Michigan Wolverine super sophomore, J.T. Compher's rugged, in-your-face style lends itself naturally to injuries. The kid is a bull in the proverbial china shop. The Chicago native reminds me a lot of former Sabres captain Steve Ott, not only in size and build, but in his take-no-prisoners style and his gingery pop.
For the second year in a row, Compher (2nd round 2013, Buffalo Sabres), has sustained a hand injury during a Team USA World Junior evaluation camp. Team USA blitzed Team Sweden 7-1 on Wednesday. He had two assists for his team. Compher missed the 2014 World Juniors due to the foot injury that he sustained as a result of blocking a shot at the final evaluation camp.
Throwing oneself in harm's way has its inherent risks. Compher doesn't seem to mind the pain at all. That's why he is being touted as the future captain of the 2015 Team USA WJC squad.
"We got him looked at and we'll leave it at that for now," Jim Johansson, the assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey and the general manager of the United States for 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship
There is a silver lining for Sabres and Wolverines fans alike. Despite his injury, Compher will stay with his team and will continue to provide leadership and support for his teammates.
"I think that was an expectation coming in for him," Johansson said. "It's something he embraces. He's got a pretty long history with a lot of guys in that room being a leader on and off the ice. It's important for him to be here."
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Brendan Lemieux made a helluva name for himself in July at the Rookie Development Camp in Buffalo. He hacked, slashed, smashed, crashed, bashed, and pelted opponents with smack during the Blue and White scrimmage. He nearly came to blows with Finn D stud Rasmus Ristolainen a couple of times that night. The 8,400 fans in attendance walked away from the scrimmage with a very favorable rating on Lemieux as a future foot soldier in Ted Nolan's army.
Does it come as any surprise that Lemieux's guilty pleasure TV show is "One Tree Hill"?
Thanks, NHL.com
When you play like a man possessed like Lemieux does, you can watch whatever TV shows that you want to.
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