NHL, AHL, WHL & NAHL playoffs, plus TWO former T-Birds doing well

Last night, while I was watching the San Jose/Detroit game go into overtime, I commented on Twitter, "I hope Clowe or Marleau scores for the Sharks in OT." Several minutes later, Patty Marleau did just that, surprising the HECK out of me and making me wish that I could have the same effect on winning Lotto numbers.

I have friends who are Red Wings fans and I feel bad for them that Detroit is now down 3 games to 0. But seeing Patty put one past Jimmy Howard filled me with pride. Marleau is one of the Seattle Thunderbirds' biggest success stories, and even though I didn't go to many games when he played (just the 2 or 3 games a season at which I sang the anthem), I still join with other T-Birds fans at fawning over him like proud parents.

Another former T-Bird is having a heck of a post-season. Bud Holloway leads the Manchester Monarchs with 5 goals and 4 assists for 9 points in the playoffs. He's scored 5 game-winning goals and has been en fuego all season since he joined the Monarchs from the Ontario Reign of the ECHL. Hopes are also high for another former T-Bird, Thomas Hickey, to dominate the D-line once he fully recovers from shoulder surgery.

A recap of the latest NHL, AHL, WHL and NAHL action is posted over at the big KING 5. Click here to read it.

AHL playoffs feature WHL names, including former T-Birds & Silvertips

The 16 teams are set for the Calder Cup playoffs and when I pored over team rosters, I found many familiar names. So, for all you WHL fans out there looking to keep track of your favorite (or not so favorite) players, I've made a list of guys and teams. Just click here to link to my story over at the big KING 5 site.

And since DailySu is my own personal space, let me just say this: GO MONARCHS!!!! (which features former T-Birds stars Bud Holloway and Thomas Hickey).

AHL: Player Update: Thomas Hickey (Manchester Monarchs)

                              (Photo: Steve Babineau/Manchester Monarchs)
                             
Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds fans undergo a bittersweet experience every season. Each year, they have to say good-bye to the 20-year-old players who are "graduating" out of the WHL. Some have to say goodbye to players who move into the pro ranks earlier than age 20, leaving fans bursting with pride... and heartbroken at the same time. No, we won't see them on the ice at Comcast Arena or ShoWare Center anymore, but we have watched them develop. And at the best of times, we can continue to watch them develop in the AHL and hopefully cheer them as they realize their NHL dreams.


One player who's left a gaping hole in the Seattle Thunderbirds lineup (not to mention its defense) is former Captain Thomas Hickey. He wrapped up his 20 year old season by helping the T-Birds reach the first round of the playoffs. He also Captained Canada's national team to its 5th consecutive gold medal at the World Junior Championships in Ottawa.

Over the summer, Thomas worked out and really had a great showing at Los Angeles Kings' training camp. He stayed with the Kings for all of the preseason, before General Manager Dean Lombardi sent him to the Kings' AHL affiliate Manchester Monarchs to fine-tune his skating and get plenty of ice time. Thomas just returned to Manchester and is living in a hotel while looking for his first apartment or house to rent. His roommate at the hotel is another name familiar to T-Birds fans: former star forward Bud Holloway, who also had a great showing during training camp and is in the Monarchs lineup with Thomas.

I caught up with Thomas the day after he and the Monarchs beat the Albany River Rats 6-3. Thomas figured prominently in the game- and he was taking a well-deserved rest. Read on to learn more about how he spent his summer, his thoughts about nearly cracking the Kings' lineup, and how he's still finding time to follow his old team here in Seattle.

SR: Nice game last night! I was listening online to try and prepare for the interview.
TH: It was a good way to start our season out.

SR: How does it feel to be back in Manchester?
TH: It's good. I think we have a really good team this year so it was nice to get the season started and get into it so I'm looking forward to it.

SR: It seems like you have strength everywhere and having Bud Holloway up there with you, too, is like having a familiar face, isn't it?
TH: Yeah, it's great. We're actually roommates now in our hotel so that's good, too, but I knew a lot of the guys from the end of last season and it's a young group so it's nice being familiar with all the guys.

SR: The last time we talked, you were preparing to hit Kings training camp as ready as you could be, and from everything I've seen and read about training camp and the preseason, you seem to have met or exceeded everyone's expectations. How was it from your end?
TH: I think going down (to camp), that was the goal to be in good physical shape and I think I was. The biggest part was going out and doing it on the ice and I felt it was really good and I got better as camp went on. I didn't leave anything in the tank, so from that end, I'm happy with what I put out.

