the Dallas Stars. In addition, the line of Francis Wathier, Warren Peters and Ray Sawada will wreak havoc on the Wolves’ skill players, taking away their time and space and hammering them every chance they get. However, the Wolves have more skill overall – they had five skaters with at least 20 goals in the regular season. Advantage: Wolves

Defense: This is a tough one to call. With the Wolves, you’ve got Chris Chelios – need I say more? Then you have former Star Ivan Vishnevskiy, 15-goal man Paul Postma, plus/minus monster Arturs Kulda and another veteran in Nathan Oystrick just to name a few. So there’s certainly some depth there. Flip to the Stars’ lineup and you’ve got steady blue liners like Maxime Fortunus, Garrett Stafford, Andrew Hutchinson, etc. Honestly, this might be dead even. Both teams are deep on the back end and veteran laden. The Wolves probably have a little bit more offensive upside, but not much in my opinion. Advantage: Even

Goaltending: The Wolves used both Peter Mannino and Drew MacIntyre in round 1 and neither were spectacular. Mannino did pitch two shutouts, but he allowed four or more goals three times and he was pulled in two of those outings. This type of inconsistent play (from both goaltenders) was a concern for the Wolves’ coaching down the stretch of the regular season. Mannino has to be much better against a stingy and opportunistic Stars team if the Wolves are going to advance. As for the Stars, Brent Krahn was outstanding in the sweep of Rockford. He allowed just five goals and sported a 96.1 save %. Wow. Krahn is a free agent at season’s end and he appears extremely motivated, hoping to prove he’s an NHL-caliber goaltender. Despite being a veteran netminder, his four wins in round 1 were the first of his Calder Cup playoff career. Advantage: Stars

Special Teams: I’ll take a great penalty kill over a talented power play this time of year, so I’m leaning towards the Stars and their 2nd ranked PK (86.4%) from the regular season. The Wolves can throw out two, talented PP units, but the grit and goaltending the Stars bring to their PK make them tough to crack. Plus, the Stars power play keeps it simple: shots from the point and big bodies in front. Advantage: Stars

Intangibles: The Wolves have a clear advantage here, especially with Chelios in the lineup. In addition, head coach Don Lever and his assistant Ron Wilson won the Calder Cup in 2007 with Hamilton, so they won’t be fazed on a big stage. However, don’t underestimate the Stars’ coaching staff – they are well prepared, determined and hungry for success. Again, I stress the importance of Jamie Benn into the Stars’ lineup – he’s a difference maker and he adds to their forward depth. Both teams have players with Calder Cup rings and other pro championships under their belt, but I don’t even need to do the research to know that the Wolves have more championship experience. Advantage: Wolves

Keys to Victory:
Texas Stars broadcaster Josh Fisher -
1. First Goal - Texas was 4-0 in round one when scoring first and the Wolves out-scored Milwaukee 9-0 in the first period of their series.
2. Brent Kran - The Stars will need great goaltending and it's imperitive to keep the Wolves to the outside.
3. Physical Intensity - The Stars will attempt to wear down Chicago's skill players over the course of a long series.

Chicago Wolves broadcaster Jason Shaver -
1. Goaltending - Peter Mannino looked great in three of the four wins. He notched two shutouts and gave up one goal in Game 7; however, he was pulled in two of the three losses.
2. Special Teams - The Wolves went 8 for 26 on the power play against the Admirals and killed off 13 of 15 penalties in the final four games of te series.
3. Scoring first - The Wolves won four of the five games they scored first in round one.

The Pick: Both teams are solid on home ice with the Wolves winning 29 games and the Stars claiming 24 during the regular season, so with a potential seventh game in Chicago, there has to be some advantage there. The Wolves may have underestimated the willingness of Milwaukee in round 1, and if that happens again, they won’t be lucky enough to survive. According to the Wolves’ coaches when I spoke with them during the regular season, complacency and work ethic were issues for the Wolves at times. We should know early in the series if the Wolves are truly motivated. As for the Stars, their emphatic thumping of Rockford should have sent a notice to the rest of the AHL that they are legit. They’ve got a guy like Landon Wilson (375 NHL GP) playing on essentially their fourth line right now and clutch scorers like Greg Rallo and former Aero Matt Beaudoin make them extremely dangerous even if given just a few opportunities. Finally, don’t be surprised if the winner of Game One takes the series since these two teams are so evenly matched. This series could go either way, but since I can’t sit on the fence… WOLVES IN 7

I’m trying to line up some “keys to victory” and even some audio interviews from the Stars and Wolves respective staffs as we speak, so check back prior to Friday’s Game One for updates to this blog.

