92's Look To Test Themselves vs. Ontarios Best

The OHL Cup Showcase Tournament this week provides our 92's with a great opportunity to test themselves against the best that Ontario has to offer in front of hundreds of scouts from the OHL, NCAA, and Tier II junior.

The Ottawa 67's, our first game opponent, feature highly touted 6 foot 4 defenseman Erik Gubrandson projected to be the first defenseman taken in the 2008 OHL draft.

The Jr. Canadiens, our second game opponent, feature highly touted forward John McFarland projected to be the first forward and first player overall taken in the 2008 OHL draft. In addition the Jr. Canadiens are the top ranked team in the final OHL Cup Rankings, are the champions of the GTHL, and are the top ranked team in all of North America.

NOTE 1: Our Belle Tire team became the first American team in 3 years to defeat the Jr. Canadiens in the Whitlby Silver Sticks semi-final game this past November.

NOTE 2: Overall on the season Belle Tire is 7-1-2-1 versus the 19 other OHL Cup participants which breaks down as:

1-0-0-0 record against the Rochester Alliance, Halton Hurricanes, Toronto Redwings, Toronto Jr. Canadiens, Toronto Young Nats, and York-Simcoe Express.

0-1-1-1 record against Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs,

0-0-1-0 against Greator Kingston Frontenacs.

NEW: OHL Cup Schedule Finalized

Thursday, March 20th
Rink #2 8:30 AM
vs. Ottawa 67's

Thursday, March 20th
Rink #1 4:00 PM
vs. Toronto Jr. Canadians

Friday, March 21st
Rink #1 9:00 AM
vs. Northern Ontario Champion

Saturday, March 22nd
Rink #2 1:00 PM
vs. Halton Hurricanes

Saturday, March 22nd
7:00 PM / 7:30 PM
Quarterfinals

Sunday, March 23rd
8:00 AM / 10:00 AM
Semifinals

Sunday, March 23rd
5:00 PM
Gold Medal Game

Belle Tire Eliminated By Little Caesars 2-0

In what was a very intense, well played, and dead even game back and forth all evening, Little Caesars found the back of the net twice to defeat Belle Tire and eliminate us from the Michigan State Playoffs.

Despite the loss it has been a very good season for the members of the team who have accumulated a 39-19-8-3 record to date with the 92's on the team carrying the torch into the OHL Cup in less than two weeks.

On Another Note: In other State Playoff action - I previously posted about my former high school baseball coach Frank Orlando ("Coach O") from Detroit Country Day School who is also the head coach of the school's girls basketball team. Orlando is in the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame for both sports. I am very happy to report that Orlando won yet another state title this evening as his Lady Yellowjackets captured the Class B State Championship.

Belle Tire Advances Back To State Semifinal Rematch With Little Caesars

Exactly one year ago this weekend, Coach Askerov's Belle Tire Wizards were eliminated by Little Caesars 4-3 in the Michigan Bantam Major AAA State Semifinals.

Little Caesars defeated favored Honeybaked in the Finals the next day and captured the State Championship.

Saturday evening Askerov's team will again square off against Little Caesars in a rematch to decide which team will advance to play the winner of Honeybaked-Compuware in the State Championship Game on Sunday.

Belle Tire earned a second trip in as many seasons to the state semis by beating the Detroit Flames 4-3 on Friday Evening.

Belle Tire Eliminates Victory Honda 3-2 in OT; Advances to Quarterfinal Game

Technically there is no quarterfinal game in the Michigan State AAA Tournament.

However, the scores of Monday and Tuesday Evening Round Robin games have essentially resulted in the Belle Tire vs. Detroit Flames game Friday Night becoming a State Playoff Quarterfinal.

This is due to the fact that the winner of our game with the Detroit Flames advances to the semifinals with 4 or more points in the standings and has the advantage in all tiebreakers as the only team in the division other than Compuware with at least two wins in Round Robin play.

So thats how it sets up ... 3 games left to go ... sudden death elimination.

Former Wizards Fill State Playoffs

The Michigan AAA State Playoffs is always a great big reunion in the local hockey community.

Since this is my fifth and final season managing the Wizards hockey club as an independent organization, or as affliated with Belle Tire, I appreciate this years tournament more than any other in the past.

