Olympic hockey features faces familiar to WHL's US Division + a star with Seattle roots

The 2014 Winter Olympics are "officially" under way in Sochi, and for the first time in a long time, I'm interested in more than just the US and Canadian hockey teams. Hockey fans in the greater Seattle area should also be interested in checking out other teams, especially the one from the Czech Repbulic, as they may recognize a few names from the WHL's US Division teams (Everett Silvertips, Portland Winterhawks, Seattle Thunderbirds, Spokane Chiefs and Tri-City Americans), plus an NHL star with deep roots in Western Washington.

Former Everett Silvertips (and current Tampa Bay Lightning) defenseman RADKO GUDAS will help defend the blue line for Team Czech. Longtime Seattle Thunderbirds (and NHL) fans might get a kick out of seeing forward PETR NEDVED play again. Petr's been active in the Czech league after retiring from the NHL in 2008. This is his second Olympics - he helped Team Canada win silver in 1994. The 42 year old will be joined by another spring chicken, 41 year old JAROMIR JAGR, who's still showing he can contribute at the NHL level, although I wish he'd go back to the Penguins instead of playing in New Jersey...  Here's the Czech Republic's complete team roster.

 Radko Gudas (Photo: Everett Silvertips/Frank Deines III)

Former T-Birds (and current San Jose Sharks) forward PATRICK MARLEAU is helping represent Canada in his second Olympics. Former Tri-City Americans (and current Montreal Canadiens) goalie CAREY PRICE has also been named to Team Canada. Canada is chock-full of WHL alumni. Click here for the complete roster.

Patrick Marleau (Photo: Seattle Thunderbirds)

Watch for former Portland Winterhawks (and current Minnesota Wild) forward NINO NIEDERREITER on the Swiss team. Complete roster here.

Former Spokane Chiefs (and current New York Islanders) forward MICHAEL GRABNER is representing Team Austria. Complete roster here.

Former Portland Winterhawks (and current Chicago Blackhawks) forward MARIAN HOSSA is suiting up for Team Slovakia, along with his brother MARCEL, who also played for the Winterhawks (and currently plays for Riga Dynamo in the KHL). Here's the complete roster.

Marian Hossa (Photo: Portland Winterhawks)

Team USA's roster includes St. Louis Blues' star forward TJ Oshie, who cut his hockey teeth with the Seattle Junior Hockey Association, before moving to Minnesota to attend the prestigious Warroad High School, then continue to hone his hockey skills at the University of North Dakota. Here's Team USA's complete roster.

TJ Oshie (Photo: St. Louis Blues)

 

Monday Puckpourri: Golfing w/ TJ Oshie, Dancing w/ Radko Gudas & Thomas Hickey's rehab

Cassie and I had kind of a fun show yesterday. Well, we had fun once things got into place! Our special guest, Timothy Oshie (Coach Osh) was driving through the Badlands of North Dakota and his call kept dropping. Before he joined us, I lost my focus and completely blanked out. However, Cassie, our first guest Ola and our friend and frequent guest Meg picked up the slack while I regained control and went hunting for Coach Osh. Once he was locked in, we had a great chat about he and TJ's upcoming charity golf tournament/auction/benefit on July 28 and 29 in Grand Forks, ND. He also talked about TJ's hockey beginnings and the battle over UND's "Fighting Sioux" name. If you missed the CCPT Hockey show, click here to get to the podcast. If you're interested in taking part in TJ Oshie's golf tournament, click here for more info.

Everett Silvertips fans are lamenting the fact that defensive star Radko Gudas isn't returning to the Cable Box. He turned 20 years old in early June, then a couple of weeks later, the Tampa Bay Lightning selected him in the NHL Entry Draft. Radko and I had a great chat about the next step in his career, life in the Czech Republic, hockey fans and his special hobby: ballroom dancing. If you want to read about it, click here.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have been a huge fan of former Seattle Thunderbirds d-man Thomas Hickey for years. Since he left the T-Birds to join the Manchester Monarchs and try to crack the LA Kings lineup, he's had to battle more than other prospects vying for the same position. He's recovering from shoulder surgery and a high ankle sprain that pretty much sent last season down the drain. My friends over at Frozen Royalty caught up with Thomas at prospect camp and talked to him about rehab and what he's focusing on in his quest to make the team in the new season. Thomas was his usual honest self and I know I'm not the only one who's cheering for him to find the success he richly deserves. Click here to read more about Thomas.

Silvertips Snippets: Simpson, Gudas, Theriau drafted, Street Hockey challenge and pre-season tourney

The Everett Silvertips are celebrating a trifecta. Three 'Tips were taken in the NHL Entry Draft last weekend in Los Angeles. Goaltender Kent Simpson was taken #58 by the Chicago Blackhawks, while defensemen Radko Gudas and Alex Theriau went #66 and #109 to the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars, respectively. I'll be posting interviews with Kent and Radko up at the KING 5 sports site before the weekend is out. Unfortunately, I was not able to get in touch with Alex but I'm sure he's excited to be affiliated with the Stars. The Silvertips website has a number of stories about the three. You can find them by clicking HERE.  I did a post-Combine/pre-Draft interview that does not appear on the Silvertips website. However, it IS over at the KING 5 site so click HERE to read it.