SR: I read a quote from Dean Lombardi saying he was really happy with your camp, especially after the last couple of years. He seems to be a man who doesn't mince words and for him to have great confidence in you and say you're basically back in Manchester to work on just skating and getting a lot of ice time, it seems that you should hit the Kings' lineup before the season's over. How does that affect your mindset?
TH: That's encouraging. We had our meetings at the end before I headed out there and like you said, the things he had to say to me were positive. He said I'm going in the right direction so it's nice to get a vote of confidence from management so for me, I've gotta put in more work and show them I'm ready for the big leagues.

SR: After spending four years with the WHL, living with billets, going home for the summer, you did spend a little bit of time with Manchester at the end of last season, but this is your first full season outside juniors. How's the transition been for you? What's it like to finally be on your own?
TH: It's something that I'm gonna have to get used to because right now, I'm still in a hotel but sort of looking for apartments or house to live in this week. I've been doing some searching around with a few guys. That's something I've never done before, but it's fun and it's neat and it's gonna be a life experience, too, not just hockey. I'm looking forward to it. I had a great time living with billets and being in Seattle but at the same time, it's time to turn the page and start being a professional hockey player.

SR: What's Manchester like as a city?
TH: It's nice. It's pretty small. It's just below Boston. I've been to Boston before but I don't know how to compare the two. It's obviously much smaller but you get that feeling of being out east and there's a lot of old buildings and it feels cultured compared to most things out west.

SR: It seems like your number for the time being is 37, when you've worn 4 for most of your career. Do you have any thoughts about that or are you kind of ambivalent?
TH: It's something I don't really care about, to be honest. I was always a big fan of 4, but it's a pretty common number in hockey so you've gotta switch it around sometimes. 37's what I had at training camp and I'm not very picky. I'll go with it.

SR: Do you have any messages for fans back here in Seattle?
TH: It's an exciting time (for the T-Birds). The guys got off to a slow start. I watch online and after that win they had on Friday night, the shutout, I think that's a good sign and things are only going to get better. I miss it back there but I'm keeping tabs and I'm sure they'll do very good this year.

SR: Friday was a pretty interesting game. It seemed like the whole team worked together to keep Tri City from scoring, yet to let them get as shots is not good. Having Calvin block 57 shots is amazing, but you don't want to tire him out that soon.
TH: You don't want to rely on him that much but with the goalies they've got, with Jake and Calvin, you can occasionally get games out of them like that. It's not something you want to do that often but it's nice to have two guys that are capable of it.

It's always nice to catch up with players who have moved on and it's great to expand our knowledge of the AHL. The Monarchs are on my list of favorites, along with the Toronto Marlies (Greg Scott, former T-Bird), Manitoba Moose (Taylor Ellington, former Silvertip), Abbotsford Heat (Riley Armstrong, former 'Tip), Binghamton Senators (Jim O'Brien, former T-Bird), Wheeling Nailers/ECHL (Chris Cloud, former T-Bird), Peoria Rivermen (Mitch Love, former 'Tip), San Antonio Rampage (Shaun Heshka, former 'Tip; David Spina, former youth hockey player), Houston Aeros (John Lammers, former 'Tip), Norfolk Admirals (Riku Helenius, former T-Bird). If I'm leaving someone out, please let me know and I'll add him.

As for our friend Thomas Hickey, T-Birds fans aren't the only ones watching him and tracking his career. Los Angeles Kings fans are excited to have him in the system and cannot wait until the day he lines up on the ice at Staples Center. And you don't have to be a hockey expert to know that day is coming soon. Until then, listen to Monarchs games online at http://www.monarchshockey.com/ . Then let's compare notes.

Hickey, Armstrong & Love

I can honestly say that I now have something in common with former T-Bird Thomas Hickey. We both have been featured on the front page of NHL.com. The site honored 3 of my blogs with front page status. Of course, he's much more high-profile than I am, and if he continues to tear up training camp and pre-season like he did at the LA Kings' prospects camp, his stock is gonna rise even more.

Anyone who's been to a T-Birds game over the last four years has seen this talented guy bloom right before our eyes. We weren't surprised when he was selected to Team Canada for the 2007-2008 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic. We weren't surprised when he helped Team Canada bring home their 4th consecutive gold medal. And we really weren't surprised to learn that not only had Thomas been selected to Team Canada for the 2008-2009 WJC in Ottawa, but that Coach Pat Quinn had named him Captain of this talented young team.

