Tag Archives: chicago wolves

Canucks must like what they see in defenceman Frank Corrado

Posted on May 5, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

SAN JOSE — Wow, did that year ever fly by fast. Just like that, defenceman Frank Corrado has burned through the first year of his three-year entry level contract with the Vancouver Canucks.

Corrado played his sixth game with the Canucks on Sunday night and that means he now only has two years left on his contract.

He was allowed five freebies in this shortened season (including playoffs) before his contract status would be affected. The Canucks obviously like what they see and do not want to remove him from their playoff lineup.

Corrado, who split his season between the OHL's Sudbury Wolves and Kitchener Rangers, said his contract status was not on his mind as he prepared for Game 3 of the series with the San Jose Sharks.

"Obviously, that's not something I think about," Corrado said after Sunday's game-day skate. "That's their decision, not mine. I'm happy with whatever decision they make. I'm just happy to be in the lineup."

Corrado,...

Canucks’ farm team’s ‘taxi squad’ rides in for NHL playoffs

Posted on April 30, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

VANCOUVER — Hey, taxi! The Canucks have summoned 10 players and coach Scott Arniel from the farm to serve as a practice squad as they embark Wednesday on what they hope is a lengthy playoff run.

Three of the 10 — Jordan Schroeder, Nicklas Jensen and Brendan Gaunce — are first-round picks and the group, which also includes previous call-ups Derek Joslin and Joe Cannata, will skate at 8 a.m. each morning.

The remaining players forming the “taxi squad” are Jim Vandermeer, Peter Andersson, Darren Archibald, Andrew Gordon, Kellen Lain, Alexandre Mallet and netminder Mathieu Corbeil-Theriault, the latter a one-time draft pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Injured goalie Eddie Lack was also called up but, according to Arniel, he’s in Vancouver for medical purposes only. Lack had major hip surgery in late January.

“He’s having his hip looked at,” explained Arniel, who will run the practices along with Dave Babych and Dave Gagner of the Canuck player development department. Goalie coach Rollie...

Abbotsford Heat staying put for next season at least after Canucks talks break down

Posted on April 23, 2013 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

The Abbotsford Heat hockey club is staying put in the Fraser Valley, at least for next season.

Talks broke down between the Canucks, who would have moved their new farm team to the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre, and the City of Abbotsford, Mayor Bruce Banman said Monday.

The Heat were rumoured to be relocated to Utica, N.Y.

“There has been public discussion regarding the potential for the Vancouver Canucks to become the prime tenants of the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre,” Banman said.

“Unfortunately, the City of Abbotsford was unable to negotiate an agreement with the Canucks with terms that were satisfactory within the time constraints.

“We’re naturally disappointed this deal couldn’t come together, but any deal we make has to see Abbotsford taxpayers better off than they are right now, and that is one issue that isn’t negotiable.”

In 2008, Abbotsford — then under a different administration — started pursuing a minor league pro team as anchor tenant for the new 7,000-seat...

Corrado’s family living the dream, Frankie’s dad says

Posted on April 23, 2013 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

To have some idea the whirlwind this season has been for newest Vancouver Canuck Frankie Corrado, consider his family figured at one time that an invite to the Subway Super Series junior game was going to be the highlight.

"We were so excited," Sal Corrado said Monday morning from Woodbridge, Ont., pointing to his son's inclusion in the Canada-Russia exhibition in November that helps pick the world junior tryout roster in this country.

"We had always thought he could play with those players, but we're his family.

"But there he was. It was huge for him to play in that. It was 'wow.'"

It will likely merit a passing mention when it comes time for Corrado, 20, to finally recount his 2012-13 season. Corrado, Vancouver's fifth-round pick in the 2011 entry draft, was slated to make his NHL regular season debut Monday against the Chicago Blackhawks.

This comes after nearly making the Canadian world junior team, being traded by his Sudbury Wolves...

Canucks pair new arrival Frankie Corrado with Alex Edler in game-day skate Monday

Posted on April 22, 2013 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

It doesn’t seem like the Vancouver Canucks are going to break Frank Corrado in slowly.

The 2011 fifth-round draft pick, called up Saturday from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, was paired with Alex Edler at the Monday morning skate, suggesting he’d see substantial minutes against the high-flying Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night.

Welcome to the NHL, Frankie. May we introduce you to Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa?

