Kings Vision with Zatkoff & Martinez

Jeff Zatkoff:


Alec Martinez:

Avalanche Sign Mercier

Per the Colorado Avalanche website:

The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that it has signed forward prospect Justin Mercier. Mercier, 22, spent the last four seasons at Miami University, where he helped lead the RedHawks to the 2009 NCAA championship game by totaling 29 points (14g/15a) in 40 games as a senior.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound forward finished his collegiate career with 104 points (52g/52a) in 157 contests, becoming the first player in school history to record 100 career points and be a part of 100 victories. A native of Erie, Pa., Mercier was the Avalanche’s eighth selection (sixth round, 168th overall) in the 2005 Entry Draft.

This is a great signing for both the Avalanche and Mercier. Colorado had until August 15th to sign him and by all accounts, Justin got a very fair deal with the Avs. Reports said that Mercier and his agent felt that he was more valuable than the offer that Colorado had originally presented, but the negotiations remained cordial on both sides and a deal was done. While the details of the signing weren't released, it will most likely be a standard three year entry-level conract that will see him play most of this year and possibly the next in Lake Erie. He adds to a strong group of winger prospects in the Avalanche system and with the youth movement in Colorado, we could possibly see Mercier, who joined Miami's 100 point club this season, playing for the big club sooner, rather than later.

Link to the official announcement

New Faces: Joe Hartman

Name: Joe Hartman
Position: Defense
Height/Weight: 6'4, 200
Hometown: St. Cloud, Minnesota

Before he even steps on the Cady Arena ice this fall, Joe Hartman will have big shoes to fill. Not necessarily because of his role on the RedHawks' squad, but because of his jersey number...26. Ok, I'm kidding. Hartman will though, perhaps be one of the most exciting players to don a RedHawks sweater this Fall as he brings a unique combination of size, skill, and versatility to the program.

The Minnesota native spent the 2008-2009 season with the Indiana Ice of the USHL, where he served as one of the team's two alternate captains. In 74 games played (playoffs included) he scored seven goals, 23 assists and finished with a plus-5 rating. Most wouldn't expect numbers like that from a defenseman of his size. Oftentimes, a player with vitals such as Hartman is considered a "stay at home" or defensive defenseman. With solid numbers, however, he appears to be a quality two-way player that can add to a potent RedHawk offense.

Versatility is another one of the assets that Hartman brings to "The Brotherhood." While playing in Indianapolis with the Ice, he was a staple on the team's power play and penalty killing units. His combination of ability to make plays, contributions on both sides of the special teams game led to his selection to the USHL East Division All-Star Team. He also isn't afraid to mix it up. While we all know that fighting isn't allowed in NCAA competition, Hartman has dropped the gloves a few times this past season. Check him out here taking on Lincoln's Michael Sdao. His physical presence, leadership, and versatile style of play will certainly translate well into the CCHA.

Coach Blasi on Joe Hartman:

"He plays very well defensively and can add some offense from the defensive side of things," says Enrico Blasi. "He has very good puck skills for a big defenseman."

Joe Hartman will join Ice teammate Garrett Kennedy in Oxford this season, as the "Ice Pipeline" continues. Current RedHawk Cameron Schilling also played with Indiana before joining Miami.

Garrett Kennedy will be next on the list of "New Faces."

Wingels Named Captain

"...I'm just so proud...to be a RedHawk."

- Tommy Wingels, 4/11/2009

You could say it was a passing of the torch. In the post game press conference after Miami's 4-3 overtime loss against Boston University, sat three people- RedHawks Head Coach Enrico Blasi, Captain Brian Kaufman, and Tommy Wingels. There could have been no better set up, no better stage to showcase what was the past, present, and future of the Miami captaincy, as the junior winger has been selected to lead the RedHawks' as team captain in 2009-2010 and most likely, in 2010-2011 as well.

Wingels, a 6th round pick of the San Jose Sharks in 2008, has quickly risen to become one of the shining stars of a very young Miami hockey program and carries himself with the true "Brotherhood" mentality. Having finished the 08-09 campaign with 11 goals and 17 assists, the Wilmette, Illinois native realizes that the RedHawks' may have been down on that chilly April night in D.C., but they weren't out.

"It (a National Championship) is going to be our ultimate goal next year," he said. "We feel like we have some unfinished business."

Alternate captains for the 09-10 season have yet to be determined.

(Photo Credit: Rachel Lewis)

2009-2010 Roster & Notes

The official 2009-2010 roster has finally been released and there are quite a few new faces. Here is a rundown of the new RedHawks', their jersey numbers, and a few other "roster related notes."

