Tim Hortons QuadPlex (Thunder Bay, ON, Canada)- The Thunder Bay Timberwolves made their first of three player cuts this weekend.
--The moves were made Sunday after the first six days of the team's Training Camp in Thunder Bay. A total of twelve players were re-assigned to either Duluth or back to the players junior team.
--Two players that were assigned to Duluth and chose not to report were Russians, Andrei Taratukhin and Denis Parshin. Both players packed their bags and left for the newly formed Continental Hockey League in Russia.
--"They're not under contract by us," said GM Blake Wendt. "We hold their rights in this league. But if they choose to go back to Russia, we really have no authority over that decision. We don't agree with it and quite honestly it leaves a bad taste in our mouths about players from over there in general."
--Taratukhin and Parshin are only two of three Russians that the Timberwolves hold rights to. The other being Yuri Trubachev (who was not invited to camp). Taratukhin is the only one that Wendt brought over himself in a trade with Wisborg last season. Parshin and Trubachev are holdovers from the former team in Hoboken.
--"Obviously if we thought or knew that Taratukhin had no intention of playing, or at least trying to earn a spot on our club. We would have never made a trade that included him. Live and learn I guess. We'll be very hesitant in the future about adding Russian players to our roster."
--The other players involved in Sunday's cuts included the following:
--Adam Comrie (OHLSaginaw)
--A.J. Jenks (OHL Plymouth)
--Denis Reul (QMJHL Lewiston)
--Antoine Lafleur (QMJHL PEI)
--Danny Syvret (Duluth)
--Mike Morris (Duluth)
--Jason Bailey (Duluth)
--Johan Ryno (Duluth)
--Alexander Sundstrom (Duluth)
--Rob Zepp (Duluth)
--The Timberwolves will cut another ten players next weekend to drop their roster to a more manageable 35 players for the third and final week of Training Camp. The final five players will be cut before the beginning of the regular season.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
WOLF PACK IN FOR TRAINING
Tim Hortons QuadPlex (Thunder Bay, ON, Canada)- The Thunder Bay Timberwolves convened at the Lake Superior lakehead once again for the second annual Training Camp. This year in a more comfortable and convenient environment.
--The brand new, state of the art Tim Hortons QuadPlex was opened over that summer, and has already held the teams pre and post Entry Draft evaluation camps. The overall impression from players and staff was then and is now very positive.
--"It's always great to have all of our players in our system under one roof and not feel cramped," said GM Blake Wendt. "This building was designed specifically for this event."
--"You can't beat what is here and what we have access to," said forward Ryan Johnson. "Every detail seemed to have been thought of with the design."
--The building includes four sheets of ice. Each within it's own 'pod' being individually climate controlled. One sheet is specifically for use of the Timberwolves throughout the season and off season. With training facilities such as a weight room, a track and video conference rooms. The other three sheets have their own home/away and officials locker rooms and fan seating for community hockey games and public skating throughout the year. There is also a restaurant, sports bar, concessions, skate rental, ProShop and ticket office.
--Last year, the team used Fort Willam Gardens and Canadian National Gardens as the primary sites for the camp. A couple of other local rinks were also used at times.
--Timberwolves players arrived Sunday in Thunder Bay for their medical physicals and team meetings.
--Monday was the first ice time for the players. All fifty-seven of them.
--For this first day, players were divided by positions (Centres, Wingers, Defensemen, Goalies) and run through drills throughout all four sheets of ice that were open to the public.
--"This was the only day that the players will be divided like this," said head coach Craig Hartsburg. "Each position plays a different type of game, and we wanted to break things down and not let anyone get lost in shuffle with the number of players here. Tomorrow and throughout the next three weeks we will still divide the guys up. But only into three squads with three to four lines running more game type drills."
--Among the fifty-seven players at camp, there are nine from this summers Entry Draft. Forwards Kevin Porter, A.J. Jenks and Patrick Maroon. Defensemen Alex Pietrangelo, Mike Lundin, Johan Motin, Adam Comrie and Tyler Eckford and Goalie Marco Cousineau.
--Training Camp will continue for the next three weeks at the QuadPlex. With the exception of a couple to be determined scrimmages to be held at Canadian National Gardens. Every five-to-seven days there will be an undetermined amount of players who will be cut and either assigned to the Duluth Pups camp or back to their junior teams.