- Aero Joe

Aeros Blog #18 (1st Round Preview)

04/10/2010 9:35 AM - Joe O'Donnell
Well, this extremely disappointing season is finally over and as glad as I was that the Aeros finished .500 - I think it’s a pride thing more than anything – I was equally distraught that they were unable to hang on in San Antonio and win the season finale.

Finishing the season with a win and subsequently climbing out of last place in the West Division by virtue of a tiebreaker would have been one final shining moment in a season that unfortunately had too few.

If you missed the game on 1070 AM KNTH or AHL Live and you only saw the boxscore, you must have been confused. Here was the deal: If the Aeros won in regulation (earning two points and not allowing the Rampage to earn any points) they would have tied the Rampage for points with 82 and also equaled their 35 wins. The next tiebreaker is head-to-head and the Aeros won the season series handily. Thus a win in regulation for the Aeros would have given them a 6th place finish in the division. So when the Rampage scored with 50 seconds left to tie the game, the Aeros decided to pull goaltender Anton Khudobin in hopes of retaking the lead. Click here for a sound bite from Aeros’ head coach Kevin Constantine regarding the thought process.

That’s why the Rampage’s empty-net goal with less than 20 seconds left was the tie-breaking, game-winning marker…a rare situation to say the least.

Anyway, I’m going to dissect this Aeros’ season in much greater detail via some blogs in the coming weeks and there will be plenty of end-of-the-season multimedia features posted on aeros.com in the near future. Hopefully the audio and video interviews we taped will tide you over until later in the off-season when there are actually player signings, etc. to talk about.

In the meantime, here’s a quick preview of the AHL West Division Semi-Finals, which begin tonight with the #4 Milwaukee Admirals in Chicago to take on the #1 Wolves. Game One between the #2 Texas Stars and #3 Rockford Ice Hogs is Friday from the Cedar Park Center.

#4 Milwaukee Admirals vs. #1 Chicago Wolves

The Wolves are back in the postseason after a one-year hiatus to take on the Admirals who have made eight consecutive Calder Cup Playoff appearances. On the surface, this looks like a rout since the Wolves were clearly the best team in the division after they started 1-5-0-0 and replaced their coaching staff with current coaches Don Lever and Ron Wilson (both were members of the 2007 Calder Cup Champion Hamilton Bulldogs). Remember, the Wolves’ management tried to add some grit / toughness to their lineup prior to the Clear Day deadline in early March, knowing that they couldn’t afford to get pushed around by a team like the Admirals come playoff time. We’ll find out pretty quickly if those added pieces (Greg Stewart, Craig Weller, etc.) have made a difference – meaning the Wolves won’t just be a regular season juggernaut, but that they’ll actually have what it takes to make a run in the postseason. The loss of power forward Hugh Jessiman in the regular season’s final weekend plus the fact the Nashville Predators (Admirals’ NHL affiliate) won’t be sending any reinforcements since they made the Stanley Cup Playoffs will keep the Admirals from making this a long series. I think the Admirals win a game in Bradley Center and that’s it. However, just to stay “on the fence”, here’s how the Admirals can upset the Wolves: WIN TONIGHT. Take Game One by shelling Wolves’ starting goaltender Peter Mannino and make Don Lever put former Admiral Drew MacIntyre in the net for Game Two. Then you’re in the Wolves’ collective heads – potentially – and you can try to make it a long series. Still, my pick remains the same: Wolves in 5.

For an insider’s look, here’s what Jason Shaver, broadcaster for the Wolves, responded with when asked to provide the following:
Biggest Strength: “Leadership and experience – 18 players on the Wolves playoff roster have won a college, junior or professional championship.”

Biggest Weakness: “Line chemistry and D pairings. The lineup has been in flux for the past four weeks with injuries and call ups. Now everyone is back, will they be able pick up where they left off?”

Difference-Making Intangible: “If Goaltending of Mannino or MacIntyre can get hot, the Wolves should be in good shape.”

Milwaukee broadcaster Aaron Sims:
Biggest Strength: Milwaukee's size and strength. The Admirals want to get the puck deep and bang some bodies en route to the net.

