Former UMD Star Tom Kurvers now in Wild Management Role

Heather Rule chronicles the rise of Tom Kurvers from UMD star to NHL executive.

From our December special print/digital issue on Duluth Area Hockey.

Just click =>HERE.

The post Hometown Hero appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Thief River Falls product leads nation in wins 

North Dakota junior goaltender Zane McIntyre of Thief River Falls, Minn. has been chosen as one of three finalists for the 2015 Hobey Baker Memorial Award given annually to the top player in NCAA Division I men’s hockey. The winner among McIntyre and fellow finalists Jack Eichel of Boston University and Harvard’s Jimmy Vesey will be announced Friday, April 10, 2015 from Matthews Arena in Boston, Mass. during the NCAA Frozen Four.

McIntyre was also previously named one of five national finalists for the 2015 Mike Richter Award as the top goaltender in NCAA Division I men’s hockey.

Already North Dakota’s all-time leader in career goals against average and save percentage, McIntyre started all but one of his team’s 41 games this season in compiling a 29-9-3 record and leading UND to a second straight Frozen Four. His 29 wins lead the nation while his 2.00 goals against average and .931 save percentage rank 11^th and 6^th, respectively.

The sixth round selection (No. 165 overall) by the Boston Bruins in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft was named First Team NCHC and Goalie of the Year and was a finalist for Player of the Year honors as well. McIntyre has devoted more than 40 hours of community service time to various organizations, including Special Olympics, Grand Forks Youth Hockey Association, Westside Elementary, Thief River Falls Elementary and more.

The post McIntyre named “Hobey Hat Trick” finalist appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Like it or not, Adam Wilcox’s stellar play lands him in the spotlight.

He’s humble off the ice and just as ruthless on it.

Gopher sophomore Adam Wilcox is putting up numbers that Gopher goalies don’t usually amass. He’s already got the single season record for save percentage, his 51 wins (going into this weekend’s NCAA West Regional) ties him for seventh all-time (with two years left to play) and he is tied for second in the NCAA this year in save percentage.

And if you ask him about his success – all he’ll do is talk about how good the defense in front him is playing.

Wilcox is a finalist for Mike Richter award, given out to the nation’s top goaltender and a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the player who best displays outstanding skills in all phases of the game, strength of character on and off the ice, sportsmanship and scholastic achievement. While this is the first year of the Richter award, Wilcox is the first Gopher to be a finalist for the Hobey since Ryan Potulny in 2006.

Think about that, it’s been 8 years since the Gophers have had a finalist for the nation’s top individual hockey honor. Names like Kessel, Okposo, Wheeler, Bjugstad and more have donned the Maroon and Gold—some longer than others—but none of them have crossed into the territory that Wilcox has.

But what I love most about Adam Wilcox and his success is that he wasn’t a highly-touted blue chip goalie from a hockey factory school. He played in US selection camps but never played in the World Junior Championships or played on the development team. He was a very good goalie at South St. Paul, which is becoming ‘Goalie High’ between Wilcox and his cousin Alex Stalock who plays for the San Jose Sharks.

While he was named to the All-Classic Suburban team twice, he only earned honorable mention at the state level twice. In fact, he might have been a better football player for the Packers, making All-Conference and All-State teams and even winning the Tom Nace award.

He is the quintessential story of good things happening to people who work hard. He stayed at his small school as long as he could. And when his opportunity to shine came, he made the most of it.

Wilcox was drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 draft by Tampa Bay which is not bad for goalies by any means but, until this season, he was somewhat of an unknown outside of our borders. Now, he is looking to pull off something that only two other goalies have done in the history of college hockey have achieved: Win its top prize, the Hobey Baker award.

By the way, one of the others to do it, was the guy who Wilcox will spend the next two years chasing in the Gopher record books, Rob Stauber, who won the award in 1988 (Ryan Miller is the other).

I happen to think Wilcox can pull it off. If you look at the numbers they are comparable. Stauber went 34-10 that year, with a 2.72 goals against average. While Wilcox won’t be able to duplicate the win total, his G.A.A. is a slim 1.90 (third in the nation). Yes there are goalies with better stats, but they don’t play the level of competition that Wilcox does night in and night out.

Like most goalies he is a cool customer. He rarely gets rattled in a game, and he never sweats a question after it. It would be nice to see a Minnesotan get a chance to join an elite group, especially since the “land of 10-thousand skates” rarely is known for those who wear the goalie version.

Just maybe Wilcox can pull it off. But if he does, don’t expect him to brag much about it.

The post Schwartz: In the Shadows No More appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Featured Image:
Brian Bonin (back row, center) is raising money for youth hockey in his hometown of White Bear Lake.

Former Gopher and Hobey Baker winner Brian Bonin recruits fellow White Bear alums for second-annual youth fundraiser.

