For the last few years the Summer Elite Hockey League in Anchorage has been providing a quality league for summer development of Midget, Junior and D-1 hockey players. In my little bit of looking around the web I didn't see another summer league anywhere in the U.S. that really compares. Each and every year quite a few current and former UAA players have participated and again this year is no exception.
Current UAA players in this year's SEHL are: Nick Lowe, Peter Cartwright, Merit Waldrop, Erik Felde, Shane Lovdahl, Matt Jolly.
Former UAA players: Daron Underwood, Chris King, Kevin Reiter, Lee Green, Dallas Steward, Matt Shasby, Jim Dahl, John Decaro, Chris Fournier, Vladimir Novak, and Eric Walsky.
Other (former and current) D-1 notable players: Matt Carle, Jason Rhyzner, Billy Bagron, Tim Wallace, Joey Crabb, Drew O'Connell, Jordan Pearce, Cam Keith.
Professional players (including Major Junior): Scott Gomez, Brian Swanson, Kimbi Daniels, Brandon Dubinsky, Nate Thompson, Moises Guitierez, Keith Street, Peter Metcalf, Corey Millen, Corbin Schmidt and last but not least league founder/organizer and Head Coach of Wasilla's NAHL team Dean Larson.
Additionally there is a large contingent in the league of elite level Junior and Midget players like Rob Haider, Shane Wheeler, Gavin Dittman, Tully Labelle-Hamer, J.J. Waldrop, David Carle, Graham McMannamin, Sam Tikka, Cody Butcher, Justin Kern, Spike Alvarez, Tyler Currier, Ryan Kowal, Grant Dye, Nick Merkle, Jacob Thelen, Gage Christianson, and many others whom I'm just too ignorant to recognize as elite level players.
The Junior and Midget games are played on Monday and Tuesday nights with Wednesday and Thursday for the Elite league games. The Junior Showcase event will be held on June 29th (Thursday) at 6pm with the Elite League All-Star game following from 7:30 to 9:30.
More than a few of these Junior/Midget players will be playing D-1 hockey and/or Major Junior in the next few years. So if you're jonesin for some hockey in Anchorage git yer ass over to the Tesoro Rink and check it out.
Current UAA players in this year's SEHL are: Nick Lowe, Peter Cartwright, Merit Waldrop, Erik Felde, Shane Lovdahl, Matt Jolly.
Former UAA players: Daron Underwood, Chris King, Kevin Reiter, Lee Green, Dallas Steward, Matt Shasby, Jim Dahl, John Decaro, Chris Fournier, Vladimir Novak, and Eric Walsky.
Other (former and current) D-1 notable players: Matt Carle, Jason Rhyzner, Billy Bagron, Tim Wallace, Joey Crabb, Drew O'Connell, Jordan Pearce, Cam Keith.
Professional players (including Major Junior): Scott Gomez, Brian Swanson, Kimbi Daniels, Brandon Dubinsky, Nate Thompson, Moises Guitierez, Keith Street, Peter Metcalf, Corey Millen, Corbin Schmidt and last but not least league founder/organizer and Head Coach of Wasilla's NAHL team Dean Larson.
Additionally there is a large contingent in the league of elite level Junior and Midget players like Rob Haider, Shane Wheeler, Gavin Dittman, Tully Labelle-Hamer, J.J. Waldrop, David Carle, Graham McMannamin, Sam Tikka, Cody Butcher, Justin Kern, Spike Alvarez, Tyler Currier, Ryan Kowal, Grant Dye, Nick Merkle, Jacob Thelen, Gage Christianson, and many others whom I'm just too ignorant to recognize as elite level players.
The Junior and Midget games are played on Monday and Tuesday nights with Wednesday and Thursday for the Elite league games. The Junior Showcase event will be held on June 29th (Thursday) at 6pm with the Elite League All-Star game following from 7:30 to 9:30.
More than a few of these Junior/Midget players will be playing D-1 hockey and/or Major Junior in the next few years. So if you're jonesin for some hockey in Anchorage git yer ass over to the Tesoro Rink and check it out.
30 comments:
you think this is the best summer hockey league in the country? you have junior players who havent even committed to college. in massachusetts there are 2 leagues that are superior. one requires at least one year of division 1 hockey to be eligible. the other requires a D1 committment. Both leagues are full of NHL/AHL and all the minor leagues out there. Just because they dont have a website, dont proclaim Alaskan hockey greatness.
ouch! guess he told you DTP! ;)
So what are the names of these leagues? I've never heard of them either.
One is located in Hingham, MA called the Top Gun League. It is geared more towards professionals. The other one is located in Bridgewater, MA and is called the Hub City Pro League...still many pros but more collegians. Most players play in both as Hub City is on Tuesdays and Top Gun is on Thursdays. Hub City has a big hockey program but no website strictly for the league. Top Gun has been around for about 20 years and has never had a website.
Before you get your East Coast skid-marked panties in a twist why don't you read what I said ... "In my little bit of looking around the web I didn't see another summer league anywhere in the U.S. that really compares." Did I say I got in my fucking car and drove around? No dipshit. I said in my "little bit of looking around the web" ...