Biggest Weakness: Aside from lack of playoff experience compared to Chicago, is the lack of speed. Milwaukee needs to follow its systems to great detail or else Chicago could skate them out of the rink.

Difference-Making Intangible: The fact the Admirals had a better road record than it did at home. Being the visiting team throughout the playoffs, the knowledge that it played so well away from the Bradley Center could be a nice confidence boost.

#3 Rockford IceHogs vs. #2 Texas Stars

As the regular season was in its final weeks and this match-up looked more and more likely, I was intrigued to see who would own home ice in this series. To me, the Rockford MetroCentre is a difficult place to play although the Ice Hogs are just 3-4 at home in the last two postseasons, so what do I know? Seriously though, the Ice Hogs are in the playoffs over teams like the Aeros, Rampage and Rivermen mainly because they never had any really poor stretches (read: consistency) and they went 26-12-1-1 at home this season. So I think it’s a huge advantage for the Stars to have home ice in what should be a long series. The Stars won six of the eight meetings between the two sides and with the addition of Jamie Benn, the Stars finally have a legitimate, dynamic force up front. If you’re curious Benn had 22 goals with their parent club, the Dallas Stars as a rookie this year. Aeros’ head coach Kevin Constantine really likes how the Stars are built – solid goaltending and veteran blue-liners coupled with a great penalty kill, which probably means they’ll be in every game. The Stars aren’t the healthiest team in the AHL right now, but they should have everyone back (read: Matt Beaudoin) by late in the first round or early in the West Division Finals should they advance. Stars’ first-year head coach Glen Gulutzan has prior playoff experience in the ECHL, advancing as far as the Kelly Cup Finals in 2008. I think the Ice Hogs are a talented offensive group and they certainly have veteran goaltending in Corey Crawford, but the Stars play a solid team game and they capitalize on the few offensive chances they get (fewest shots per game in the AHL at 26.8). My pick: Stars in 6.

Texas Stars broadcaster Josh Fisher:
Biggest Strength: Defense, veteran blue-liners (Hutchinson, Jancevski, Fortunus etc.), goaltending (Krahn, Climie)

Biggest Weakness: Playing from behind (Texas posted one comeback win all season when trailing after two periods), goalie playoff experience

Difference Making Intangible: Character - Texas hasn't had a set scoring leader relying on a team scoring effort and it'll be that way for the Stars to be successfull in the playoffs. Jamie Benn - anytime one of the top NHL rookies joins your team, you immediately get better.

Rockford IceHogs broadcaster Mike Peck with his response:
Biggest Strength: Balanced Offense-Six different players on this year's IceHogs team had 40 or more points and ten different skaters had 30 or more.

Biggest Weakness: Power Play-Ranked 24th in the league in 2009-10 with a 15.2% conversion rate and just 13.4% on the road.

Difference Making Intangible: The IceHogs were very good in tight games in 2009-10 as they had a record of 23-8-3-3 in one-goal games, a .702 winning percentage.

At the end of the day, I’d be very surprised if either Chicago, Texas or Hamilton doesn’t come out of the Western Conference. My sleeper team in the Western Conference: the Manitoba Moose because goaltender Corey Schenider is legit – maybe the best in the league. He can steal a game or two in a long series and if Moose get past Hamilton, they are headed to at least the third round

More to come as the playoffs move along…

- Aero Joe

Aeros Blog # 17

04/03/2010 5:23 PM - Joe O'Donnell
The next time that a month goes by and I don’t write a blog, somebody slap me. I mean track me down at a home game and smack me right across my teeth. My lack of recent blogging is unacceptable. And I’m tired of apologizing for not blogging more every time I start a blog. So I expect you, yes you, one of the five readers of this blog, to keep me on track by taking your five fingers and striking me to the point it knocks some sense into me (an email reminding me to update my blog will also suffice for those of you that are more passive).

Now that I’m done being violent…

With any hope of the playoffs all but out the window, I do want to let you hardcore puck-heads know that we’ll have plenty of multimedia, news and blog updates during the upcoming summer to keep you from going into hockey withdrawal. So be sure to stay in tune with aeros.com. Also, don’t forget that there will be an end-of-the-season, game-worn jersey auction on aeros.com as well.