10- Devin Mantha, Forward

6'1, 190

Freshman

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Draft: N/A

15- Patrick Tiesling, Forward

6'2, 201

Junior

Rhinelander, Wisconsin

- Tiesling is a transfer from Bowling Green and will sit out the 2009-2010 season due to NCAA regulations. At BGSU, he tallied 9 points (all assists) in 64 games and is yet to score a collegiate goal.

16- Curtis McKenzie, Forward

6'1, 190

Freshman

Golden, British Columbia, Canada

Draft: Dallas Stars

18- Reilly Smith, Forward

6'0, 170

Freshman

Mimico, Ontario, Canada

Draft: Dallas Stars

21- Steve Mason, Forward

5'11, 175

Freshman

Stratford, Ontario, Canada

Draft: N/A

24- Garrett Kennedy, Defenseman

5'11, 182

Freshman

Brighton, Michigan

Draft: N/A

26- Joe Hartman, Defenseman

6'4, 200

Freshman

St. Cloud, Minnesota

Draft: N/A

32- Ben Saksa, Goaltender

5'11, 195

Junior

St. Clairsville, Ohio

Draft: N/A

44- Steven Spinell, Defenseman

6'1, 200

Freshman

Vernon Hills, Illinois

Draft: N/A

Positional Breakdown

Forwards: 16

Defenseman: 8

Goaltenders: 3

By Class

Seniors: 4

Juniors: 8

Sophomores: 8

Freshmen: 7

*Absent from the roster is Jon Whitacre. He "retired" from hockey and left the program.

Vogelhuber Injury Update

From the Columbus Dispatch:

...This one wasn't quite as bad, although it will cost him between 4 and 6 weeks of training. He suffered a knee-on-knee collision. Yesterday, the frustrated Vogelhuber was on crutches but looking forward to getting back on the ice...

Vogelhuber Reportedly Injured

I've spoken with a few people that were in attendance at the Blue Jackets' Development Camp this morning and the report is that Trent Vogelhuber got the worst of a knee-to-knee collision and had to be helped off the ice. Vogelhuber apparently could not put any weight on the left knee.

If this indeed happened, it's surely a blow to someone who has already had enough injuries to deal with in his young career. I don't like reporting rumors on this page, but this is certainly something to keep an eye on. We've all seen how costly knee to knee collisions can be. Let's hope for the best.

Stay tuned.

There's A Draft In Here...

The 2009 NHL Entry Draft has wrapped up from Montreal and four future, or present RedHawks had their names called.

The first to go, was 2010 commit Reilly Smith, a winger, drafted by the Dallas Stars in the third round (69 overall). Smith, who played last season for the St. Michael's Buzzers in the OJHL, was originally ranked at number 158 on the NHL's Central Scouting list. His selection at 69 is a jump of 89 spots. AT 6'0, 157 Smith has good size, but desperately needs to fill out a his frame. Dallas made it clear that the wing was an area of concern, selecting 4 wingers out of 5 picks.

Next to go, was sophomore defenseman Chris Wideman, selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round (100 overall). Wideman, who quarterbacked the CCHA's second best powerplay in 2009, will surely be on the Sens "watch list," as they're steadily rebuilding a solid D-corps. His puck moving abilities are a must have on every NHL roster. Look for Wideman to continue to improve in the following years.

No action for Miami in the fifth round, however another winger, Curtis McKenzie, set to join the 'Hawks in the Fall, was also taken by the Dallas Stars, only in round 6 at 159 overall. He led the Penticton Vees of the BCHL in scoring this season, with 33 goals and 41 assists. McKenzie is considered to be a two-way power forward who is strong in front of the net and in the corners, but can also score goals and has great size for that, at 6'2, 192.

Last to be taken was sophomore goaltender Connor Knapp, by the Buffalo Sabres in round 6, 164 overall, just five spots down from McKenzie. Knapp was ranked number 19 on the list of 31 North American goalies that are draft eligible. In his freshman campaign, Knapp posted a 13-5-3 record and a 2.09 goals against average and will fit nicely in a Buffalo organization with a dwindling supply of 'tenders in the system. Knapp, along with Wideman, will be attending the USA World Junior Evaluation Camp in August.

News From Across the Pond

- Former RedHawk captain Derek Edwardson has a new home for the 2009-2010 season. Eddy joins HC Fassa of the "Serie A" Italian league, after spending the previous two seasons with Heilbronner EC, in Germany. Serie A is the top professional league in Italy. Fassa plays in Canazei, in the Italian province of Trento.

