Four Stars from the North American professional league NHL belong to the contingent of hockey coach Pat Cortina Germany for the Cup of 9 to 11 November in Munich. Overall, the Italo-Canadians nominated 42 experts for the Four Nations tournament in the Bavarian capital.
Besides the four NHL stars Christian Ehrhoff, Dennis Seidenberg, Marcel Goc and Alexander Sulzer also enhance both Sweden Ligionäre Alexander Barta and Marcel Müller, the team of the German Ice Hockey Federation Association (DEB). The only newcomer to the DEB team is Soren storm in an otherwise very experienced squad with an average of 45 international matches.
"We found a good mix of experienced players and young talents and we must now prepare for what awaits us in February," says Pat Cortina overlooking the highlight of the season, 7 Olympic qualification in Bietigheim (to 10 February 2013).
By the start of the Germany Cup squad will be reduced. "Because of the unclear situation in the NHL and in terms of qualifying for the Olympics, we decided this year as initially more players to nominate else," said team manager Klaus watch the unusually large squad.
The other nations, Switzerland, Canada and Slovakia will nominate the next few days their squad. While the team from Canada offering a variety of players from European leagues, Slovakia has already announced to request a lot of the players from the Russian elite league KHL.
Fans can expect on all three days so international ice hockey at the highest level.
"The Cup Germany itself as a major international tournaments in the men's area has become very well established. Everybody wants to win and the players really use this international comparison, in order to recommend just for World Cup places, "said DEB General Secretary Franz Reindl.
If the NHL lockout were to end this week, Ehrhoff, Sulzer and the rest of the NHLers playing in Germany would skip this event and return directly to their NHL squads.
Speaking of Sulzer, he recently spoke with his team's website:
NHL defenseman Alexander Sulzer and national team will wear the number 25 for the ERC Ingolstadt. Before his first game in the jersey of the Panthers he has faced some issues.
Hello Alexander, welcome to the ERCI! Where are we bothering you right now?
"Right now I am in Dusseldorf, tomorrow I get the first time in the team. There are of course a lot to do with the move, even in Nashville are still things to be done. For activation still had a few documents are ready, so hopefully it works out on the weekend with the first use! So it's just a lot going on. "
Do you know players on the team?
"With Patrick Hager, and Thomas Björn Barta Greilinger I played in the national team, Jakub was my defense partner in the Olympics! I was with John Laliberte together in Milwaukee. "
How did it happen that we finally made it in Ingolstadt?
"For me it was important that I play at a club where I can be near the family. As someone who comes originally from Kaufbeuren, which is of course good in Ingolstadt. It must also, of course, are also athletic, in Ingolstadt is given. I hope that we can win as many games together. Overall, the ERC Ingolstadt the overall package did fit best. "
The plot now thickens on all of the chatter about Grigorenko coming to Buffalo after the lockout is resolved.
The Sabres are in desperate need of a first line centre.
Tyler Ennis and Cody Hodgson will get the first look at the #1 pivot job. Grigirenko will also get a sniff.
Hold the presses. Tyler Ennis has been injured while playing for SCL Tigers in the Swiss Elite League. I'm trying to get conformation on the extent of the Ennis injury. The former Medicine Hat Tigers scoring star was listed as "injured"and was a scratch for SCL Tigers on Sunday, in their 3-2 win over HC Servette Geneva.
Enzo also missed the Tigers last match against Henrik Zetterberg, Linus Omark and EV Langnau. All told, he's missed his club's past five games.
I hope we're not talking about anything associated with the high ankle sprains that he was plagued by last season. I'll continue to pursue confirmation from SCL Tigers. There is some unconfirmed info regarding Ennis and an "upper body" injury that he suffered on 10/6/12 vs. HC Ambri. He's listed as day to day.
Talk about throwing a monkey wrench into a plan. Losing Enzo to a long term injury would be a big problem for the Sabres who are counting on him to add offensive pop alongside Srafford and Foligno this season.
I'm fully expecting the NHL and NHLPA to resolve thire CBA issues by this Thursday's deadline. When and if that happens, the players will report immediately to their respective NHL teams for a truncated training camp. Pucks will drop for the season's first games on Mo-vember 2.
The Russian Rifle assisted on Logan Shaw's PP GWG with less than five minutes to play in regulation on Sunday.
Silky Mitts!
Grigo now has a 12 game consecutive point scoring streak intact.
Grigo also has a 12 game streak last season, when as a rookie, he scored 40 goals and added 45 assists for the Remparts.
In 12 game streak, Grigo with 10 G, 14A, +11 #howdoyousaystudinrussian?
Look for Grigo to be sitting in the press box on Thursday night. Patrick Roy doesnt have a choice but to sit Grigo. Nikita Kucherov, the injured Russian speedster (Tampa 2nd round pick 2011), has been activated from injured reserve and he will be in the Remparts lineup on Thursday. Kucherov will platoon with Grigo, so that Nick Sorensen can continue to play. The crux of the matter is that the Grigo, Kucherov, and Sorensen are all Euro imports. CHL rules prohibit three Euros to play in same game together. Thus, one of the gifted performers will have to sit. Sorensen is in his NHL draft season, so Roy isn't going to sit him. Which leave Grigo and Kucherov as the odd men out.
In a related matter, the NHL owners and NHLPA spent this weekend talking by phone. They exchanged emails and texts too, according to a source of mine.
I do believe the the new CBA will be hammered out by the Thursday deadline.
Once the lockout ends Grigorenko will be free to fly to Buffalo to begin his nine game NHL tryout
The Graz 99ers will miss Austrian hockey legend, Thomas Vanek, when he heads back stateside in the weeks to come. The lockout will draw to a close shortly, but until then, Vanek can continue to light it up in the Erste Bank Austrian Hockey League.
Vanek had hat trick in today's game in front of the home faithful vs. Dornbirn. However, the official scorer took away one of his goals. Vanek ended the game with 2G, 1A.
No worries. Graz 99ers won the game 6-2.
Vanek had an assist in Friday night's loss to the Vienna Captals.
He now has 3 goals and 5 assists in 6 games played in his hometown.
Highlights from Saturday night's pond hockey match between Rochester and Hershey in Chocolate City.
Marcus Foligno's 2 goals and 2 assists powered the Rochester attack.
Ron Rolston better get to work on tightening up the Amerks blueline and goaltending. In a hurry!
David Leggio is 3-2 in 5 games played. His 3.97 GAA is a concern. His .887 save % is a bigger concern. He's allowed 20 goals against in five games. Unacceptable.
I think its time we see what rookie Connor Knapp can do for the Amerks. The 6'5 215 pound tendie played extremely well during his four year career at Miami University. Its time to give the York, NY native a regulation game to see how the team plays in front of him. In five games, Leggio, the 2012 Amerks team MVP, has been ordinary at best.
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