The SEHL mixes midget/junior/major junior/college and professional players for the development and betterment of all.
So I guess the couple of "pro" leagues you mentioned don't compare do they? Massachewsits SUCKS.
ok relax buddy you write a blog for a team who finishes last in the wcha every year...just relax...i had a quick read of your blog entry and simply made some comments, nothing harsh or so i thought. if you are really hurt by this well im sorry. no need for name calling or immature behavior, just calm down. and massachusetts sucks compared to alaska? haha i forgot how much goes on in alaska...big impact on our country...
Finishes LAST every year? Better do some research of your own, Mr. Anonymous.
Suze
Name Calling? Where exactly did I call you a name? I identified your twisted panties as skid marked but that isn't calling you a name ... it's comedy-relief and more or less "my style".
If you'd commented something along the lines ...
Nice league. Massahchewzits also has some good summer leagues ... they're called "blah blah" and "blah blah" but they don't have websites.
... then you would have gotten a completely different response from me.
This is a blog about UAA Hockey and as such it's focus is those things that pertain to UAA Hockey. I write it with that audience in mind. Feel free to continue reading and commenting as you feel it's appropriate but if you comment with things like "you think" and then tell me to "don't proclaim" without the least bit of backup then prepare to get dusted up a bit.
I think if DTP relaxed I would quit reading this.
I think if RWD quit reading here I'd probably quit the whole blogging thing.
Wow~ Quiet here lately! Is everyone out halibut fishing or something? ;-)
I've only made it to a partial SEHL game so far, but hopefully I'll get to go to some of the upcoming games.
My kid's summer soccer schedule always seems to conflict with the SEHL schedule! >:o( Have you seen some of the final scores, LOL!! One of them was something like 18 > 4 !!
I heard that a few of the (UAA past/current) players along w/Scott Johnson (former M of Duluth goalie) have been busy up in Wasilla the past week or so helping Dean Larson and former NHL'ers Willie O'Ree and Henry Boucha with the "Hockey Diversity Camp". :) The main camp just ended and their hockey tourny, "The Salmon Cup" wraps up today so we may see some new faces in the SEHL soon?
That camp in Wasilla looked like a ton of fun for kids who not only love hockey, but also love to swim, hike, fish for salmon, canoe, horseback ride, soccer, baseball, and tons of other summertime activities.
Gotta hand it to Dean Larson!!! Speaking of which, everyone knows woman are better at fishing than men, and take a look at Dean's expression with his fish - LOL!! http://www.alaskasalmoncup.com/images/10013a.JPG
DTP: Have you heard any news about our new Asst. Coaches?
I sent a message to the UAA Hockey Office a couple weeks ago about the upcoming UAA sponsored hockey camps for kids that mine go to every summer. Coach Shyiak himself responded with the sweetest e-mail :)!
I told him that the only info I could find said that it would be held by UAA Coach Shyiak, along with assistant coaches Keith Morris, Jack Kowal and UAA players.
His exact wording was "that information is correct". :o/ -? I'm just assuming that if they aren't going to be our assistant coaches, then they wouldn't be part of this year's month long camps, but then again- what do I know?
I suppose it's possible that even if they won't be @ UAA, they will still participate in the camp? The flyers that are now around town also say that Morris and Kowal will be there.
Guess I'll find out on July 10th. I'm still bummed about them losing their positions and I guess I had some slim hope that Shyiak would change his mind. *sigh*
Should be fun to see which former & current players host the camp this season. Betcha anything Lee Green, DeCaro, and JJ are at least 3 of the former players there (they love working with the kids!)
Ok, now that we finally have a new post on here - it's your turn DTP!
It's too quiet in here. Post sumpin' dammit! ;o)
larissa
Larissa,
I've really heard nothing about assistant coaches except to say that we may hear something within the next couple of weeks. I'm sure I'll have some commentary when they're announced. ;-)
Send me a quick email so I have your address...
uaafanblog@yahoo.com
thnx
Larissa,
The assistant coaches get paid for the camp, so I assume it was already in their contract (and that's why they are still working with Shyiak for this years camp).
Word on the street is FELDE to the WHL. Anyone have insight to this. Another big loss for the Wolves
Felde is 19. You can play major juniors until you're 20. Why would he play ONE season in a league that gives him NO PLACE TO GO after that ONE season?
If as the rampant speculation asserts; Erik has some sort of issue with regard to qualifying academically then he'd be better off enrolling at UAA until he meets the academic requirements then playing 3 1/2 years in D-1.
Either that or play major junior for a year then get a tryout with an ECHL team for a year. A good example of that road would be Alex Leavitt. He left UW during his freshman year. Played major junior for a year then played the ECHL last year. It's a tough situation to move from te ECHL up the ladder to the NHL. Developing yourself in the WCHA for three years is a better situation in my mind if your hopes are to play in the NHL.
FYI, Erik is 18. His DOB is 12/29/1987. With that date of birth, he has two years of junior eligibility left. He will follow the path that he is able and I, for one, wish him the best of luck in Tri Cities and beyond.
http://uaafan.blogspot.com/2006/06/dear-rumor-spreaders.html
I don't consider the comments about what Erik is doing to be rumors. I heard it straight from his mouth. Why don't you just ask him what he is doing? He is not keeping it a secret.
