Ex-MTU defenseman signs with Senators

Compiled by MiCHO Staff

Former Michigan Tech defenseman Geoff Kinrade has signed a two-way, free-agent contract with the Ottawa Senators.

The exact terms of the contract were not released.

Last season, Kinrade made his NHL debut with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Kinrade joins former Husky Jarkko Ruutu on the Senators.

Kinrade, a native of Nelson, British Columbia, tallied 61 career points (14 goals, 47 assists) in 150 career games for the Huskies.

Photo courtesy Michigan Tech University

Bulldogs unveil 'quality' '09-10 schedule

Compiled by MiCHO Staff

A 18-game slate in the Ewigleben Ice Arena, an appearance in the reputable Wisconsin Badger Hockey Showdown, and another highly-competitive season of CCCHA action highlight the 2009-10 Ferris State schedule.

The challenging 36-game schedule features matchups against four opponents who were either ranked or received votes in the final 2008-09 USA Today/American Hockey Magazine Men's College Hockey Poll.

"This season's schedule features a number of quality opponents," said FSU head coach Bob Daniels, who embarks on his 18th year at Ferris State in the 2009-10 season and is the program's all-time winningest coach. "I'm excited to begin the season with six non-conference games which allows us opportunities to get considerable ice time for a lot of different players and also experiment with various line combinations.

"We're also thrilled to be invited back to the Wisconsin Badger Hockey Showdown Tournament and hope to win their tournament title for the third straight time."

The appearance by Ferris State at the 21st annual Badger Hockey Showdown Tournament (Jan. 2-3) will represent the program's third as the Bulldogs captured back-to-back Showdown Tourney titles in 2003 and 2004. FSU opens the holiday tournament against 2008-09 ECAC champion Yale on Jan. 2 in the opening semifinal tilt while host Wisconsin tangles with Merrimack in the other semifinal-round outing. The third-place and championship games will be held Jan. 3 with Wisconsin skating in the late encounter regardless of its semifinal-game outcome.

Ferris State will drop the puck on its 32nd year of varsity competition on Sunday, Oct. 4, with a home exhibition contest against Wilfred Laurier (Ontario) at Ewigleben. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. (EDT).

The following weekend (Oct. 9-10), the Bulldogs officially start the 2009-10 regular-season with a two-game non-league series versus Canisius in Buffalo. The two teams faced off a season ago in Big Rapids for a two-game set in what represented the first-ever meetings between the two schools. FSU then returns home the next two weekends, starting Oct. 16-17 with its home-opening series against Connecticut followed by a pair of encounters versus Robert Morris on Oct. 23-24. As with Canisius a season ago, Robert Morris will be making its debut on the Bulldogs' ice this campaign.

Ferris State will travel to Fairbanks, Alaska to open its 28-game CCHA schedule on Oct. 30-31 against Alaska and then return home to face Bowling Green Nov. 6-7 in its league home opener.

The remaining CCHA home dates for the Bulldogs include Ohio State (Nov. 20-21), Nebraska-Omaha (Dec. 4-5), Western Michigan (Dec. 12 and Feb. 26), Miami (Jan. 15-16), Michigan (Jan. 23), Northern Michigan (Feb. 5-6), and Michigan State (Feb. 19).

"I anticipate the CCHA games will be exciting and highly competitive," said Daniels. "This is perhaps going to be the strongest year we've had from top to bottom. There are a number of nationally top 10-caliber teams in our league which will require us to play at a consistently high level for us to achieve success."

The CCHA competition cluster schedule format for this season has Ferris State paired with Miami and Ohio State. As a result, Ferris will play each of those teams four times with a pair of games at home and on the road. The Bulldogs will continue to face Western Michigan four times on an annual basis as the Broncos are FSU’s “rivalry pairing” opponent as part of the cluster scheduling format which was implemented prior to the 2002-03 season.

The first round of the CCHA Playoffs will commence Mar. 5-7 at campus sites with tourney seeds 5-8 hosting. The top four seeds each receive a opening-round bye. The CCHA playoff quarterfinals will be conducted from Mar. 12-14 at campus sites and those four teams who claim the best two-of-three series will advance to the 2009 CCHA Championships (Mar. 19-20) at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

Game start times for all 2009-10 Ferris State hockey home contests will be 7:05 p.m. (ET) on Fridays and 5:05 p.m. (EDT) for Saturday matchups.

"We started experimenting with the early start times three years ago and it has been well received by our fans," noted Daniels. "Moreover, we're starting to see other CCHA teams go to an early start as well based on what we were doing and it has been embraced in a positive way."

