TIMMINS - We've had lots of positive feedback about Paul Bertils' legacy piece of hockey history. And rightfully so. I just wanted to add that Paul is originally a South End boy. His obituary asked for donations to local Sports for Kids Timmins in his home community.
A number of people wanted to know just what the ALPS Hockey League was about after reading last week's column about former Majors goalie Josh Siembida.
ALPS Hockey League is a professional men's hockey league with teams from four countries as members. Austria has four teams, Croatia has one (SISAK, where Josh is coaching), Italy has six teams and Slovenia two. The league has stated it would be open to adding more teams from nearby countries. The league has a limit on imports allowed for each team in order to enhance the opportunity to develop younger players from each of the participating countries.
Josh started his coaching career at the youth level in the U.S. after a four-year career in NCAA hockey. Two years with North Dakota and after transferring two more at Quinnipiac. He was an assistant coach at Yale for six years where he helped lead the team to an NCAA D1 National championship. A return to Canada for an assistant's job in the BCHL Junior league preceded his newest role with SISAK. I always regarded Josh as a cerebral and intensely focused player when he played with us. Along with an advanced knowledge of the game and great preparation skills those two aforementioned qualities have proved invaluable to his coaching career.
There is a lot of hype about the upcoming 4 Nations Faceoff NHL tournament. The debate about who is and who isn't on Canada's roster will rege for quite a while. One thing I don't understand is the participant makeup. Hockey is trying to grow the game in markets across the world. So how do you have an NHL event (it's not an IIHF deal) without two of the top scorers, in a three-way tie for first, not playing? Add to that the seventh, 12th, 15th, and two tied at 17th out of participation and it's head scratching. Not to mention the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth top goalies statistically being absent.
I get the whole Russia deal. But this is an NHL event where Russian players play, are selected to the all-star game, win awards and contribute to their teams.
You keep hearing Canada and the US are powerhouses. What might a World team (Russia, Czechia, Germany, Slovakia, Swiss) be like? It was done before. It's being billed as a best-on-best. I guess it depends on your perspective.
Yes, it messes up scheduling. But some smart people know how to work that out. Just my take on it.
The prospects game where Canada's top 2025 NHL Draft prospects faced off versus the US top prospects provided one good game in the two-game series. Game one was a complete domination by Canada. Game two was at least an exciting affair won by a late Canada goal.
I really hope the CHL returns to a two Canadian team format. Instead of 20 or 22 Canadians getting a good look, go back to 40 or 42 having the opportunity in an event put on by the Canadian Hockey League. No disrespect to the Americans. It's a Canadian thing, eh?
Later Skater.
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