                                                     Kent Simpson - now a Blackhawks prospect

                                                       Alex Theriau - now a Stars prospect

                                                      Radko Gudas - now a Lightning prospect

 The Silvertips are hosting a street hockey tournament on Saturday, July 17th. The action will feature 4-on-4 teams, with lots of prizes. Each entrant also receives a free ticket to the Silvertips' home opener against the Vancouver Giants on Saturday, September 25th. For more information about the street hockey tournament, click HERE.

Everett is also hosting a pre-season tournament September 3-5 at Comcast Arena. In addition to the Silvertips, Seattle Thunderbirds, Tri City Americans, Spokane Chiefs and Portland Winterhawks, the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL will take part in the tournament. Why Sault Ste. Marie? That was Head Coach Craig Hartsburg's junior hockey team. He also coached them, and very successfully, too. You can get the complete pre-season schedule by going to the Silvertips' website. Just click HERE.

WHL: Interview with Silvertips D-Man Radko Gudas

(Photo Courtesy: Frank Deines III/Everett Silvertips)

I posted an interview with Everett Silvertips defenseman Radko Gudas up at the KING 5 sports page.  He's a pretty interesting guy and talked about a lot of things, including: LA Kings training and rookie camp over the summer, adjusting to life and a different style of play in North America, how much his dad has influenced him, the NHL player he wants to emulate, and his favorite home-cooked meal.

You can read the interview by clicking here.

Enjoy!

WHL: Recap: T-Birds v. Silvertips 11/14

The Everett Silvertips rode a 2 game winning streak into Saturday’s game against I-5 rivals the Seattle Thunderbirds.  The Silvertips currently sit smack in the middle of the WHL’s US Division with a 12-6 record.  The T-Birds have struggled so far this season; their 7-12 record landing them at the bottom of the US Division. Still, Seattle also rode a 2 game winning streak heading into Comcast Arena.  Anyone who’s ever seen these two teams face each other, knows that records don’t count.  They will hit the ice and give everything they have to beat the other team. There is absolutely no love lost between the Silvertips and T-Birds.  On this night, Everett put Kent Simpson in net, while Seattle featured 17-year-old phenom Calvin Pickard.  And on this night, Pickard would prevail.

The first period featured a lot of action on both sides of the ice, with both goaltenders deflecting some pretty strong shots.  The first also featured a number of penalties, ranging from holding to unsportsmanlike conduct, but the clock ran down with a scoreless tie and the shots on goal fairly even – Everett 9, Seattle 11.

The second period began with the T-Birds on the power play, as Silvertips center Chris Langkow sat in the box for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at the close of the first period. Everett killed that penalty and went on the power play about 4 minutes into the period, when T-Bird d-man Steve Chaffin was called for holding. Just before that penalty ran out, Seattle’s Brenden Rouse drove up the ice and scored a shorthanded goal, with a little help from Silvertips goaltender Kent Simpson.  Simpson tried to stop the puck and accidentally slid it past him into the net.  The T-Birds scored again, on a power play at the 9:15 mark.  Right wing Sena Acolatse shot the puck past Kent Simpson.  Colin Jacobs and Brenden Rouse got the assists. About halfway through the 2^nd period, Jacobs dropped the gloves with Silvertips forward Kellan Tochkin and both of them went to the box. Jacobs got a 5 minute major for fighting, but the refs slapped Tochkin with 2 minutes for instigating, 5 minutes for fighting and a 10 minute misconduct.  He would not return until well into the 3^rd period. Not even a minute after the fight, the T-Birds struck again. Captain Lindsay Nielsen found the net, on a shot from Charles Wells and Jeremy Schappert.  There was more chippiness as little scraps broke out on the ice. In a move reminiscent of former T-Birds Captain (and current Manchester Monarch) Thomas Hickey, Radko Gudas, Everett’s big D-man, laid a hip check on T-Birds forward Prab Rai that sent Rai airborne. Luke Lockhart was called for hooking with 52 seconds left in the 2^nd, and as the horn sounded, the T-Birds’ Stefan Warg and ‘Tips’ Chris Langkow went at it.  Neither was called for a penalty and the two teams hit the locker room with Seattle up 3-0.

The Silvertips turned their aggressiveness up another notch as the third period got underway, driving again and again at the T-Birds’ net and outscoring Seattle 8-3 in the first 8 minutes of the final period. Again and again, Calvin Pickard turned them away, with help from his teammates.  Everett seemed to put Seattle on its heels, but the T-Birds regrouped and basically ran out the clock for most of the period.  With three minutes to go, Seattle scored again. Jonathan Parker put one past Kent Simpson. Sena Acolatse and Brenden Rouse got the assists.  The Silvertips turned up the jets again in the final 3 minutes of the game, but could not find a chink in Pickard’s armor.  Time ran out, giving Seattle a 4-0 victory and Pickard his second shutout of the season.  The 3 Stars of the Game:  3. Radko Gudas (Everett D-man); 2. Calvin Pickard (Seattle goaltender); 1. Prab Rai (Seattle LW).