And even though Team Canada gave us a couple of heart attacks (who can forget that 6-5 shootout win against Russia in the semi-finals), we knew by the end of the first period in the gold medal game against Sweden that the boys in red were going to pull off their 5th straight championship. The only thing that surprised me was what happened when Captain Thomas Hickey was handed the championship cup. This usually reticent, soft-spoken guy let out a scream that I can still hear to this day. The sound was pure, unadulterated joy.

When the T-Birds fell to the Spokane Chiefs in the first round of the WHL playoffs, Seattle fans felt a deep sense of loss because they knew their captain was gone. Just a couple of days after that heartbreaking Game 5 loss, Thomas was jetting across the country to Manchester, New Hampshire, to join the Kings' AHL team, the Monarchs. And we all remember just what an impact he made right away!

So, just as fans were not surprised at how brightly their star shone all season, they're not fazed that NHL.com is sitting up and taking notice of the #4 selection in the 2007 NHL Draft. Here's a link to correspondent Eric Stephens' great story about Thomas' NHL quest. Our only question is, what took you so long?

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=451120&navid=DL|NHL|Home

Photo: Fred Trask

Our favorite pugilist... and hockey blogger Mitch Love could find himself dropping the gloves against his former team, the Houston Aeros this season. Last week, Mitch told me he's signed on with the Peoria Rivermen, the St. Louis Blues' AHL affiliate. I know that Houston fans are very disappointed. They grew to love Mitch's gigantic heart and work ethic. Oh, and we can't forget those tilts, set to Mitch's theme song, Thorogood's "Who Do You Love?" Well, time to start boning up on my knowledge of Peoria. I'm sure the team is good. I'm just not too keen on the logo guy. He kinda looks like the Gorton's fisherman.

A couple of weeks ago, Mitch and I chatted about his road along the hockey path, from the time he was a wee lad, to today. I learned some interesting things about this guy. One: he LOVES Motley Crue. Two: his dad REFUSED to let him play goalie. You can find out why by clicking on the link below:

http://blogs.king5.com/sports/2009/07/ahlwhl-behind-the-blog-oneonon.html

Photo: Scott Berg

Former Silvertip Riley Armstrong is also on the move. After San Jose/Worcester didn't exercise their option to re-sign him or trade him, Riley became a free agent and signed on with Calgary. He's understandably disappointed that the organization to which he gave five years of his hockey life let him go, but he's really excited to test out the ice in Calgary, which is garnering new energy under the tutelage of the Sutter family.

Riley chatted with me last week about the latest changes in his life and career. He's setting his sights on making the Flames lineup and playing closer to his family. But... should he end up spending part of the season with Calgary's AHL team, Silvertips fans wouldn't be disappointed at all, since the team moved from Iowa to Abbotsford, BC. Riley says it wouldn't be too bad to play a few games there, either, since he'd get to see some old friends.

You can read more of my interview with Riley by clicking on the link below.

http://blogs.king5.com/sports/2009/07/ahl-former-silvertip-riley-arm.html

New Bud Holloway Interview

Bud Holloway/Photo: David Pitcher/Seattle Thunderbirds

I had a nice chat with former T-Birds winger Bud Holloway a couple of weeks ago. I never knew him while he played for Seattle, although I do remember watching him play. I did get to see him play for Ontario in April and can report that he's even better than he was when he sported the blue and white (and that's saying a lot because he kicked ass as a T-Bird!)

You can see what he has to say about this last season (split between the Manchester Monarchs and Ontario Reign), the eye-opening transition from Wapella, Saskatchewan (Pop. 351) to Seattle, and the secret talent he showed off in the locker room!