Monday Night I had the opportunity to watch all the games all evening from 4:00 PM until Midnght on both rinks, and, while doing so, took rollcall of all the many players playing in this years AAA State Playoffs from teams other than our U-16 team who once played on our Wizards teams during our five years of existence as a hockey club.


Former Wizards Rollcall:

95 Wizards
Jay Helstowski (BT)
Aaron Porter (BT)
Reed Whiteside (BT)
Cody Cowart (BT)
Grant Rushlau (BT)
Brenden Torolski (BT)
Kyle Perkowski (96BT)
Gannon McLeskey (LC)
Drew Summitt (VH)
Vinny Dabrowa (VH)
Logan Lambdin (VH)

94 Wizards
Zach Bishop (VH)
Jimmy Howe (LC)
Ben Israel* (HB)
Josh Henke* (LC)
Max Iafrate* (Comp)
* Played On 93 Wizards Team

93 Wizards
Jordon Fox (BT)
Alex Globke (HB)
Andrew Savage (HB)
Austin Carroll* (LC)
Jonathon Lacoste* (Comp)
* Played On 92 Wizards Team

92 Wizards
Austin Watson (Comp)
Charles Williams (Comp)
Aaron Scheppelman (HB)
Ryan Decaires (DB)
Derek Vandelinder (DF)
Jordan Oesterle (DF)
Garth Kassner (DF)
Nico Sierra (LC)
David Torchia (VH)

91 Wizards
Justin Portilo (DF)
Ben Globke (DF)
Sheldon Taylor (VH)
Joey Sova (HB)

State Championship There For The Taking

Heading into the Michigan U-16 AAA State Tournament there are only two good presumptions any player, coach, or fan can actually make:

(1) No team is favored to win.

and

(2) The team that is the most unselfish, most disciplined, and most energetic will probably win.

... for the sake of our best possible memories of the 2007-2008 season lets hope that team is Belle Tire.

Updated Weekend Practice Info

Saturday Practice: There will be a mandatory video session before Saturday's Practice at Oak Park Ice Arena beginning at 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM with practice to follow at 2:30 PM - 3:50 PM.

Sunday Practice: Has been moved back 30 minutes to 1:30 PM - 3:20 PM.

New Practice Ice Times This Week

Due to the Michigan Girls State Playoffs at Taylor we will not have our normal practice ice times this Wednesday and Saturday although our Sunday slot at 1:00 PM at Taylor remains the same.

Instead we have picked up:

(1) Thursday Night at Oak Park from 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM.

and

(2) Saturday Afternoon at Oak Park from 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM.

State Playoff Schedule Announced

Here is the Michigan State U-16 AAA Playoffs Schedule (all games played at the Taylor Sportsplex)

Seedings:
#1 Compuware
#2 Little Caesars
#3 Honeybaked
#4 Belle Tire
#5 Victory Honda
#6 Dearborn Brand
#7 TBD
#8 TBD

Monday, March 3rd at 9:00 PM
#1 Compuware vs. #4 Belle Tire

Tuesday, March 4th at 5:30 PM
#4 Belle Tire vs. #5 Victory Honda

Friday, March 7th at 9:00 PM
#4 Belle Tire vs. #8 TBD

Saturday, March 8th at 5:00 PM
Semis

Sunday, March 9th at 4:00 PM
Finals

Is Something Special Starting To Brew?

With our 2-1 win over Compuware on Sunday, on the heels of our 4-1 win over Little Caesars just two days earlier, our frustrating February slump is finally behind us.

Riding a 4-0-1 MWEHL streak heading into the final regular season game on Tuesday against Victory Honda we're steadily building confidence and momentum at just the right time.

Do we finally have 20 guys all pulling on the same rope, all pulling in the same direction?

Are all 20 guys willing to commit? willing to sacrifice? willing to pay the price? willing to put aside their individual needs and wants for the benefit of our team's quest to win a state championship?

Could it be that something special is starting to brew?
(to be continued)

OHL Cup Rankings Week 14

Detroit Compuware with twenty 1992's and Detroit Belle Tire with sixteen 1992's are the youngest teams in the MWEHL U-16 age division.