This is the first time in my broadcasting career that I won’t be calling any playoff games, so it’ll be a long summer to say the least. And I know that you, the fan base, must be frustrated at the lack of success the Aeros have had over the last eight weeks, and I feel your pain. But without hesitation, I urge you to come on out for the final two home games next week to salute this team for their efforts this season. One fact about this 2009-2010 group is that they poured their heart and soul into this thing, even if in the end they just weren’t good enough.

That’s all I really got for you hockey-wise. I’m going to reserve my “analysis” of the season until it’s completed and again, I’ll post some fodder multiple times during the off-season.



My beautiful wife and I just finished watching Prison Break, Season 3. It’s a great show – very suspenseful and entertaining. It’s kind of surprised me to be honest, since you would think that after Michael Schofield and company broke out of prison to conclude Season 1 that there wouldn’t be a whole lot of other ways to go with the plot. However we haven’t been disappointed yet and I’m stoked for Season 4. We’ve also been watching Showtime’s “Californication” via Netflix’s instant streaming feature. How did people used to live without Netflix? Oh yeah, video rentals…brutal.

I’ll try to get another blog up shortly after the season ends next week to kind of recap things and take a look at the 2010 C.C. Playoff matchups.

- Aero Joe

Aeros Blog # 16

03/08/2010 5:02 PM - Joe O'Donnell
Maybe it was foreshadowing…

En route to San Antonio last Wednesday, March 3, I started to write a blog that was going to cover several topics, the latter of which was going to be how the Aeros could still make the playoffs despite being 10 points out with 18 games to go. After I finished pumping my own tires over my near-flawless prediction for Team USA’s run at a gold medal in the Olympics, I started to get into the Aeros and the uphill battle they face. Then, my computer froze / crashed (it’s been having some “health issues” lately) and I never finished blogging. Was that a sign of things to come for the Aeros? Anyway, here is what I started to write:

My prediction in my last blog for a Team USA gold medal was almost spot-on, as the Americans fell in overtime in the gold medal game to Canada keeping them from their third-ever gold medal in men’s hockey. What an outstanding “tournament” it was and what a disappointment it was all at the same time. So damn heartbreaking. I really wanted the Americans to prevail just to have some bragging rights for the next four years. The hockey was great and the passion level was extremely high. Kind of sucks that we have to wait until 2014 for more Olympic hockey and who knows if the NHL will even allow its players to take part in those games.

As for the Aeros, it’s been a tough few weeks. Wanting to win at least six of their nine games over the last three weekends (all three games in three days situations), the team came up essentially empty, winning just twice and now falling into serious jeopardy of missing the playoffs for just the third time 16 consecutive seasons of pro hockey in Houston. No time to lament however, and it’s certainly no time for excuses, so rather than display my somewhat inherited negative outlook on sports teams I am passionate for (after all Philadelphia is often referred to as “Nega-delphia” by those that truly know Philly sports fans), I’m going to tell you (computer crashed here)

Well, now it’s March 8 and the Aeros are situated in last place in the West Division. That’s right, last place. When I saw that both Peoria and San Antonio won yesterday, I checked out the updated standings just to see what the West Division was looking like. Needless to say, I was stunned. I mean, as this season has slowly been slipping away from the Aeros over the last three-plus weeks, I have thought about how the team could finish below .500 or even in last place if they weren’t “careful”. But it was a stone cold reality check last night when I saw the team in the cellar of the division with 15 games left. It was kind of mind blowing.

Anyway, I’ll now continue what I was trying to do last week, which is tell you HOW the Aeros WILL make the playoffs. Remember, nothing but positive thoughts here…

Record over the final 15 games: 12-3-0-0. This gives the Aeros 41 wins and 90 points.

Here’s how:

3/12 vs. PEO – W (Aeros own Peoria this season)
3/13 @ CHI – W (Gotta get off the snide against the Wolves some time)
3/14 @ RFD – L (3-in-3 in 3 different cities is too tough to run the table)
3/20 vs. MIL – W (Must-win) 3/21 vs. MIL – W (Got some confidence now…another must-win)
3/26 vs. LE – W (Trap game since it’s a non-division foe, but team finds a way to win it late)
3/27 @ PEO – W (Rivermen goaltender Ben Bishop gets pulled early)
3/28 @ PEO – W (Irmen scores shorthanded – twice)
3/31 vs. CHI – L (Wolves are too good)
4/2 vs. CHI – W (Wolves had a day off in sunny Houston to golf and lose their focus)
4/3 @ TEX – W (First win in the Cedar Park Center since 1917)
4/6 vs. RFD – W (1-0 shutout win for Anton Khudobin)
4/8 @ SA – L (Rampage score early and often in blowout loss)
4/10 vs. TEX – W (Stars roll over b/c they have already clinched a playoff spot)
4/11 @ SA – W (One-goal victory coupled with Milwaukee regulation loss = playoffs)

