Rounding up some hockey clips and links I’ve come across in the recent weeks:
Alex Ovechkin scored his 45th in a season for the 10th season in a row, breaking a tie with Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy for most seasons with 45 goals or more.
Jack Eichel matched his career total goals for the fourth year in a row with his 24th and 25th against the Oilers a few days ago. The Buffalo News had a great piece by Lance Lysowski on the Sabres captain’s season.
Speaking of American centers, Auston Matthews became the first player in Toronto Maple Leafs franchise history to score 30-plus goals in the first three seasons of their NHL career.
University of Guelph goalie Evan Cormier became the first U Sports player to sign an ELC since University of New Brunswick’s Hunter Tremblay when he inked with the New Jersey Devils this year.
Loved this year’s look at the 2002 crop in the OHL by Brock Otten. His top-rated prospect, Quinton Byfield, looks like a really nice name for the draft next year. Seventh-spot Antonio Stranges is another super-skilled American playing in the O.
The Cape Cod Whalers did a piece on one of their players, Jake Higgins, who might do a post-grad year at Deerfield Academy. Higgins was able to play for his Hingham lacrosse team in the spring and still play at a decent level doing fall with the Whalers and high school with the Harbormen in the winter.
Zion Williamson Will Be Fine, but His Teammates Might Not Be - Marc Tracy for the NYT
Shortridge Dominance Helps Quinnipiac Bring Youth Along - CHN, Nathan Pullen
The Hunter, and the Hunted - CHN, Avash Kalra
Freshman defenseman Colin Felix stays steady for UMass - Josh Walfish, Daily Hampshire Gazette
NPR took a look at underdiagnosed male eating disorders with a connection to Big Ten hockey
MGOBlog’s Brian lays out the argument that this year’s freshman class for Michigan hockey is the least talented in recent history. He goes on to look at how that might have happened. I have to agree with the conclusion: Michigan need a Big Ten caliber stopper in net. Michigan certainly don’t have one of the worst blue lines in the country. They arguably have the best pairing in the country. Put even just a “pretty decent” Division 1 goalie in the crease and this team is terrifying.
BlueWhiteIllustrated.com’s David Eckert: The gut-punching duality of Penn State hockey's style
EPRinkside’s premium section has a piece by Aaron Vickers on Jackson LaCombe, one of the top non-USHL prospects for the draft this year. It focuses on the Shattuck defenseman’s move to blue line from forward. He also looked at Alex Newhook’s teammate, Alex Campbell, who is making some noise of his own.
USCHO: Illinois looking to make a decision on D1 as soon as April or May
Brad Schlossman wrote about young recruits in college hockey and whether you can win with them. This is a topic I’m sure I’ll be writing about plenty as well
The Athletic’s Tyler Dellow looked at whether defensemen produce less on their weak side
The Athletic’s Max Bultman looked at Jason McCrimmon’s efforts with hockey in Detroit
Steve Ewen for the Montreal Gazette: New ties to old prep school ally help Chilliwack Chiefs cruise in BCHL
Make Robson Arena architecturally compatible - Colorado Springs Gazette
The Score looked at Arizona State’s Rise
College Hockey News looked at the KHL line. Here’s a video by MSU on them, too: