Garret Clark Signed/ Brennan to IR

- The Americans have signed Garret Clark and he will play in tonight's game. Clark is a 6 foot 200 pound defenseman from Windsor, Nova Scotia with a November 3,1992 birthdate. Clark was with Rio Grande Valley for one game in the playoffs in 2012 and was with the ECHL Reading Royals prior to signing with the Americans.

- Kip Brennan has been place on injured reserve with an upper body injury.

Americans Article - thehockeywriters.com

Great article by Tony Jaremko from thehockeywriters.com:

By Tony Jaremko October 31, 2012

Allen Americans Look to Scare Their Way to Top

Allen Americans goaltender, Steve Silverthorn Photo by: Chip Crail/CHLPhotos.com
@CHLPhotosBlog

This Halloween, the Allen Americans look to treat themselves to first place in the league with a win over the Tulsa Oilers as they host their Red River rivals tonight at 7:00 PM.  The Oilers (3-1-1) find themselves currently in first by just one point over the Americans (3-1-0) thanks to their overtime loss at the hands of the Quad City Mallards.
Allen is looking to bounce back from their only blemish, a road loss to their bitter rivals, Fort Worth Brahmas on Saturday evening.  With a flair for the dramatic, of Allen’s three victories, two came via shootout and the other came from an offensive explosion on opening night.
Allen is led by forward, Darryl Bootland and defenseman, Brett Skinner, each with 6 points.  Skinner leads the team in assists with five where Bootland has efficiently netted 3 goals to go with his 3 assists.  Darryl currently holds the 2^nd best shooting percentage in the CHL where Skinner leads all CHL defensemen in scoring.
The Americans can attribute their early success on the pads of their new goaltender, Steve Silverthorn who was signed during the off season.  Currently, Silverthorn is tied in wins with 3 but has the league’s only shutout (opening night) and leads in GAA at 1.89 and of all tenders who have faced greater than 50 shots, trails Quad City’s Joe Palmer by just .003 in save percentage.
Tulsa has heavily relied on fire power as opposed to defense and net minding.  The Oilers have split time between Ian Keserich and Dan Bakala with both playing 3 games apiece and Ian having one more win than Dan.  However, both have GAA in the three’s and Keserich’s save percentage is teetering on the .900 line.
Gary Steffes (CHL’s player of the week) and Michel Beausoleil lead the CHL in +/- with a +4 and +5 rating respectively and have 13 points between the two.  
As minority owner, Craig Ludwig has stated on several occasions, the Americans will be known as a tough team to play against and you will “pay the price to beat us.”  With the addition of several physical finishers, the team has had to put a great deal of focus on special teams.  Ludwig has even stated that it is estimated half a hockey game these days are played a man-up or man-down.
The Americans have heeded his call and lead the league in every statistical category on special teams (with the exception of shorthanded goals for; they have none).  Allen has the most power play goals (9), most times on the man advantage (26) resulting in the highest PP% at 34.62%.  Despite also leading in times being shorthanded at 23, Allen has only given up one power play goal, resulting in a PK% of 95.65% (only team in the CHL above 86%).
Tonight should be a “spooktacular” evening (ok, I’ll stop with the puns, I promise) as the best offense goes head-to-head with the best defensive team.  At stake: first place…momentum…confidence.  The season is has just started, but the implications couldn’t be any hotter.

New CHL Collective Bargaining Agreement

The Professional Hockey Players Association (PHPA) & the Central Hockey League (CHL) have reached agreement on a new contract. While I have not seen it officially I have heard the agreement has been ratified. Here is the press release the PHPA issued on 10/19:

PHPA and CHL Reach Tentative Agreement

By Darryl Dionne  Published on: Friday October 19, 2012

(Niagara Falls, ON) The Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) is pleased to announce that on Friday October 19th, the PHPA and Central Hockey League (CHL) reached a tentative, one-year successor Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).  The agreement is expected to be ratified later this week.
Under the CBA, players will continue to have a formal arbitration process, Standard Players Contracts, receive rights to medical records and second and third medical opinions, travel reimbursement, and lodging provisions.  CHL Owners will pay the entire premiums for players’ off ice insurance.  The Salary Cap, Salary Floor, and Minimum Salary will remain the same as the previous CBA, while adjustments were made to the Injured Reserve, All-Star and Christmas Breaks, as well as pre and post season travel reimbursement provisions.
Players will continue to have access to a variety of programs such as the REDLINE Membership Assistance Program which is a 24/7/365 counseling service for players, Career Enhancement Program for players wishing to advance their education, as well as a Group Licensing Authorization Program which protects player likeness rights.
“We are happy this deal was in place before the start of the regular season and look forward to an exciting year of CHL action,” said PHPA Executive Director, Larry Landon.  “We wanted to reach a deal where players would feel comfortable competing, knowing that they would receive appropriate off ice care and insurance benefits.
“I would like to thank the many CHL players whose input, courage, and leadership during the negotiation process was instrumental in reaching this agreement,” added Landon. 

Practice Notes - 10/30

I attended practice today for the first time in a week and saw a couple of unfamiliar faces on the ice. Assume some changes are in order over the  next few days. Other observations:

- Craig Ludwig joined Coaches Martinson & Matvichuk on the ice this morning for the first time in a few days. Congrats to Craig on the birth of granddaughter Sydney!!!

- Tyler Ludwig is on league leave as he and his wife Taylor are having a baby. A little girl name Sydney was born this afternoon. She is beautiful!!!

- Look for more NHL players to sign on with CHL/AHL teams if the lockout continues. If the Winter Classic is cancelled which may happen as soon as Thursday a big point of leverage for getting a deal done will have passed. The NHL's contract with the University of Michigan calls for a $100,000 payment if the Classic is canceled before Nov. 3. The costs go up dramatically after the 3rd.

- The big issue for CHL teams trying to sign NHL players is the cost of injury insurance. For lower tier NHL players it is not so bad but for top line players it is cost prohibitive.

- Saw lots of work on getting in position to get pucks on net during drills today

- A new collective bargaining agreement CBA has apparently been ratified. Under the CBA, players will continue to have a formal arbitration process, Standard Players Contracts, receive rights to medical records and second and third medical opinions, travel reimbursement, and lodging provisions.  CHL Owners will pay the entire premiums for players’ off ice insurance.  The Salary Cap, Salary Floor, and Minimum Salary will remain the same as the previous CBA, while adjustments were made to the Injured Reserve, All-Star and Christmas Breaks, as well as pre and post season travel reimbursement provisions.

CHL Team Could Move To Casper Wyoming

Check out this article by Kelly Byer of the Casper Star-Tribune.

October 26, 2012 7:00 pm  •  By KELLY BYER Star-Tribune staff writer

A professional hockey team could begin playing at the Casper Events Center as early as fall 2013.
City Manager John Patterson said the city is in the process of bringing Central Hockey League play to the area, as community interest sparked the notion about three months ago.
“There are a number of people who love hockey and want to see professional hockey here,” he said.
At a monthly Casper City Council meeting on Friday, Patterson said the city is working to assemble an “investment board.” The board would purchase a team and install the ice rink. Patterson said the city wouldn’t contribute to the project but provides an ideal facility in the Events Center with enough space and seating.
“The hope is to put in an ice floor, and create some box seating and get a Jumbotron up there,” he said.
The construction would take less than 90 days, and the city has until the season’s start in October. Patterson said the improvements could be done during a slow time at the Events Center.
Patterson said there are several teams for sale in the Central Hockey League, and he expects the team will likely be from Texas.
The CHL is roughly comparable to baseball’s AA level in the hierarchy of minor league hockey. It will field 10 teams this season and add a team in St. Charles, Mo., for the 2013-14 season. Two teams are currently located in Texas: the Allen Americans and the Forth Worth Bramhas.
The closest franchises to Casper are the Rapid City (S.D.) Rush and the Denver Cutthroats.
“There probably will be a team that has closed operations elsewhere,” he said.
Councilman Maury Daubin expressed support for the plan while Councilman Keith Goodenough questioned its feasibility.
“I have trouble seeing how this is going to work,” Goodenough said.
Patterson said the ice would stay on the Events Center floor eight months a year and an inch-thick board would be placed over the ice when concerts and other events take place. The hockey team would play about 40 home games each season.
The Casper Ice Arena, located at the city recreation center, is currently the only ice rink in Casper, but Patterson said it does not have the capacity to host professional hockey. Officials in Rapid City are assisting in Casper’s efforts.
Patterson said agreement details should be determined within the next two months in order to offer hockey by next season.