“When you look at that stuff, that’s when you’re going to fill your head and get yourself in trouble,” said Corrado, 20, who was playing in the OHL playoffs with the Kitchener Rangers just 10 days ago, prior to joining the Wolves.

“The task isn’t playing against Marian Hossa. The task is, ‘Am I going to get the puck out?’ or ‘Am I going to make a nice pass?’ or ‘Am I going to take the body here?’

“That’s what you have to focus on.”

Corrado got into three games with the Wolves, whose campaign...

Canucks summon 20-year-old defenceman Corrado to Vancouver

Posted on April 22, 2013 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

It’s confirmed.

Frankie Corrado is fast-tracking to the NHL.

The right-shooting defenceman, who turned 20 just four weeks ago, is joining the Canucks Monday.

Corrado recently finished his junior career with the Kitchener Rangers, where he was a plus-21 in the OHL team’s final 28 regular season games. He most recently played three regular-season games for the AHL Chicago Wolves, Vancouver’s farm team, where he had two assists.

Corrado may well see action for the Canucks this week; after all, the Canucks are missing both their right-shooting D-men: Kevin Bieksa and Chris Tanev.

...

Canucks scrambling to fill a black-and-blue-line

Posted on April 22, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

Next up on the Vancouver Canucks' defence: Derek Joslin.

Unless it's Frank Corrado.

The Canucks will confirm Monday that they've called up Corrado, the promising 20-year-old junior, after Vancouver defenceman Keith Ballard injured his back in Saturday's 2-1 shootout win against the visiting Detroit Red Wings. But it is Joslin, a 26-year-old with 114 games of National Hockey League experience, who appears to be next in line to play as the Chicago Blackhawks visit the Canucks on Monday night.

"I know my role," Joslin, recalled last week when Kevin Bieksa was injured during Vancouver's road trip, said after Saturday's game. "I know I'm here to fill in and I just have to be ready when my name is called.

"I've played pro for six years and every year you have to earn a spot. The last two years I was up in the NHL full time, but you still had to earn your spot. I have over 100 games in this league,...

Canucks prospect Brendan Gaunce leads Belleville into OHL third round

Posted on April 18, 2013 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

Brendan Gaunce hasn’t had a chance to even play a pro shift yet, but the way his junior career is going at the moment he’s quite happy to wait.

A year ago the previous Canucks’ first-round draft pick, Nicklas Jensen, had already played in a prospects tournament, a few NHL exhibition games and some AHL regular-season and playoff contests.

Due the NHL lockout, Gaunce hasn’t been able to do that — but the Canucks’ first-rounder (26^th overall) in 2012 is riding a fast track of his own.

His Belleville Bulls open the OHL’s Eastern Conference championship series on Friday against the Barrie Colts and have their eyes on the Memorial Cup tournament in Saskatoon in May.

Canucks fans can check out Gaunce’s game on Sportsnet ONE at 4 p.m., Vancouver time on Friday.

“I was talking to my brother (23-year-old Cameron, who plays in the Colorado Avalanche organization) and he told me it would be better for me in the long run to...

Wolves hungry for playoff berth; Canuck farm team tied for ninth with four games left

Posted on April 15, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

As a minor-league head coach, Scott Arniel often has to walk a tightrope as he attempts to balance the needs of local ownership with the needs of his NHL affiliate.

Local ownership, in this case the Chicago Wolves, wants a competitive team, playoff dates and the accompanying playoff revenue.

The Vancouver Canucks, meanwhile, want players groomed for the next level, players who can either step in now as injury replacements, or perhaps next season when the depth chart opens up due to departures. Sometimes it means icing a lineup with less experience and less of a chance at victory.

For Arniel, there is no yin or yang at this time of the season. The Wolves have four games remaining and his mandate is clear: make the damn playoffs.

He has plenty of players at his disposal, too, including 20-year-old junior defenceman Frank Corrado, who was assigned Monday to the Wolves after his Kitchener Rangers were eliminated from the Ontario League...

Canucks’ prospects might have home in Abbotsford

Posted on March 20, 2013 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

Amid continuing speculation that the Canucks are in the process of moving their farm club to Abbotsford, Chicago Wolves GM Wendell Young is busy looking at his options and has already fielded inquiries from eight NHL clubs — including the St. Louis Blues — with regards to next season’s affiliation.

The Canucks’ two-year affiliation agreement with the AHL Wolves expires at the end of this season, and the NHL club has said only that it is keeping its options open.

