Knights land Max Domi

To no one's great surprise, hot major junior prospect Max Domi has arrived as a member of the London Knights after failing to report to the Kingston Frontenacs, the team that drafted him a few months ago.
Max, a skilled forward and sure bet to have a pro career, postured about playing NCAA in the U.S. But whispers, nods and winks always had it that Doug Gilmour's Frontenacs and Mark Hunter's Knights would swing a deal.
The London Free Press has the story and an official press conference is on at the John Labatt Centre in downtown London as I write this.
Max starred for the Don Mills Flyers midgets and is expected to be a key cog in the offensive wheel of the Knights for three or four years. Landing him creates a team that should contend for the OHL crown a year or two from now - maybe even the Memorial Cup for the first time since Corey Perry led the team.
The next shoe to drop is whether or not Knights owners Mark and Dale Hunter will give Max's dad, Tie, a job with the club. Assistant coach, anyone?

Gretzky's hometown hockey embraces sportsmanship

Playing in the same league as the Brantford 99ers generated more than its fair share of complaints stories from the stands during the past few seasons. From "line fights" to celebrating injuries of opposing players, Brantford kids gained a reputation as being the misfits of the league.
No longer - hopefully.
With leadership from the top down, Brantford Minor Hockey is initiating a new program that isn't a magic bullet, but should help shift attitudes to the sport.
Although they bury the lead, the Brantford Expositor reports hockey parents will soon be required to take a one-hour online course impressing upon them the influence they have on the kids (on both teams) playing the sport. Calgary already has a program like this in place where kids can't play until parents complete the courset.
In Brantford's case, it's being rolled out with the city's high-skill AAA and A teams first, then to house league. The course is professionally designed by Respect in Sport. Watch for it to be rolled out at other minor sports associations - not just hockey.
It looks like a great season ahead for Brantford, where renovations are complete at the Gretztky Sports Centre, the city's minor hockey palace. The association is also rolling out newly designed jerseys.
By the way, competitive teams in Brantford are nicknamed for Wayne Gretzky - the 99ers.

GM uses its head

Kudos to General Motors and its new marketing program to provide free helmets to five-year-old hockey players. All the car company asks for in return is that the kids sport the Chevrolet logo on the side - another form of valuable sponsorship that makes minor hockey tick.
A story about the helmet campaign is published today in Merritt, B.C., News. Parents can get a helmet for their entry-level minor hockey kids by going to www.chevrolethockey.ca (I assume the offer is only good in Canada). GM provides a voucher parents can take to any one of several popular sporting goods stores.
It's a timely move in that rookie parents are often reluctant to start their kids in hockey due to the risk of head injuries and the cost. It's also an excellent marketing move by GM to connect child athlete safety with its vehicles.
In the heartland of minor hockey - London, Ont. - city GM dealers have combined forces to sponsor an entire house league division, similar to what Tim Hortons has done for years with pre-novice (aka tyke) hockey.
GM, through its Chevrolet division, has long been a supporter for safe and fun minor hockey. Good on them for making this direct connection with new players.

Is Crosby at a crossroads?

Here's why, according to a Toronto Star columnist, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby should retire now, at age 24, rather than risk further brain damage.
He's won the Stanley Cup, Olympic gold medal and has enough money to keep himself and his heirs comfortable for lifetimes in Nova Scotia.
He's also had two serious concussions, the second of which is going to keep him from starting the season despite eight months of recovery. Forget that his agent and team are in denial - they have financial interests in making sure Crosby plays.
One more ugly NHL hit and Sidney could be in miserable healthy by middle-age.
If there ever was a siren for hockey at all levels to get hits to the head out of the game, this is it. The world's No. 1 player at a crossroads. Maybe Crosby, if cleared by doctors, should stay out until the league fixes the safety of the game.
Do it to keep the stars healthy and with long-term careers. And do it for the kids who'll never be paid to play the game.

No fee ride for travel hockey kids from poor families

It's common for minor hockey associations to offer subsidies to players whose families could not otherwise afford to have their son or daughter play.
But should those subsidies be offered for kids who want to play on competitive teams, where upcharges and tournament fees can be double the fee charged for house league players?
Minor hockey officials in St. Thomas, Ont., think not, according to the local Times-Journal, where a columnist declares it smacks of discrimination.
While I empathize with kids who want to play and whose families can't afford it, I understand where St. Thomas hockey people are coming from. If families can find the money or sponsorship for the ride that is travel hockey, then why can't they find it for the basic registration fee?
On the other hand, skilled kids should be playing on the appropriate level of team, no matter what their economic circumstances.
Wonder how other hockey families feel.
In a perfect world, a kid-minded, hockey-minded benefactor would emerge to help players who are truly skilled and have the dedication and desire but not the family financial means move forward in hockey. Wouldn't it be nice, for example, if the greatest athlete ever from St. Thomas, San Jose Sharks captain Joe Thornton who makes $8 million a year, could quietly help advance the sport in his hometown.
In the shadows, of course, is the enormous economic hardship being experienced by St. Thomas, which is one of the hardest hit cities in Canada in terms of job loss during the recession.

NHL inspired by minor hockey overtime rules

Love this comment from the Toronto Sun's Steve Simmons in his column today about pro hockey looking at ideas from minor hockey: "Anyone who has been around minor hockey long enough has witnessed tournament games with 4-on-4 and 3-on-3 in overtime. Funny to see the big boys stealing ideas from the little guys."
Are there more ideas the NHL should take from minor hockey? Likely.

Lotsa skill, little luck

Have you seen this cool shootout goal from the NHL test game in Toronto? London Knights Andreas Athansiou showed great flare. Maybe Londoners will catch some more this upcoming season.

11 Year Old Makes an Amazing Shot for $50,000

An 11-year-old made a one-in-a-million shot to win $50,000 in a Minnesota hockey contest - shooting the puck into a 3 1/2 inch opening. Trouble is, he was subbing for his twin brother who had actually bought the ticket but wasn't in the arena when his name was called.

Politically correct

Is midget hockey politically correct, or should it be the little people division?

Juvenile deadline

The deadline is almost here and I'm still waiting for a decision from my older, hockey-playing son about whether or not he wants to return to the ice to play juvenile.
The on-again, off-again minor hockey program for 18-year-olds who don't have the time or talent to play Junior Development or Jr. C or B is on the upswing in London after collapsing in a bog of disinterest and dishonour a few years ago.
Back then, kids who wanted to play juvenile were subject to a city-wide draft which put on-ice foes from different neighbourhoods together on the same teams, disrupted friendships and eliminated the joy of representing the association some kids had played for since tyke.
The new system sees teams fielded representing neighbourhood associations and, usually, tries to accommodate friendships, although I hope not at the expense of competitiveness.
Other communities, Collingwood for example, have rebooted their juvenile programs to keep kids in hockey. That and the fact that more registration money is needed to keep programs viable as numbers fall in younger age groups.
In London, playing juvenile means playing by house league, not competitive, rules. Therein lies the rub for my son, along with the fact he'll be starting university classes at Western. His joy, his biggest contribution as a West London Hawks defenceman was a spirited willingness to play the body. That won't be the best skill in house league rules juvenile.
Whatever he decides will be fine, although if he doesn't play I'll miss the minor hockey experience greatly. I'm thinking his ultimate decision rests will whatever his friends and past teammates decide.