This week Detroit Compuware and Detroit Belle Tire check in at #5 and #6 respectively in the Minor Midget Rankings for the OHL Cup Showcase Tournament - Week 14 (last week's ranking in brackets)

1. Toronto Jr Canadiens - GTHL (1)
2. Toronto Marlies - GTHL (2)
3. Elgin-Middlesex - MHAO (3)
4. York-Simcoe Express - OMHA (4)
5. Detroit Compuware U16 - MWEHL- USA (5)
6. Detroit Belle Tire U16 - MWEHL-USA (6)
7. Halton Hurricanes - OMHA (7)
8. Markham Majors - GTHL (9)
9. Ottawa Senators - ODMHA (8)
10. Peterborough Petes - OMHA (10)

Honourable Mention:
Toronto Young Nats - GTHL
Detroit Honeybaked U16 - MWEHL- USA
London Jr. Knights - MHAO

Is There A Doctor In The House?

Quick! Quick!!! somebody find a doctor .... its mid-February and predictably every MWEHL U-16 team is stricken with the "Disease of Me".

Symptoms of the "Disease of Me" are easy to spot and include (but are not necessarily limited to) the following:

(a) Swollen sense of entitlement to more ice time.

(b) Extreme cravings for more recognition from scouts and recruiters.

(c) Attention deficit disorder towards team goals and achievement.

(d) Paranoia of conjured-up conspiracies and hidden agendas.

(e) Uncontrollable urges to point fingers and cast blame.

While the "Disease of Me" unfortunately cannot be cured completely it must be treated agressively and contained.

Last season's Belle Tire U-16 Team won both the Michigan State and USA Hockey National Championships because co-coaches Rob Smith and Kyle Krug did the best job treating and containing the "Disease of Me".

Nothing has changed in 2008. Plain and simple .... the coaches who do the best job playing doctor and contain the "Disease of Me" as it rampantly spreads across their team will have the most successful team at the end of the season.

But, as with all other medical conditions, no treatment of the "Disease of Me" can be rendered effectivley by any doctor-coach until his patients first acknowledge they have a problem .... and want help.

Week 13 OHL Cup Rankings Released

Minor Midget Rankings for the OHL Cup Showcase Tournament - Week 13 (last week's ranking in brackets)

1. Toronto Jr Canadiens - GTHL (1)
2. Toronto Marlies - GTHL (2)
3. Elgin-Middlesex - MHAO (3)
4. York-Simcoe Express - OMHA (4)
5. Detroit Compuware U16 - MWEHL- USA (5)
6. Detroit Belle Tire U16 - MWEHL-USA (6)
7. Halton Hurricanes - OMHA (9)
8. Ottawa Senators - ODMHA (10)
9. Markham Majors - GTHL (NR)
10. Peterborough Petes - OMHA (NR)

Honourable Mention:
Toronto Young Nats - GTHL
Detroit Honeybaked U16 - MWEHL- USA (8)
Toronto Red Wings - GTHL (7)

Smolarek Wins MWEHL Debut

Goalie Brandon Smolarek won the first MWEHL start of his career on Sunday stopping 21 of 24 shots in our 4-3 victory over Honeybaked.

Smolarek, added to our roster in December when backup goaltender Brach Tiller quit the team, made several impressive saves during the game's first period to provide the momentum we needed to gain a very important victory.

Milestone Victory: Sunday's win is only the second victory of any kind that a Wizards team (as an independent organization or as combined with Belle Tire) has had over a Honeybaked team, and the first one since the Pee Wee Major Big Dog Tournament in the Spring of 2004 when the 92 Wizards defeated Honeybaked 4-3 at Lakeland Arena.

ANNOUNCING: Team Receives Its OHL Cup Invitation

I am pleased to announce that our team officially received an invitation today from the GTHL to attend the OHL Cup Showcase in Toronto from March 19-23.

The OHL Cup will provide our players with an excellent opportunity to showcase their skills in front of all OHL scouts in preparation for the 2008 OHL Priority Draft.

Here are the Minor Midget Rankings for the OHL Cup Showcase Tournament - Week 12 (last week's ranking in brackets)

1. Toronto Jr Canadiens - GTHL (1)
2. Toronto Marlies - GTHL (2)
3. Elgin-Middlesex - MHAO (3)
4. York-Simcoe Express - OMHA (4)
5. Compuware U16 - MWEHL- USA (7)
6. Detroit Belle Tire U16 - MWEHL-USA (6)
7. Toronto Red Wings - GTHL (5)
8. Detroit Honeybaked U16 - MWEHL- USA (9)
9. Halton Hurricanes - OMHA (8)
10. Ottawa Senators - ODMHA (NR)

Game Info For Sunday

The location and time for Sunday's game against Honeybaked will remain at Taylor at 1:00 PM.