So instead of posting with your name and source; you post anonymously and provide no source. In fact, you didn't even do that. You first phrased it as a question as if you were trying to get other peoples thoughts; while all the while you'd actually gotten your information directly from Felde? What is that about? Why would you pretend to want some comments about the kid and then act all superior? Oh thats why ... so you can act all superior when someone says what they think. Ok then .. you talked to Felde. He told you he ain't coming back. You're superior. Feel better now?
Why don't I ask him? Well lets see. Um ... because I don't hang out around hockey rinks all summer? Um ... because I have a job? Um ... because nobody took the time and/or consideration to email this blog's author? Um ... because I'll leave the rumor mill to others.
I stated long ago on this blog that I don't like rumors. I asked people with such information to keep it to themselves or convince me in an email or two or START their OWN BLOG. I guess email is too tough for some people but perhaps turning off the comments section of this blog is the next step.
I'm not "plumbed into" or "in touch" or "jammin" with the local hockey community. I get my information from sources in the community that are moreso in touch than I am. I provide commentary. I write what I think. I do so to support the UAA Hockey program where it is appropriate or call them to the carpet when necessary. That's the deal.
And if Erik Felde doesn't turn up at UAA and get his academics in order then it's his loss. Not the hockey program. We've had academically challenged/unmotivated student athletes on the squad in the past. Their problems are a distraction.
Good Luck Erik.
Dear Mr/Mrs Dropthepuck,
I am not sure why you are so hostile towards others anonymity when you yourself are anonymous. No where on your page do you identify who you are. Obviously, this is your blog page, so I guess you are entitled to that. But why then is no one else entitled to be anonymous?
There is obviously more than one person commenting on the Erik situation as I did not post the initial question. I only posted a response.
For anyone to make disparaging remarks about his academics is wrong. Perhaps he has "his academics in order" to the best of his ability. He may be "academically challenged", but in my view he is anything but "unmotivated". He has tried extremely hard to achieve academic eligibility. If he was unable to achieve that goal, I know he realizes the loss. He knows he would have had more years of development at UAA then in the WHL.
As I said, Erik is a great kid and a highly gifted hockey player. Not attending UAA is a loss for the school as well as a loss for Erik.
I'd prefer "any" signature or moniker or reference versus anonymous for precisely a reason you mention above. So I can tell who said what and address their comments accurately. I might be an asshole but I prefer to be an accurate asshole.
My use of "unmotivated" or "academically challenged" was a reference to past players at UAA who's situations are common knowledge. It was in no way meant to indicate anything about Erik's situation; which I'm admittedly clueless about (except for anonymous rumors) and which is really none of my business.
I've posted lots of stuff about Erik on this blog and heard the WHL "rumors" more than just a few times from "anonymous" comments. I've basically ignored them because the kids name is on the roster. My attitude about it has been to simply wait and see who shows up and who doesn't. I've noted and commented about his jr. performances since about the second entry I made on this blog. I'm very familiar with his hockey potential which is why i've been silently crossing my fingers that the rumors aren't true.
In summary, if people with information would choose to email me then they'd find me grateful for their information rather than the "grumpy gus" that you see here. I don't want to deprive anyone of their real anonyminity; I just want a sense of the source so I can decide whether its accurate.
If I am correct, Felde cannot continue to play past his 20th birthday, so he could NOT play two full seasons of major junior hockey.
It would be a shame if he didn't play for UAA this season, I read that he had been thinking about playing for UAA for a long time. He is exactly the type of player who can help turn the UAA team around. Since his name is still on the UAA roster, I am hoping he gets done what he needs to do to make himself eligible.
Suze you are not correct like most of your hockey knowledge. Mr. Felde can play 2 more years of junior hockey. His 19 year old year and his overage year in major junior which is where he will be playing.
OUCH! You must be Felde's Mom or Dad.
Too bad Felde isn't eligible for college, he would have been a huge asset for the home team.
He seems to have a problem with committment. Going to the BCHL from the USHL, then wanting to go back to the USHL. Quitting on Chilliwack, getting suspended and ending up in Vernon. Now quitting on UAA. There seems to be quite a pattern here. Hopefully he will have success at the next level and find what he has been looking for.
now THIS is a comment string
Larissa, at least Dean's salmon is much prettier.
Dear "anonymous"
Re: no identity for DTP.
He's Drop the Puck Damn it....
Don't you know nuthin?
I don't (and I made it clear already) give a crap "WHO" somebody is. I just would like a way to differentiate between "anonymous" posts.
Why anyone with something reasonable to say would want to be confused with some of the trolls that I seem to attract is beyond me.
And I'm not trying to maintain any sort of secrecy or anonymity with regard to my identity. Neither do I broadcast it. There's more than a few people who know exactly who I am.
Lasrissa,
I heard that Campbell Blair would be in town on the 16th for hockey camp. Let us know if Kowal and Morris help out at all.
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