This week another report surfaced regarding the Canucks’ speculated move, this time with the NHL club purchasing the Peoria Rivermen and moving the franchise to Abbotsford. The ripple effect, said the report, would have the St. Louis Blues — who’ve been affiliated with Peoria — moving into an agreement with the Wolves. According to another report this week, St. Louis offered a tepid denial and speculated that Blues owner Tom Stillman may want to sell the AHL franchise as part...

Canucks, Blues, Flames reportedly working on three-way trade … for AHL teams

Posted on March 20, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

<!--

Report: Canucks, Blues, Flames working on three-way trade for AHL affiliates

-->

Are the Canucks, Blues, and Flames, forming some sort of AHL affiliate swingers club? Sort of!

It’s been awhile since we talked about the hockey team in Abbotsford, which makes sense, since they’re a Calgary Flames affiliate and this is a Vancouver Canucks blog. But if the Team 1040′s Tom Mayenknecht is correct, it won’t be a Flames affiliate for much longer. As has been rumoured for ages, the Canucks are in the process of working out a move that would allow them to set up shop in the Lower Mainland’s city in the country.

According to Mayenknecht, as part of a game of musical chairs, the Flames would move the Heat to Utica, leaving Abbotsford for the Canucks, who would then finalize a purchase for the Peoria Rivermen and quickly transform them into the Abbotsford Fraser Rivermen (or, you know, a better name). Meanwhile, the...

Canucks’ call-up Andrew Ebbett says AHL brawl was ‘bound to happen’

Posted on March 19, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

VANCOUVER — Vancouver Canucks call-up centre Andrew Ebbett was not surprised when a brawl broke out Sunday between the Canucks’ American Hockey League farm team, the Chicago Wolves, and the Rockford IceHogs, who warehouse Chicago Blackhawk prospects.

Ebbett has played 37 games for the Wolves this season and it seemed about half of those were against their Illinois state rivals. The Wolves and IceHogs actually meet 12 times and the brawl — some of it inside the IceHogs’ bench — occurred in meeting No. 11. It was also their third game against each another in eight days.

“You play Sunday, then Friday, then Sunday again and, I mean, stuff is bound to happen, especially with a little bit of that Vancouver-Chicago rivalry with the two teams,” Ebbett said Tuesday before the Canucks-St. Louis Blues tilt at Rogers Arena. “They definitely don’t like each other and it boiled over.”

The AHL wasn’t impressed and handed out four suspensions Tuesday, three to the IceHogs...

Canucks vs Wild could determine season

Posted on March 18, 2013 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

Minnesota (15-10-2) at Vancouver (13-8-6)
Tonight at Rogers Arena, 7 p.m.
TV: SNET; Radio: TEAM 1040
CANUCKS: There will be 20 games left after Vancouver takes on the Wild tonight, but this one shapes up as one that could determine the Canucks’ fortunes this season. It’s a cross-roads contest that features two teams going in opposite directions but tied for games played (27) and points (32) in the Northwest Division, with the Wild getting the nod for top spot with more wins. Minnesota has it going after a struggling start and are now 9-4-0 in their last 13. The Canucks, on the other hand, are 3-5-2 in their last 10.
Roberto Luongo gets his fourth straight start in goal, though he’s given up nine goals in his last two games and was poor in the latter half of the Detroit game. But Luongo has been very good against Minnesota at Rogers Arena – surrendering just one goal in...

Canucks Hat Trick: A wing and a prayer, your serve Cory, Wild about Minnesota

Posted on March 17, 2013 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

Three things to ponder after the Canucks dropped a 5-2 decision to the Red Wings on Saturday at Rogers Arena:

DOUBLE TROUBLE: With winger David Booth suffering a left ankle injury late in the first period Saturday from an endboards entanglement — and Zack Kassian listed as day-to-day because of a recurring back ailment— that search for a third-line centre is on the backburner. The front-burner issue is now a wing and a prayer because both won’t play Monday in a first-place Northwest Division showdown with the Minnesota Wild and the best recall option from the Chicago Wolves is probably right winger Nicklas Jensen, 20, who’s just getting re-acclimated to the North American ice surface. After leading AIK Stockholm in goals with 17 during 50 Swedish Elite League games, Jensen scored in consecutive games this week for the Wolves but has played just four games. But he can score. He had six in four regular-season games for the Wolves...