Goaltender Anton Khudobin is going to be red hot for the next month, the Aeros’ power play will score at a goal per game average and the trio of Jon DiSalvatore, Tony Hrkac and Peter Zingoni are going to be a constant offensive force. Take all of the above, add in a little bit of confidence after the team gets a few wins under its belt and top it all off with a legitimate intangible – an experienced coaching staff.

Chicago and Rockford are playoff locks essentially, so you’ve got to chase down either Milwaukee or Texas and I’m thinking it’s the Admirals or bust at this point with the Stars getting healthier recently and having just taken three straight from the Aeros over the last 10 days. For the record, I’m not concerned about Peoria or San Antonio – trust me, neither of those two teams are making the postseason. With that said…

The Milwaukee Admirals will go 6-8-1-1 in their last 16 outings, giving them 89 points, which places them behind the Aeros by one point at the conclusion of the regular season.

The Aeros finish in 4th and play the Chicago Wolves in the first round.

So that’s how it’s going to happen. And since I’ve just taken care of all the worrying for you, then you might as well just sit back and enjoy the ride.

- Aero Joe

Aeros Blog # 15

02/13/2010 3:55 PM - Joe O'Donnell
I’ve been saying for about three years now (to anyone that would listen and mostly Canadian citizens that I know) that Team USA is going to win gold in Vancouver at the 2010 Olympics. To be honest, I’ve partly been saying it more or less to be the guy that said “I called that” should it come to fruition. Despite some long odds given the talent that some of their opposing countries will boast, I still think Team USA can pull off a stunning gold medal performance and here’s how:

Ryan Miller is an all-world goaltender and he’s proving it again this season with the Buffalo Sabres. Miller’s 93.0% save percentage is top’s in the NHL heading into the Olympic break and many pundits will tell you that save percentage is the best gauge of a goaltender’s true ability. In a short “tournament”, a goaltender can steal you a game or two and put you into the medal round where obviously anything can happen.

Although I’m not completely sold on Team USA’s defensive corps. (led by Brian Rafalski and Jack Johnson), I do love the mix of forwards assembled by GM Brian Burke. Chris Drury and Jamie Langenbrunner will provide the necessary leadership to keep the group together and the skill sets of Patrick Kane, Phil Kessel, Bobby Ryan and Zach Parise will provide enough offense to make the Americans successful.

Whichever countries gel the quickest and get timely scoring / saves will find themselves in the medal round and in position to wear gold in late February. There’s no reason that can’t be the Americans. On an NHL-sized ice surface and with more of a home-ice advantage than every country outside of Canada, the Americans should have an edge. Plus I think the Canadians are under such scrutiny to perform on “home ice” that their home ice advantage may actually work in a negative fashion should they not get off to the start that the media and majority of fans expect them to. With that said, I’m not oblivious to the fact that playing in GM Place (home of the Vancouver Canucks) will benefit Team Canada more than any other country when things are going well for them or say late in a close game when they need a goal to tie).

Team USA opens with Switzerland on Tuesday, followed by a game against Norway on Thursday and a tilt with arch-rival Canada on Sunday. If they can score some early goals on Anaheim Ducks’ goaltender Jonas Hiller and beat the Swiss somewhat handily, they’ll then roll through Norway and get their first real test against the Canadians. By then (with presumably two wins under their belt) they should be able to give Team Canada a handful and wrap up the preliminary round knowing they can play with anyone.

The European countries may take more pride in most international competitions (including the Olympics) than the USA or Canada, as they try to use an “us vs. them” factor in their motivation, but at the end of the day it will be about goaltending and clutch plays, intangibles and talent. Team USA won’t be the favorites, but I’m pulling for them to shock the world and take gold on Canadian soil. And given the 1960 and 1980 “Miracles on Ice”, 2010 sounds like a nice round number to add some more gold to Team USA’s collection.

Enjoy the Olympics!

- Aero Joe