Before he became a Hobey Baker Award winner and prior to being named Minnesota’s Mr. Hockey, Brian Bonin honed his skills playing youth hockey in White Bear Lake. After his pro career ended, Bonin returned home to his hometown along with his wife, Rachel, to raise a family and give back to the youth program he was raised in.

Bonin has been actively involved in the White Bear Lake Area Hockey Association as a coach and now, for the second straight season, as a fund raiser. This Saturday, Feb. 15, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Bonin is hosting the second annual White Bear Lake Division I Alumni Event at the Vadnais Heights Sports Center.

It’s an evening of hockey games featuring youth players as well as adults taking on former Bears who went on to play D-I college hockey across the country. The event includes raffles, chuck-a-puck, hundreds of free mini sticks and pucks along with a silent auction featuring over 130 items, many of them signed by players with names like Crosby, Malkin, Koivu, Suter and Parise.

Among the players expected to participate are Bonin, who played 166 games at the University of Minnesota, Matt Greer (148 games at UMD), Luke Beaverson (138 games at Alaska-Anchorage), Jared Reigstad (127 games at RPI) , Tim Olsen (103 games at UConn) and Casey Parenteau (100 games at St. Lawrence). Jon Anderson, Dave Espe, and Brett Nelson (345 games combined at Minnesota) will all be making appearances as coaches.

There is no admission fee for the games but Bonin is asking for donations ranging from $1 to $5 with the $5 being a family contribution.

For Bonin, it’s about doing what he can to fix what he calls hockey’s “bad rap” as an expensive sport and keep people excited about an involved in the game.

“Every sport is very expensive right now and hockey can actually be relatively inexpensive if we do it right,” Bonin said. “I think you actually get a whole lot more value for it than you do some of the other sports, at least the ones my kids are playing.”

Each auction item includes a “buy now” option for those who simply wish to stop by and purchase an item outright. Proceeds benefit the WBLAHA and are geared toward the beginner and mite/U8 age groups in an effort to keep costs down and attract new players to the great game of hockey.

“I just think it’s the bottom (age groups) where we really need to get people in and we need to get the best athletes in,” Bonin said. “You’ve got to be willing to find ways to do that in today’s day and age where hockey is expensive.”

Last season’s earnings helped the WBLAHA to offer its Clinic program participants (beginning players, mostly in the four to five-year-old range) the opportunity to skate for free this season. Next year, Bonin has his eye on purchasing several sets of hockey protective gear that a young player can check out and use for the season at no charge.

Bonin says the key is getting kids to try the sport and nurture their, and to some degree their parents’, love for hockey.

“If it’s a good experience and isn’t too nuts or isn’t too much pressure and you don’t have to spend too much money, if the kids like it I think you’re willing to let them keep playing. So we’ve got to find a way to balance that.”

The post Bears Unite For the Kids appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

College hockey fans can help determine the 2014 winner of the sports’ most prestigious individual award by visiting the Hobey Baker website: www.hobeybakeraward.com. Click on the Vote for Hobey icon and review the list of 68 of the most outstanding players in this year’s class. The new website includes photos, extensive bio information and latest statistics for each of this year’s nominees.

This first phase of fan balloting will close on March 9, 2014, and along with balloting by all 59 Division I college hockey head coaches, will help determine the top ten candidates for this year’s Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s most outstanding player.

Hobey Baker Award Executive Director Jill Wagner noted the reasons for the terrific interest in the fan ballot saying, “We redesigned the entire website making it easier to vote and includes much more content. The passion of college hockey fans, the fantastic field of candidates and the closeness of conference standings makes for heightened interest. Fan vote is huge this year and prompted us to upgrade our server capacity so we could accommodate everyone.”

Phase two of fan balloting will run March 20 through March 30 from the list of Top Ten Hobey Baker finalists. The fans’ vote accounts for a full 1 percent of the total ballot in each phase in selecting this year’s award recipient.

Award criteria include candidates emulating the exceptional character traits exhibited by the award’s namesake, Hobey Baker. A legendary American hero, Baker was a World War I fighter pilot and was known as America’s greatest amateur athlete in his day, excelling at hockey and football at Princeton University. Award candidates must demonstrate strength of character both on and off the ice, contribute to the integrity of his team and display outstanding skills in all phases of the game. Consideration should be given to scholastic achievement and sportsmanship.

Key Hobey Baker announcement dates for 2014 include:

• Top Ten list of candidates: March 20
• Hobey Hat Trick of three finalists:  April 2
• Hobey Baker Award announcement:  April 11

The 2014 Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced from a field of three Hobey Hat Trick finalists on Friday, April 11, 2014 during the NCAA Frozen Four Championships in Philadelphia, PA. The 34^th annual award announcement honoring college hockey’s top player will be televised live. For more info on the Hobey Baker Award or to access the Hobey logo, please visit www.hobeybakeraward.com. Vote Now!

The post Release: Hobey Baker Award Fan Voting on a Record Pace appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.