Originally published in Eishockey News in 2007
By Lucas Aykroyd
When the San Jose Sharks traded Vesa Toskala to Toronto at June’s NHL Draft, it meant a chance for a new goalie to back up starter Evgeni Nabokov. Dimitri Patzöld won the job at this year’s training camp, beating out Thomas Greiss, a fellow former member of […]

Originally published in Eishockey News in 2008
By Lucas Aykroyd
Peter Stastny was the NHL’s second-leading scorer in the 1980’s behind Wayne Gretzky, and the Slovak legend amassed 1,239 career points between 1980 and 1995. His oldest son, Yan Stastny, will never match those totals, but is emulating the paternal example by wearing a St. Louis Blues […]

The biggest German moment in NHL history was Uwe Krupp’s triple overtime, Stanley Cup-winning goal for Colorado in Game Four of the 1996 Stanley Cup finals versus Florida. But Krupp, currently coaching his country’s national team, could see his “title” challenged if the San Jose Sharks win their first Cup in 2008, as many pundits […]

Originally published on IHWC.NET in 2004
By Lucas Aykroyd
He’s not exactly a grizzled veteran, but at 25, Marco Sturm has established himself as a front-line player for both the San Jose Sharks and Team Germany. Selected 21st overall by San Jose in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, the amiable Dingolfing native originally entered the league as […]

Originally published on IHWC.NET in 2001
By Lucas Aykroyd
2001 won’t mark the first time the IIHF World Championships have come to Germany. The tournament has a long and illustrious history in this part of the world. But there is a chance for a different kind of breakthrough.
While both Canada and Russia are considered strong medal contenders […]

Originally published in Rinkside in 2001

By Lucas Aykroyd
The late Stanley Kubrick won’t be filming the 2001 IIHF World Hockey Championships in Germany, but you can expect the action to be of epic proportions on and off the ice. With a fun-loving extraterrestrial named “Spacy” as the tournament mascot, at least 250,000 spectators are expected to […]

Originally published in Eishockey News in 2007
By Lucas Aykroyd
Imagine you’re the top defenseman in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, but you’re also the last one cut from Canada’s 1997 World Junior Championship roster. Imagine you start your NHL career with the legendary Montreal Canadiens in your home province, but end up being let go […]

Originally published in Prospects Hockey in 2005
By Lucas Aykroyd
Thirty years ago, nobody was a bigger deal in Ottawa than Peter Lee, except maybe Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Lee was named the 1975-76 Canadian Major Junior Player of the Year after tallying a then-OMJHL record 81 goals for the Ottawa 67s. Today, he remains the OHL’s […]

Originally published in Eishockey News in 2006
By Lucas Aykroyd
This season, the Phoenix Coyotes are celebrating their tenth year in Arizona under the slogan of “Decade in the Desert.” But cynics might suggest that this franchise is like the Biblical Israelites who wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, and the Promised Land is nowhere in […]

Originally published in Rinkside in 2007
By Lucas Aykroyd
In the NHL’s Original Six era, guessing the nationalities of the players was easier than scoring into an empty net on a clear-cut breakaway. During the 1940’s, 50’s, and 60’s, all NHLers were Canadians, except for a handful of talented Americans like goalie Frank Brimsek and forward Tom […]