- While one alum has a new home for next season, another one is staying put, yet again. Danny Stewart has re-signed for a fourth season with the Coventry Blaze, in England. Stewart, a fan-favorite of the Blaze, graduated from Miami in 2003, and helped lead the Blaze to back to back Elite League titles in 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. Coventry finished as the league runner-up in 2008-2009. 

- An Italian website has forward Marty Guerin signing with SG Pontebba, in Italy. Guerin spent the 2008-2009 season with the ECHL's Charlotte Checkers, but missed almost the entire season with a knee-injury, suffered early on. Stay tuned to hear if this is a confirmed signing, or simply a rumor. 

Sophomore defenseman Weber Arrested, Released

He may be in the midst of a simple misunderstanding, but Will Weber is now undoubtedly in a certain degree of "hot water" shall we say, as he was arrested by the Oxford Police Department on Sunday.

Details are sketchy as to why the purse was actually taken from the Oxford bar that Weber was at. The police report claims that the sophomore defenseman left the bar, with the bag in hand, and attempted to hide it from police officers as he left.

Here's where things become confusing...

Weber claimed the purse was that of a girl he was walking with, but the report claims that the girl was carrying her own purse and that it did not belong to her. The true owner of the purse was eventually found and she claimed to not know Weber, or the girl he was with. Upon leaving, Weber, highly intoxicated at the time of the incident, claims that the girl had asked him to grab her purse, but claims he took the bag in question completely by accident. The officers on scene spoke with the woman that was with Weber and the report alleges that she never asked him to grab the purse. The woman also said that she believed the theft to be simply a mistake.

He was charged with theft, and underage drinking and subsequently released.

Even though the circumstances are strange, I have to think that this was just a stupid mistake on his part. Of the many facets of Miami hockey, crime is not one of them. The coaching staff brings in quality players, both on ice and off, year after year. Sure, there may be a bad seed here and there, but Weber is not cut from this cloth. We've all done silly things while under the influence and I'm sure he'll have a nice chat with Coach Blasi, if it hasn't happened already.

On an unrelated related note, Weber, a 2007 second round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets, will be in development camp with the team beginning next week.

Eichenlaub Signs With Condors

Add another name to the list of RedHawks in the pros, as defenseman Ray Eichenlaub has signed a contract with the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL.

This is a great chance for Eichenlaub, who endured a tough senior season at Miami, watching his share of games from the seats at Cady Arena. Injuries also bothered Eichenlaub at times throughout his career (not to mention being hit by a car before last season).

More now, from Condors' Head Coach Marty Raymond on the signing: 

"Ray is a very well-rounded defenseman. He can put up good numbers, but also plays sound defensive hockey. He's very reliable at both ends of the ice and will work hard every night."

And from Eichenlaub: 

"I'm excited to come play for a city that seems like they really rally around their hockey. It's a big accomplishment for me to be able to move on and further my career. I'm really looking forward to getting out there and I'm going to play as hard as possible for the city and the fans."

Bakersfield is gaining a true workhorse here, as those that follow Miami hockey know how dedicated he is to the game and how much of a team player he is. The Condors are the ECHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks.

Congrats, Ray!

Future RedHawk Traded

Just a quick note for those that follow future Miamians: Forward Cody Murphy (Class of 2014) has been traded from the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, to the Tri-City Storm in exchange for a 2010 fourth round pick in the USHL Draft. 

Murphy saw action in 57 games with the RoughRiders, a program that has seen quite a few players move on to successful Miami careers. In those 57 games, Murphy tallied five goals and eleven assists. 

Knapp, Wideman to Attend USA Junior Camp

Connor Knapp and Chris Wideman have a chance to showcase Miami University on a global stage, while representing their country at the same time. The two RedHawk sophomores have been invited to attend the United States National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, NY in August. 

With an invitation to the camp, Knapp and Wideman, both CCHA All-Rookie Team selections, are candidates, should they make the team, for the 2010 U.S. National Junior squad that will compete in the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Knapp, a goaltender, would be only the second Miamian to make the squad, as Jeff Zatkoff was on the 2007 squad. Wideman, a defenseman, would be the first RedHawk blueliner to participate and only the second RedHawk skater to do to, joining Nathan Davis, also in 2007.

The World Junior teams are comprised of the best under 20 hockey players, by country. The camp runs from August 7-15 and the 2010 Tournament runs from December 26, 2009  to January 5, 2010.