Here's the link:

http://blogs.king5.com/sports/2009/06/whlechl-catching-up-with-forme.html

New Interview with Thomas Hickey

I had the pleasure of catching up with former Seattle Thunderbird Captain Thomas Hickey about his action-packed season. But the most amazing thing of all is his attitude about the whole thing. I would be excited just to have one of his many accomplishments this year:

1. Taking the T-Birds to the playoffs

2. Captaining Team Canada to its 5th consecutive gold medal in the World Juniors.

3. Joining the AHL Manchester Monarchs and scoring 1 goal and 6 assists in 7 games.

Click to link below to read more about what he has to say about his season, advice he has for rookies making the jump from Bantams to the WHL and why he can't pick just one favorite memory of his time with the T-Birds.

http://blogs.king5.com/sports/2009/05/whlahl-former-tbird-thomas-hic.html

Former T-Bird Holloway shines with Ontario Reign

                                                                Bud Holloway/Photo: Lee Calkins/Ontario Reign

I went to Los Angeles over the weekend to catch the Kings’ final home game of the season, but received an extra treat: a trip to Ontario, California to see LA’s ECHL affiliate Ontario Reign in playoff action.  The trip came courtesy of the Kings’ music director Dieter Ruehle. He told me he was doing music for the Reign Saturday night and offered to try to line up some tickets for my friend Justine and me.  He came through with flying colors and after the Kings honored their fans at Staples Center, Justine and I hopped into our rental car and hit the highway for Ontario.

We hit a few pockets of traffic but made it there with enough time to grab some dinner before the game.  I was especially excited to see this team because former Seattle Thunderbird forward Bud Holloway was on this team.  I had worn a T-Birds jersey to the Kings game to pay tribute to T-Birds Captain (and LA’s first round draft pick) Thomas Hickey. I figured the “T-Birds” theme would also be good for the Ontario game.  The seats Dieter had secured for us happened to be right behind Ontario’s bench but about four rows up.  We were practically center ice.  What a great view for the entire game! 

The first period got off to a slow start for the Reign. Stockton controlled much of the play and you could sense the frustration among the Reign bench pretty early.  Winger Brad Mehalko and Stockton D-man Cleve Kinley exchanged blows within the first minute of the period and went to the box on twin roughing penalties.  Stockton got its first power play chance just under 7 minutes in when Bud Holloway was called for tripping.  The Thunder could not capitalize on their man advantage.  Neither could the Reign, when Stockton was hit with a “too many men on the ice” call at the 9:20 mark.

Mike Lalonde scored the first goal about 12 minutes in to put the Thunder up 1-0. Thirty seconds later, Cleve Kinley scored to put Stockton up 2-0.  Teammate Brandon Naurato found the net five minutes later, and before you knew it, Ontario was down 3-0 with three minutes left in the first.  With less than a minute left in the period, Bud Holloway finally put Ontario on the board, by slapping the puck past a diving Bryan Pitton.  The first period ended with Stockton carrying a 2-goal lead (3-1).

During the first intermission, Justine and I went to get some coffee. She stepped away to make a phone call and I waited in line.  I was looking around at the different people in line when something caught my eye.  A woman was standing in line a short distance from me and she was wearing a Seattle Thunderbirds jersey! I grabbed my coffee and made my way over to her.  I noticed that her jersey sported Bud Holloway’s number on the back. She stood with another woman wearing a Holloway Reign jersey.  They saw me walk up and noticed the “Seattle” on my jersey.  We complimented each other on our good taste in hockey tops and I introduced myself. I asked the women if they were also down from Seattle for the game.  “No,” replied the woman in the Reign jersey. “We’re here from Saskatchewan.”   Of all the people to run into Saturday night, I had found Bud Holloway’s mother and aunt!  We chatted for a few moments about Bud’s career and agreed that everyone is extremely proud of him.  Then it was time to head back to our respective seats for the start of the second period.

The second period had barely gotten under way when the Thunder found the net for a fourth time.  Craig Valette took the rebound from a shot by Judd Blackwater and shoved it past Reign goalie Jeff Zatkoff.  The rest of the second featured more aggressive play by each team and a number of penalties.  Ontario’s Tim Kraus was called for hooking.  Teammate Geoff Walker went to the box for tripping.  Stockton’s Judd Blackwater got hit with an interference call and a shoving match between the Thunder’s Igor Gongalsky and Ontario’s Geoff Walker in the final seconds of the period set the Reign up for a power play in the third.  Walker received just two minutes for roughing, but Gongalsky got slapped with a double minor and would spend four minutes in the box.  Stockton scored one more late in the period.  Ryan Huddy flipped the puck over Zatkoff. The second period ended with Stockton up 5-1 and the Reign facing a daunting challenge—to make up four goals in the final 20 minutes of play.   Some of the fans around me grumbled that it couldn’t be done.  They did not realize that the best plays of the night were yet to come.