--The brand new, state of the art Tim Hortons QuadPlex was opened over that summer, and has already held the teams pre and post Entry Draft evaluation camps. The overall impression from players and staff was then and is now very positive.
--"It's always great to have all of our players in our system under one roof and not feel cramped," said GM Blake Wendt. "This building was designed specifically for this event."
--"You can't beat what is here and what we have access to," said forward Ryan Johnson. "Every detail seemed to have been thought of with the design."
--The building includes four sheets of ice. Each within it's own 'pod' being individually climate controlled. One sheet is specifically for use of the Timberwolves throughout the season and off season. With training facilities such as a weight room, a track and video conference rooms. The other three sheets have their own home/away and officials locker rooms and fan seating for community hockey games and public skating throughout the year. There is also a restaurant, sports bar, concessions, skate rental, ProShop and ticket office.
--Last year, the team used Fort Willam Gardens and Canadian National Gardens as the primary sites for the camp. A couple of other local rinks were also used at times.
--Timberwolves players arrived Sunday in Thunder Bay for their medical physicals and team meetings.
--Monday was the first ice time for the players. All fifty-seven of them.
--For this first day, players were divided by positions (Centres, Wingers, Defensemen, Goalies) and run through drills throughout all four sheets of ice that were open to the public.
--"This was the only day that the players will be divided like this," said head coach Craig Hartsburg. "Each position plays a different type of game, and we wanted to break things down and not let anyone get lost in shuffle with the number of players here. Tomorrow and throughout the next three weeks we will still divide the guys up. But only into three squads with three to four lines running more game type drills."
--Among the fifty-seven players at camp, there are nine from this summers Entry Draft. Forwards Kevin Porter, A.J. Jenks and Patrick Maroon. Defensemen Alex Pietrangelo, Mike Lundin, Johan Motin, Adam Comrie and Tyler Eckford and Goalie Marco Cousineau.
--Training Camp will continue for the next three weeks at the QuadPlex. With the exception of a couple to be determined scrimmages to be held at Canadian National Gardens. Every five-to-seven days there will be an undetermined amount of players who will be cut and either assigned to the Duluth Pups camp or back to their junior teams.
Monday, September 8, 2008
BALLARD NAMED CAPTAIN
Canadian National Gardens (Thunder Bay, ON, Canada)- After the trade of Joe Thornton to North Dakota near the midway point of last season, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves played without a player with the captain's 'C' on their sweater. Instead, they opted to finish the season with three alternates.
-One of those alternates was defenseman, Keith Ballard. On Monday, Ballard was officially named the second captain in team history.
-The twenty-five year old Baudette, Minnesota native has many qualities that inspired the Timberwolves coaches and management to come to this decision.
-"I pretty much knew when we traded Joe, that Keith would eventually assume the captain's position," said GM Blake Wendt. "He's been a leader on and off the ice from the day we acquired him. He's a young guy that isn't afraid to speak him mind. He calls guys out that need a kick in the pants. Then he'll go out there and back up the same guy out on the ice. He's a team first kind of guy, and I'm thrilled that he will be our captain for years to come."
-"Keith is a natural leader and plays a solid game to lead by," said head coach Craig Hartsburg. "He's a smart hockey player for one. Is responsible in his own end. Knows when to skate or pass with the puck. He's not a huge defenseman out there. But when he hits you, you'll think you just got smashed by a six-foot-four, two hundred thirty pounder. He's very vocal on the ice and in the locker room. He's holds himself and all of his teammates accountable."
-Ballard has been rumoured to be the teams new captain all summer. He has been the one in charge of optional workouts and team outings the past few months.
-He also does have some experience as a captain. While at the University of Minnesota, Ballard was an alternate for two of this three seasons there. And was also the captain when the full-serving captain, Grant Potulny was injured.
-"I accept this position with great honour," said Ballard. "I fully understand what is expected of myself as a captain. As a team, we have alot of work to do to gain respect throughout the CCHL. But we're headed in the right direction and will definitely surprise the teams that take us for granted. My job will be to play a solid game and lead by example. While also holding everyone accountable on and off the ice. We will have no excuses. We will not lose games because we quit. That will not happen. I can guarantee that."
-The two alternate captains will be chosen by the players after Training Camp and before the regular season begins.
-Training Camp opens Monday, September 22nd in Thunder Bay.
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