AHL team seeks to capitalize off Michael Phelps misfortune

Whacky promotions have been present across the American Hockey League and it's former competitor International Hockey League for as long as I can remember, but there's something exceptionally rich in the Milwaukee Admirals' press release highlighting this Thursday's promotion when the Rockford IceHogs visit Bradley Center. Rather dubi-ous you might say.

Admirals Present "Don't Be Like Mike" Night
All DARE Graduates Get in for Just $2

Milwaukee, WI—Michael Phelps has done a lot of things in his life that he is proud of. Eight Olympic Gold Medals from last year’s summer games is just the start of a long list of accomplishments that anyone would want to emulate.

Unfortunately, the limelight that currently shines on him is not for any of his athletic achievements, but for an act that is a bit more dubious. Thus, the Milwaukee Admirals present “Don’t Be Like Mike” Night at their game on Thursday, February 19th at 7:00 pm versus the Rockford IceHogs.

All fans who are graduates of a DARE program (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) can get into the game for just $2 by bringing their DARE graduation certificate to the Admirals’ office or the Bradley Center box office. In addition, anyone with the name Michael, Phelps, Mary Jane, Cheech, Chong, Weed (Wied) or anyone who has won an Olympic Gold Medal can also get their ticket for only $2.

“I, along with Nancy Reagan, want to encourage people to not do drugs,” said Admirals President Jon Greenberg. “As an organization the Milwaukee Admirals don’t condone or encourage the use of illegal drugs, including, but not limited to marijuana, or anabolic steroids for that matter.”

The Ads will also be giving away a weed wacker, courtesy of National Ace Hardware, that will be signed by the team and if the Admirals score with 4:20 left on the clock in any period one lucky fan will win a season ticket for the 2009-10 season. The number 420 is often known as the police code for illegal drug use.

Plus, to ensure that no one ends up in the same predicament as Michael Phelps, the team will provide a document shredder at the DigiCopy Information Table outside section 225 so fans can bring any embarrassing or incriminating photos to be destroyed.

Fans can order tickets for the 19th, or any Admirals game, by calling Ticketmaster at (414) 276-4545 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Groups of ten or more people receive a minimum of $2 off of each ticket. For more information or to order group tickets call the Admirals office at (414) 227-0550.

http://www.milwaukeeadmirals.com/home/news/0209mike.html

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Team USA announces 2010 orientation camp for August in Chicago

USA Hockey announced officially on Thursday it will be hosting it’s 2010 Winter Olympic Games Team USA hockey orientation camp at Seven Bridges Ice Arena in west suburban Chicago this summer.

The three day competition camp comprised of the United States’ premier hockey players will take place on August 17-19th at Seven Bridges Ice Arena in Woodbridge, IL. The camp will go a long way to determining the final roster for the 2010 Winter Games next February in Vancouver, British Columbia.

This squad that does skate next February won’t resemble the Turin 2006 Olympic Team much. Only three (Rafalski, Liles, Drury) figure to be sure-bets to return from the ’06 team. Gone will be Chris Chelios, Derian Hatcher, Mathieu Schneider, Bret Hedican, and likely Bill Guerin and Doug Weight. If Mike Modano continues his current play into next season, I’d expect he’ll be a part of the team as the resident Olympic veteran and team captain. Others from 2006 who will contend for next year’s spots are Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez, Mike Knuble, Brian Rolston, Craig Conroy, Erik Cole, Jason Blake and Rick DiPietro. While Guerin, Weight, Keith Tkachuk and Robert Esche figure to be long-shots.

Below is the unofficial pool of sixty-five, U.S. officials, which include Thrashers’ GM Don Waddell, Toronto boss Brian Burke as well as coach Ron Wilson, will have to choose from.

LW: Zach Parise, David Booth, Ryan Malone, Patrick O’Sullivan, Erik Cole, Brian Rolston, Chris Higgins, Paul Gaustad, Drew Stafford, Keith Tkachuk, R.J. Umberger

C: Paul Stastny, Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, Mike Modano, Brandon Dubinsky, Joe Pavelski, Craig Conroy, Ryan Kesler, Tim Connolly, Jeff Halpern, David Legwand, Matt Cullen

RW: Patrick Kane, Phil Kessel, Brian Gionta, Dustin Brown, Jamie Langenbrunner, David Backes, Jason Pominville, Mike Knuble, Blake Wheeler, Bobby Ryan, Bill Guerin, Peter Mueller, Lee Stempniak, Mark Parrish, Jason Blake

LD: Paul Martin, John-Michael Liles, Ryan Suter, Ron Hainsey, Tim Gleason, Brooks Orpik, Alex Goligoski, Jack Johnson, Brett Lebda, Keith Yandle

RD: Brian Rafalski, Ryan Whitney, Mike Komisarek, Mark Stuart, Tom Gilbert, Jordan Leopold, Jeff Finger, Paul Mara, Erik Johnson

G: Ryan Miller, Tim Thomas, Rick DiPietro, Ty Conklin, Craig Anderson, Scott Clemmensen, Jonathan Quick, Brent Johnson, Robert Esche

The team will carry three goalies, seven defenseman, thirteen forwards plus three alternates in case of injury.

Since there will be a lack of true top-echelon talent, expect U.S. execs to go with speed and checking. Team USA won’t have the guns to compete with Canada, Russia or even Sweden, so they’ll have to strategically form a roster aimed at countering those teams’ offenses with tight defense and strong forechecking. Because of that, players like David Backes, Patrick O’Sullivan and either Joe Pavelski or Brandon Dubinsky likely have spots to lose. Backes has been a terrific perfomer for the U.S. during the IIHF World Championship tournaments of late. It’s also the reason for the inclusion of Buffalo Sabres’ forward Paul Gaustad, who could be spotted as a utility-player of sorts. Gaustad is a reliable two-way forward who can play all three forward positions and win face-offs.

The only “for-sures” from a forward standpoint are Zach Parise (undisputedly the best U.S.-born NHLer right now), Paul Stastny, Patrick Kane, Dustin Brown, Chris Drury, Phil Kessel, David Booth and perhaps Jamie Langenbrunner. Everyone else will have to win their spot.

Defensively, at this point, I’d expect Paul Martin to be paired with Brian Rafalski; Ryan Whitney with Ryan Suter and John-Michael Liles with Mike Komisarek. One thing the U.S will have going for them is a mobile defense, but so will four other countries.

Paul Stastny, Mike Knuble and Jason Pominville are all Canadian-born players with dual-citizenship who’ve represented the U.S. in the past. Knuble at the ’06 Olympics and Stastny and Pominville at the World Championships.

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