The American Hockey League announced today the 2012-13 recipients of the James H. Ellery Memorial Awards, presented annually by the league in recognition of outstanding media coverage of the AHL in three categories.
This year’s winners are Rochester Americans broadcaster Don Stevens (in the radio category); The Telegram of St. John’s, N.L. (print); and Sportsnet (television).
The most senior member of the AHL’s broadcasting fraternity,
Don Stevens completed his 27th season in the Rochester Americans’ broadcast booth in 2012-13. Stevens called all 79 regular-season and Calder Cup Playoff games on the year, 16 of which were simulcast by Time Warner Cable SportsChannel and seen by Amerks and Buffalo Sabres fans throughout Western New York.
A member of the Amerks Hall of Fame and an honoree on the Frontier Field Walk of Fame celebrating contributions to Rochester’s sports history, Stevens also serves as an ambassador and emcee at public speaking functions and other community events for the Americans. Stevens, who has called over 2,000 Amerks games and two Calder Cup Championships during his time with the team, also won the James H. Ellery Memorial Award following the 1993-94 AHL season.
The James H. Ellery Memorial Awards, which were first presented in 1964, honor the late Mr. Ellery, who served the American Hockey League for 17 years as league secretary and publicity director.
Thanks for 27+ years of memories, Don!
Thanks, Amerks.com
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The Buffalo Sabres might be playing the St. Louis Blues in the championship game at the Traverse City Prospects Camp.
Today, the Blues announced their Traverse City roster.
Forwards
Dmitrij Jaskin
Ty Rattie
William Carrier
Zach Pochiro
Samuel Henley
Dane Fox
Yannick Villeaux
Ryan Tesink
Cody Beach
Sebastian Wannstrom
Jacob Doty
Gregory Betzold
Curtis Valk
Gabriel Slight
Defensemen
Jani Hakanpaa
Joel Edmundson
Nick Walters
Matthew Murphy
Martin Lefebvre
Reid Gow
Brenden Miller
Goalies
Jordan Binnington
Francois Tremblay
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The Phil Kessel that Brian Burke traded away the farm for (Tyler Seguin, Dougie Hamilton) has finally emerged as a scoring leader in the NHL. It took a while, however, the slippery 26 year old right winger is finally living up to all of the hype.
Kessel showed up for the Leafs in their playoff series vs. Boston last spring, scoring 4 goals and adding 2 assists. Talk about heart breakers. The Leafs were 4 minutes away from causing the Bruins tap-out. Then, they were horrifically mauled by the Bears.
Kessel, like his U of Minnesota buddy Thomas Vanek, is about to enter a contract season. Kessel was the 5th overall pick in the 2006 NHL Draft. Vanek was the 5th overall pick in the 2003 NHL Draft.
Unrestricted free agency awaits the two gifted scorers.
The Leafs have suggested that they are interested in signing Kessel to a long term extension to keep their sniper in "The Big Smoke".
The Sabres and Vanek are in a holding pattern right now. The team has the right to trade him away for assets, or it can re-sign him to a long term deal. Vanek will accept and live with whatever option that the Sabres choose to exercise. Its my feeling that Vanek will be re-signed to a long term deal in the not too distant future. More on that later.
In today's Toronto Star, Damien Cox presented a scenario whereby the Leafs should consider locking up their star Kessel to a long term deal in a jiffy. I like the way he's thinking because I've been thinking a similar thought about the Sabres extending Vanek to a long term deal that will carry him into his late 30s in a Buffalo sweater.
Cox wrote:
.....an eight-year deal in the $70 million range is in the offing, and all indications are that Kessel wants to stay in Toronto and that the Leafs are determined to keep him and pay him the huge money.
If that’s the case, the Leafs need get this matter wrapped up before Christmas, rather than have it linger into next winter and close to the trade deadline.
Kessel is entering the final year of his five year, $27 million contract. For the most part, he's earned the $5.4 million AAV. In his past four seasons in Toronto, Kessel has scored 30, 32, 37, and 20 goals respectively. Don't let the 20 goals mislead you. He lit the lamp 20 times in just 48 games.
If the Leafs agree with Cox, and pay Kessel $70 million over he course of an 8 year deal, that would work out to $8.75 million AAV. Quite a substantial increase from his $5.4 million AAV. He will turn 26 in early October which means that his best offesnive years are ahead of him, good health willing.
Kessel has scored 185 goals in his 7 year NHL career. Thats an average of 26.4 goals per season.
There's a very real possibility that the NHL salary cap will rise to $80-$81 million over the next for years, which would make a jumbo cap hit like Kessel's all the more affordable and cap-friendly for the Leafs.
So what about Vanek? He's entering the seventh and final year of the $50 million offer sheet that the Edmonton Oilers presented with with in 2007. Vanek's cap hit for this season is $7,142,857.
What will his value be to the Sabres, or another NHL team, if Kessel gets an 8 year, $70 million extension?
The Austrian sniper will turn 30 in January. Perhaps an eight year extension is out of the questions, however, a 5-6 year extension at $8.5-$8.75 AAV might be in the realm of possibility.
In 585 career NHL games, Vanek has scored 250 goals and added 238 assists. He's averaging 31.25 goals per season in his eight year tenure in Buffalo. Tack on another 15 goals scored in 36 playoff games scored.
In a day and age where there is such a shortage of scoring in the ultra-defensive NHL, Vanek's scoring skills will be rewarded. Handsomely.
Vanek should be cheering fro Kessel to get a max-out, 8 year $70 million deal from the leafs.
That contract will no doubt be used as a comparable for his Gopher bud Vanek.
Honestly, I don't see any problem whatsoever paying Vanek between $8.5 and $8.75 million per season. He's more than adequately played up to the pressure of his current salary of $7,142,857.
I don't see any good reason to believe that he cannot live up to another $50-$52 million contract spread over six seasons.
Do you have a problem with it?
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It was good to see Sabres winger
Pat Kaleta at the rink on Tuesday. He was in an exceptionally good mood. On Monday, Kaleta perfectly executed his 4th Annual HITS Foundation Golf Tournament at beautiful Brierwood Country Club in Kaleta's backyard in Hamburg, NY.
"It was a great event. We had 158 golfers", PK told me. Among the participants were his Sabres teammates Steve Ott and Justin Bailey.
Good on you, Patty.
Kaleta invented his HITS Foundation (
Helping Individuals To Smile) for a simple reason. To help less fortunate people to overcome the high expenses of participating in hockey. Kaleta and the HITS Foundation are striving to give families the opportunity to participate in organized sports.
Patrick is an advocate of the Roswell Park Cancer Institute. He believes in helping less fortunate individuals, and will promote the HITS Foundation as putting a smile on someone’s face.
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It was great to see former Sabres D
Robyn Regehr at the rink on Tuesday.
I did a double-take when I saw a big guy carrying an LA Kings black leather equipment bag through the door.
Regehr told me that he's in Buffalo packing up his house in order to put it on the market.
He said that he and his family really enjoy their home in Southern California. He said that he doesn't get bogged down in LA's nightmarish traffic. He goes freely to and from the rink without having to use the treacherous Route 405.
Regehr said that he has spent time a fair bit of time in Saskatchewan this summer. He said that he was fortunate that his home in the Calgary are wasn't destroyed by the floods that ravaged Alberta earlier this summer. He said that his home is on a hill and that protected the home from the perilously high tides of water that rose in Calgary.
Regehr still keeps in touch with his former Sabres teammates.
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Later today, I will share with you an inspiring story about Sabres power forward Justin Bailey.
Great kid, from a great family, with a great story.
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