Note: Originally we thought the game would need to be moved due to ice conflicts with the Midget Major MWEHL Showcase, but our time slot was not taken.

Saginaw Saturday

THE EXAMPLE
Saginaw Spirit Head Coach, Todd Watson, stepped up to the microphone and started his speech with glowing comments about his stud 1990 birthyear defenseman Adam Comrie who had just finished speaking.

Said Watson, "Watch Adam Comrie Tonight, I mean he BRINGS IT ... BRINGS IT EVERY DAY ... BRINGS IT EVERY SHIFT ... BRINGS IT EVERY PRACTICE ... BRINGS IT IN THE WEIGHTROOM ... HE BRINGS IT ALL THE TIME!"

Comrie slipped out of the conference room and headed to the lockeroom, he dressed in his gear and uniform, went to the ice, and proceded to flat out BRING IT.

Hopefully the players on our team who stayed to watch this future NHL defenseman play in the Saginaw Spirits' 3-2 win over the Ottawa 67's saw exactly what is meant by BRINGING IT.

Comrie might be 6-4 and 200 pounds, a smooth skater with great agility, soft hands and a booming shot. But none of these tools or assets would mean much if Comrie didn't BRING IT.

THE REFLECTION
As most adults around 30 years and older will attest. The moments in your life you remember most and reflect upon most are not the triumphs that you had, or the championships that you won, or the honors you earned ... but unfortunately they are instead the REGRETS you have had.

Regrets about opportunities during your life that you did not take advantage of and regrets about not doing everything within your power necessary to become the best you could be, or could have been, at something important to you.

THE REALITY
Each player on our team has the potential to accomplish great things at several different levels in the sport of hockey, but only the MOST COMMITTED, the MOST FOCUSED ... THE ONES WHO BRING IT will actually accomplish these things, and the rest will regret the fact they didn't BRING IT and will be haunted throughout their life with the wonder of what if.

Unfortunately, reality is that many guys on our team will be sitting somewhere several years from now relecting upon their hockey career and regreting that they did not BRING IT like they needed to BRING IT, the way an Adam Comrie and successful players like him BRING IT.

THE KEY QUESTION
So to the players on our team .... You have all made the choice to play AAA hockey at this age level. You have all said you want to accomplish something great in this sport. But merely saying it and actually doing it are two different things.

Now is the time to take a long, hard look in the mirror and answer this question as honestly as you can. "Do you have what it takes within you to BRING IT ALL THE TIME the way an Adam Comrie and players like him BRING IT ALL THE TIME?"

If you cannot strongly and honestly answer yes to that question, and back up your answer with real action, than expect to be haunted by regret throughout your life if you seek to accomplish great things playing hockey at a high level.

Little Caesars Game Rescheduled

Wednesday's canceled league game with Little Caesars has been rescheduled to Wednesday February 13th at Taylor at 8:30 PM.

OHL Midget Showcase Game

The two top rated midget minor teams in the United States for the OHL Cup Showcase, Detroit Belle Tire at #6 and Detroit Compuware at #7 will meet in the OHL Midget Showcase Game at Saginaw's Dow Arena at 2:00 PM this Saturday (Feb 2nd). Click HERE for Map To Arena

“These teams are composed of many future junior players and it’s a chance for them to showcase their skills and learn more about the Ontario Hockey League,” states Spirit General Manager Don Edwards.

In three games this season Compuware has defeated Belle Tire 3-0 and 3-0 while Belle Tire won the last game 2-1. The season series has featured very intense, hard hitting, and highly skilled play.

Compuware dominated the first meeting at the Joe Maire Tournament in Toronto, but since then the last two games have been virtual dead heats that could have gone either way ... more of the same is expected in Round 4 on Saturday.

NOTE: Early projections indicate that anywhere between 15 to 20 players combined could be selected from these two teams in the OHL Entry Draft coming up in May ... add to this the fact that three players from Compuware have already been selected in the WHL Bantam Draft last spring, one player from Compuware and two players from Belle Tire are likely to be selected in this years WHL draft, and several Belle Tire 91's are receiving interest as free agent players by OHL teams, and its very clear that a high level of talent will be on display for the Major Junior scouts when Belle Tire and Compuware meet on Saturday ... and the rest of the season for that matter.