During the second intermission, I strolled around the arena with Justine, looking at the merchandise on sale when a man and woman stopped me to comment on my T-Birds jersey.  Turns out, the couple are from Tacoma and were long-time T-Birds and Tacoma Rockets (now Kelowna Rockets) fans before they moved to California.  They were extremely excited that Ontario had a team and were proud season ticket holders. In fact, many of the fans I spoke with had season tickets and were extremely excited that the ECHL had a team in their city.  One of the ticket takers told me the Reign average about 5,000 people per home game during the regular season. 

The third period began with Ontario firmly in charge on the ice.  Mike Howe scored about two and a half minutes in, with a decisive shot that bounced off the back of the net.  A minute later, d-man Colten Teubert, freshly called up to the Reign from the WHL’s Regina Pats, whose season had just ended, showed that he’s as good with his fists as he is with the puck.  He and Craig Valette got into a scrap that ended with both players losing their balance and falling on the ice, still swinging.  Valette received a 5 minute major for fighting.  Teubert did too, but the refs tacked on an extra 2 minutes for interference.

 The Reign continued controlling the ice for the next ten minutes.  Then, the “Bud Holloway Show” began.  Holloway scored a tricky goal at 13:27 that looked as though it had bounced out of the net without going in.  But no one on the ice had any doubts and neither did the refs.  Instant replay showed that Holloway hit the puck so hard, it bounced off the back of the net and popped back out.  Holloway scored again about two minutes later, and hats rained down on the ice as fans celebrated Holloway’s hat trick.  (I later learned that this was the Reign’s very first hat trick on home ice). 

The score was now 5-4 and the Reign had plenty of time to tie things up.  Coach Karl Taylor pulled Zatkoff from goal to give Ontario an extra attacker on the ice.  It looked as though his strategy would work, too, until the Thunder’s Igor Gongalsky stole the puck and passed it to Craig Valette, who scored an easy empty netter.  Here’s what’s heartbreaking about this: Ontario did find the net again before time ran out!  Reign right wing Denny Johnston scored with 25 seconds left in regulation.  Coach Taylor called a time out to strategize what would surely be the last chance to tie things up and send the game into overtime.  But the Reign could not capitalize, even with an extra man on the ice.  Stockton cleared the puck and a Reign player made a desperate shot from next to Ontario’s net.  The puck flew down the ice and missed Stockton’s goal by about two feet.  The clock ran out with Stockton ahead 6-5, and the series tied at one game apiece.

The 3 Stars of the Game:  1. Bud Holloway, 2. Mike Lalonde, 3. Mike Howe

The action now moves to Stockton.  Game 3 gets underway Wednesday, April 15 at 7pm.  You can find more information about the team and the playoffs, including how to watch or listen to the games if you can’t make it to one in person.  Just click here.

It was great to see T-Bird alum Bud Holloway doing so well. He was a fan favorite during his years in Seattle. The fans I spoke with absolutely love him, too. Many predict he won’t be in Ontario much longer because he will move back to the Manchester Monarchs' lineup (the Kings' AHL team where Bud began this season), or to the Kings themselves. And I know his mom (and the rest of his family) is brimming with pride for this young man who is working hard to make his hockey dreams come true

 

Hickey posts 2 points in AHL Debut

I had no doubt that Thomas Hickey would do well when he left the T-Birds to join Manchester. And the news release below comes as no surprise. But for some reason, Hickey's instant success at the AHL level makes the hole he left behind in Seattle seem that much larger.













Manchester Monarchs News Release

MANCHESTER, NH - In his professional debut, defenseman Thomas Hickey assisted on both regulation goals as the Manchester Monarchs edged the Lowell Devils, 3-2, in a shootout in front of 3,951 at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Friday night.



Manchester (35-31-0-8, 78 points) is fifth place in the Atlantic Division. Lowell (33-32-2-7, 75 points) is in sixth place in the Atlantic Division.



"It was a character win for us," said Monarchs Head Coach Mark Morris. "It seems like an eternity for us since our last win even though it wasn't too long ago. We had some key goals at key times."



Left wing Matt Moulson, center Marty Murray and center Justin Azevedo slipped the puck past Devils netminder Jeff Frazee in the shootout. The only Monarchs player that Frazee denied was left wing Vladimir Dravecky. Monarchs' goaltender Jonathan Bernier stopped 3-of-4 shooters in the shootout, defenseman Tyler Eckford, left wing Alexander Vasyunov and right wing Stephen Gionta. Veteran center Pascal Rheaume was the only Devils player to score on Bernier in the shootout.



