Category Archives: American Hockey League

An Awakening (Fleeting?)

Posted on December 10, 2012 by On Frozen Blog

Hi, hockey. Don’t think of you much these days. Not an insult, just how it’s going. My passion for you is dormant. ish. I’ve been in the unexpected and strange position of being involved in a few negotiations in my … Continue reading →

Posted in American Hockey League, Hershey Bears, National Hockey League, NHL Labor Strife, NHL Lockout | 2 Comments

Up North, Reconvened in a Perfect Circle of Puck Cheer

Posted on April 13, 2012 by PucksAndBooks

Part springtime sinus relief, part faith statement celebration: I am weekending in New England, where vestiges of winter are still to be found, supporting the Bears, the Caps, and the region’s craft beer culture, in the irreplaceable company of my … Continue reading →

Posted in American Hockey League, Boston Bruins, Hershey Bears, Mike and Marleen, Morning cup-a-joe, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, playoff hockey, Portland Pirates, Washington Capitals | 3 Comments

Impact Callup: John Walton Named Capitals’ Radio Voice

Posted on August 9, 2011 by PucksAndBooks

I trace my passion for puck in Washington back to the 1970s, and Ron Weber’s radio calls of Caps’ games on WTOP. Radio men in hockey back then — most particularly in this region of the world — had a … Continue reading →

Posted in American Hockey League, Hershey Bears, John Walton, Media, Morning cup-a-joe, New media, Radio, Ron Weber, Washington Capitals | 3 Comments

Tim Leone, Appropriately Honored

Posted on July 19, 2011 by On Frozen Blog

Wonderful news out of Chocolatetown today: The Patriot News‘ Tim Leone, Hershey Bears beat reporter, is the 2011 recipient of the James H. Ellery Award for outstanding contributions to the American Hockey League in the newspaper category. There can be … Continue reading →

Posted in American Hockey League, Hershey Bears, Media, Print, Tim Leone, Washington Capitals | 1 Comment

Referendum Hockey Is Here

Posted on May 3, 2011 by PucksAndBooks

We are going to learn a great deal about the DNA of the Washington Capitals over the next 36 hours. Immediately before them is an enormous if suddenly unexpected task: attempting to gain, on the road, viability in a series … Continue reading →

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, American Hockey League, Bruce Boudreau, Calder Cup, Hershey Bears, Jason Arnott, Marcus Johansson, Michal Neuvirth, Morning cup-a-joe, NHL playoffs, Nicklas Backstrom, Tampa Bay Lightning, Ted Leonsis, Washington Capitals, Washington the hockey town | 28 Comments

Washington’s Biggest Mistake

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Andrew Tomlinson

Capitals General Manager George McPhee has made some absolutely gorgeous decision this season. Whether it be the trade for Scott Hannan, picking up Marco Sturm off waivers or acquiring what appears to be the team’s new locker room leader, Jason Arnott, for almost nothing, GMGM should be in the running for GM of the year. To bad his most recent decision, to send Braden Holtby back to Hershey, is his worst of the year and one that could really hurt the Caps in just a few weeks. Continue reading →

Posted in American Hockey League, Braden Holtby, Hershey Bears, Michal Neuvirth, National Hockey League, NHL, Semyon Varlamov, Washington Capitals | Tagged , , , , , , | 19 Comments

A Mental Challenge for the Future No. 1

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Andrew Tomlinson

If you make it to the Verizon Center early enough you make get a chance to witness one of the biggest upsides to Braden Holtby’s game. Before anyone steps out on to the ice, before the lights are even turned all the way up and certainly before he has even put his equipment on, Holbty begins his pre-game routine. It can be lengthy and a little confusing, more on that later, but it is just one part of his mental game. Continue reading →

Posted in AHL, American Hockey League, Braden Holtby, Hershey Bears, Morning cup-a-joe, National Hockey League, NHL, Washington Capitals | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

OFB TV: Getting a More Detailed Assessment of Dmitri Orlov

Posted on March 9, 2011 by Andrew Tomlinson

On our visit last week to Hershey we not only got to visit a bit with ‘buzz’ prospect Dmitri Orlov but get an expert eye’s view of him from Patriot News Bears’ beat reporter Tim Leone, who caught the eye … Continue reading →

Posted in American Hockey League, Dmitry Orlov, Hershey Bears, John Carlson, Media, OFB TV, Prospects, Tim Leone | 1 Comment

The A’s Grueling Grind, and a Carousel of Goalies

Posted on March 9, 2011 by PucksAndBooks

The Hershey Bears (39-21-1-4) dropped a shootout decision in Portland, Maine, last night. Let’s just hope their bus driver is fresher than the skaters he’ll convoy through week’s end. When John Walton told me last weekend that beginning Saturday night … Continue reading →

Posted in American Hockey League, Braden Holtby, Brett Leonhardt, Dmitry Orlov, Hershey Bears, Hockey roadtrips, John Walton, Prospects, Semyon Varlamov, Tim Leone | 2 Comments

Fresh Imagery from a Great Old Barn

Posted on March 5, 2011 by PucksAndBooks

On every visit to Hersheypark Arena, as more and more evidence of its physical decline confronts me, I find myself compelled to snap stills of its architectural charm for posterity. I don’t know how much longer we’ll have it. I … Continue reading →

Posted in American Hockey League, Grand Old Hersheypark Arena, Hershey Bears, Hershey's Giant Center, John Walton, Mathieu Perreault, Old Time Hockey, Washington Capitals | 11 Comments