Originally published in Rinkside in 2000 By Lucas Aykroyd 1964. It was the year four mop-topped lads from Liverpool hit America and revolutionized rock and roll. The year Martin Luther King won the Nobel Peace Prize. And in hockey terms, it was a long time ago. So when the Cologne Sharks of the Deutsche Eishockey […]

Originally published in the 2003 NHL Playoff Program By Lucas Aykroyd Nothing feels better for an NHL player than winning the seventh game of a hard-fought playoff series. Any victory is sweet, but this is even sweeter. By the time you hit Game Seven, you’re deep into a war of attrition with your opponents. If […]

By Lucas Aykroyd If you owned a broadcasting company and believed all the old stereotypes, you’d never let a former goalie become a fixture on your hockey telecasts. After all, aren’t goalies supposed to be the craziest guys in the sport? When they’re not willingly throwing their bodies in front of 100-mph slapshots, they’re talking […]

By Lucas Aykroyd How many of today’s international hockey stars tied their own skates, taught themselves how to shoot and pass, and drove themselves to games when they were kids? The answer is obvious, and that’s why players typically thank their parents for supporting them en route to the big time. In many cases, a […]

Originally published in Prospects Hockey in 2007 By Lucas Aykroyd “Hockey’s in his blood.” “He was born to play this game.” For some participants in the CHL Top Prospects Game, these aren’t mere clichés. They’ve clearly got genes that scream of athletic ability, and their hockey-oriented family environment has contributed toward their rosy prospects for […]

Originally published in Prospects Hockey in 2005 By Lucas Aykroyd If you’re a highly touted CHL-trained prospect, there’s no better endorsement than being chosen number one overall in the NHL Entry Draft. Since the draft was instituted in 1969, 27 CHLers have earned that honour. Of course, not every #1 pick fulfills his potential. For […]

Originally published in Rinkside in 2005 By Lucas Aykroyd It may seem hard to believe now, but at one time, Finland produced fewer quality goalies than any other major hockey nation. Want proof? Check out the scoresheets from the inaugural 1976 Canada Cup. In their first best-on-best competition, the Finns lost 11-2 to Canada, 8-0 […]

Originally published in Prospects Hockey in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd 1987 was a landmark year for Canadian hockey, as the Edmonton Oilers won their third Stanley Cup and the host nation captured the Canada Cup for the third time. The Western Hockey League mirrored this positive trend. With the emergence of high-scoring talents like Joe […]

Originally published in Prospects Hockey in 2004 By Lucas Aykroyd Chocolate or vanilla? Classical or heavy metal? Leafs or Habs? Whatever the subject, everybody’s got their favourites. When it comes to choosing favourite hockey players, the motivations aren’t always obvious. Of course, most people love a scoring superstar with a silky touch, or a scrappy […]

Originally published in Prospects Hockey in 2003 By Lucas Aykroyd At last count, Washington State’s grizzly bear population only numbered between 40 and 50. But the Everett Silvertips plan to bring the bear back big-time in their inaugural WHL season. They’re taking an aggressive approach as an expansion franchise, and if things work out, it’ll […]