FULL SCHEDULE

Adrian gets commitment from DCD star

By Dan O'Meara • ECCENTRIC STAFF WRITER

Country Day High School senior Blake Fielder plans to take an already distinguished hockey career to the next level of competition.

Fielder, who led the Yellow Jackets in scoring for four years and served as their team captain this year, has accepted an offer to play for the Adrian College Bulldogs.

He scored 17 goals and had 24 assists the past season, earning all-state honors for the second year in a row and helping Country Day post a 10-14-1 record.

Fielder, who finished a four-year varsity career with 74 goals and 85 assists, was recognized for more than his ability to score points.

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Three Wolverines, one Bronco drafted

Compiled by MiCHO Staff

Two incoming freshmen and one for 2010 from the University of Michigan were chosen in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday in Montreal.

Forwards Chris Brown and Kevin Lynch were second-round draft picks. Brown went 36th overall to the Phoenix Coyotes, while Lynch was picked by the Columbus Blue Jackets 56th overall.

Entering the draft, Brown was rated No. 30 among North American skaters by the Central Scouting Service. He played the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons alongside Lynch for the U.S. National Team Development Program and finished the 2008-09 campaign with 20 goals, 10 on the power play, and 18 assists in 62 games. His 120 penalty minutes were tops on the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team. He also won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2009 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.

"Chris plays a tough and physical style game," said NHL Central Scouting's Gary Eggleston. "He sets the tone of the game by taking the body hard and making a statement right from the opening faceoff. He'll drive his way through checks to get to the puck. He's a very good skater with a long, smooth stride with balance and agility. He has very good anticipation of the play and plays a solid two-way game."

Lynch was listed No. 100 in the CSS' North American rankings. In 63 games for the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team, he had 24 goals, 24 assists and 54 penalty minutes. He had a very strong end to his season, recording five goals and five assists in seven games at the World Under-18 Championship. Lynch has been invited to USA Hockey's National Junior Evaluation Camp, which is slated for August.

Defenseman Mac Bennett, a 2010 recruit, went in the third round (79th overall) to the hometown Canadiens.

Michigan's 2009-10 roster is slated to include 12 players who have been drafted by NHL franchises.

The only other Michigan-based collegian drafted was Western Michigan defenseman Kevin Connauton, who was taken in the third round with the 83rd overall selection by the Vancouver Canucks. Connauton will be a sophomore in the fall.

NOTEBOOK

Brown is the fifth Wolverine to be drafted by the Coyotes (Josh Blackburn, 1998; Kevin Porter, 2004; Chad Kolarik, 2004; Chris Summers, 2006). Two U-M alumni made their NHL debuts with the Coyotes in 2008-09 -- Porter (U-M 2005-09) and goalie Al Montoya (2002-05).

Lynch is the first Wolverine to be chosen by the Blue Jackets organization. U-M alumnus Blake Sloan (1993-97) spent two seasons playing for Columbus in 2000-01 and 2001-02.

Fetter back with Canada Under-22 team

Compiled by MiCHO Staff

Wayne State head coach Jim Fetter has been selected as an assistant coach for Canada's National Women's Under-22 Team, as announced last week by Hockey Canada.

This position is in addition to his main responsibilities at WSU.

The squad will play a three-game series versus Canada's National Women's Team in Calgary in late August and the 2010 MLP Cup in Ravensburg, Germany in early January.

Fetter will serve as an assistant to Margot Page, the former head coach at Niagara University.

The 2009-10 season marks the second in a row for Fetter with the National Women's Under-22 Team, having served as an assistant coach in 2008-09, winning a silver medal at the 2009 MLP Cup in Ravensburg. He was also an assistant coach with Canada's National Women's Under-18 Team during the 2007-08 season, winning a silver medal at the 2008 IIHF World Women's Under-18 Championship in Calgary.

Fetter just completed his sixth season at Wayne State, and was named College Hockey America women's hockey coach of the year for three consecutive seasons (2006, 2007, 2008). He shared the 2007 award with Page.

The coaches, along with Canada's scouting staff, will work together to choose Canada's National Women's Under-22 Team for the 2009-10 season. The U22 hopefuls will gather in Calgary for the National Women's Under-22 Team selection camp from August 7-16 before 22 players are chosen to face Canada's National Women's Team in a three-game series in Calgary from August 17-20.

The roster for the selection camp will be announced in mid July.

"Hockey Canada is very excited to be able to have such an experienced group of coaches agree to lead our under-22 program this season," said Julie Healy, Hockey Canada's director of female hockey. "Although most of the athletes who will take part in our camp in August have been part of our under-22 and under-18 programs in the past, this will be the first year we begin to focus on our preparation for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. This staff will be responsible for laying the groundwork that develops Canada's next generation of national team players."