Fans in the Verizon Wireless Arena expected to head into the first intermission with a 0-0 tie but the Monarchs scored the first tally of the game with one second left on the clock. Digging deep in the Devils zone on their second power play of the night, right wing Trevor Lewis tossed the puck from the left corner toward the net. Moulson deflected the shot past Frazee for his team leading 17th goal of the season. Hickey, in his pro debut, assisted on the tally at 19:59 of the opening period.



Midway through the second period, the Devils evened the contest at 1-1. Right wing Vladimir Zharkov fed the puck to defenseman Matthew Corrente who carried it into the right face-off circle. At the dot, Corrente snapped a wrist shot that soared under Bernier's right arm and into the net for his sixth of the season. Vasyunov picked up an assist on the tying goal.



Left wing Ryan Murphy was credited with tipping the puck past Bernier on a shot from Eckford from the left circle. Monarchs defenseman Tom Preissing was checking Murphy in the path of Eckford's shot when the puck bounced off of the winger's upper body and redirected into the net to give the Devils a 2-1 lead at 3:07 of the third period. Center Brad Mills assisted on Murphy's ninth tally of the season.



Hickey picked up his second assist of the night and of his pro career when he set up right wing Kevin Westgarth at 8:47 of the final frame to bring the score to a 2-2 tie. Skating into the Devils zone, Hickey beat the Devils' defenseman to the puck in the right corner and slid a pass into the right face-off circle. Westgarth came streaking into the circle and ripped a one-timer into the top right corner of the net for his third goal of the season. Left wing Richard Clune assisted on the goal by sending the puck into the right corner.



Shortly after Frazee denied Monarchs defenseman Drew Bagnall of his first goal of the season, right wing Matt Halischuk was hooked down by the defender and awarded a penalty shot. Bernier stopped the shot by dropping to his knees and directing the puck to the right corner. The rookie goaltender has faced two penalty shots this season and stopped both of them.



"At this time of the season, we need to put the points in the bank in order to be a playoff contender," said Morris.



Bernier (21-22-4) picked up his 21st win of the season stopping 27-of-29 shots in regulation and 3-of-4 in the shootout. Frazee (26-20-5) picked up loss No. 20 with 28 saves in regulation and one save in the shootout.



Manchester went 1-for-5 on the power play. Lowell was 0-for-4 with the man advantage.



The Monarchs host the Springfield Falcons on Friday, April 3 at the Verizon Wireless Arena in a 7:00 p.m. contest. Catch all of the play-by-play action of Monarchs hockey with Ken Cail on the Monarchs Radio Network WGAM AM 1250 and at

www.manchestermonarchs.com. Watch the games live on AHL Live for just $6 per game. Log onto www.manchestermonarchs.com and click on the link to AHL Live five minutes prior to each Monarchs game to watch the game live.

Two T-Birds fly the coop. Hickey, O'Brien headed to AHL

The Seattle Thunderbirds have confirmed that defenseman Thomas Hickey and center Jim O'Brien are embarking on the next level of their hockey careers. Hickey is set to join the Manchester Monarchs, the Los Angeles Kings' AHL affiliate. O'Brien is on his way to join the Ottawa Senators' AHL team in Binghamton, New York. Binghamton has posted a news release on its site about O'Brien's impendnig arrival.

Jim O'Brien/Photo: David Pitcher/Seattle Thunderbirds

O'Brien played 133 games over two seasons with the Thunderbirds. He had 48 goals and 69 assists for 117 points. In playoff action, he notched 3 goals and 6 assists for 9 points in 17 games. The Ottawa Senators selected him 29th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Thomas Hickey/Photo: David Pitcher/Seattle Thunderbirds

Hickey played all four years with the T-Birds, scoring 39 goals and 138 assists for 177 points in 262 games. He played 32 playoff games and notched 7 goals and 17 assists for 24 points. Hickey also captained the T-Birds for the past two seasons and Captained Team Canada to its 5th consecutive gold medal in the World Junior Hockey Championships in Ottawa this year. The Los Angeles Kings selected Hickey 4th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

I had the pleasure of interviewing both Thomas Hickey and Jim O'Brien this season.

To read O'Brien's interview, click here.

To read Hickey's interview, cilck here.

To read Hickey's reflections of Team Canada's historic win, click here.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU BOTH!!!

We'll miss you.