Reach city reporter Kelly Byer at 307-266-0639 or kelly.byer@trib.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyByer.

Where Are They Now - Colton Yellow Horn

Great article about Colton Yellow Horn written by Mitch Cooper at prohockeynews.com. Yellow is currently leading the Reign in scoring. He sure is missed by all of his fans in Allen.

When it Reigns, it pours Yellow Horn leads team to big win over Bulls Mitch Cooper Oct 22, 2012 - 1:00:00 AM

ONTARIO, Calif. – In a recent ECHL early season game between the Ontario Reign and the San Francisco Bulls, the Reign came roaring back from a 4-1 deficit. With just over three minutes remaining in regulation, the Reign scored three goals in a minute and 57 seconds to tie the score and then win 5-4 in a shootout.

Colton Yellow Horn (by Jack Lima)

Some of the spark for this exciting comeback win was fueled by Ontario forward Colton Yellow Horn, who assisted on the Reign’s third regulation goal. Yellow Horn scored the game-winner in the shootout, firing the puck between the pads of Bulls’ goaltender Thomas Heemskerk. Yellow Horn was selected as the game’s number one star.

“It was kind of a sloppy game,” Yellow Horn said. “But we didn’t quit and came back and got a big win which is huge for us. That’s how you build character. You finish hard no matter what.”

Yellow Horn’s performance was reflective of the way he’s played throughout his hockey career. In 628 games prior to this season, he’s scored 629 points. He is often double-shifted due to great conditioning and plays either wing.

“He’s full of life and energy,” said Reign Head Coach Jason Christie. “He’s tenacious and will find a way to get the puck. I’m excited to have him on the team.”

Christie first encountered Yellow Horn when he coached the Bloomington Prairie Thunder in the CHL and Yellow Horn played for the Allen Americans.

“I remember him from two years ago, when I coached against him,” Christie said. “He’s a little fireball out there and a guy that can beat you. I want him out there as much as possible.”

Yellow Horn is a native of Brocket, Alberta and is a Blackfoot Canadian. The Blackfoot is one of three First Nations tribes that make up the Blackfoot Nation.

“There’s a lot of hockey played (in the tribal nations), but there’s not as many kids,” Yellow Horn said. “Whenever I go home, I try to get the kids to be active in any kind of sport. I want them to know there’s more to life than (hanging) around there. I’ve been fortunate enough to play hockey and see the world; done lots of things I would have never done and I want them to have the same opportunities.”

Yellow Horn began his career in major juniors with the Lethbridge Hurricanes and the Tri-City Americans in the WHL. He traveled overseas to play for Salzburg in the Austrian League, and then returned to the states to play for the Elmira Jackals and Stockton Thunder, both ECHL teams.

“I played in Stockton for a couple of months,” Yellow Horn said. “But it didn’t work out. Sometimes you just need a change of scenery.”

Yellow Horn battles for puck (by Jack Lima)

That change of scenery took him to Allen, Texas where he helped the Americans to three playoff appearances, including the CHL finals 2009-2010. It was there that he played with current Dallas/Texas Stars defenseman Jamie Benn.

“He’s an unreal guy,” Benn said. “He’s a great teammate, a great hockey player and a good buddy of mine.”

Yellow Horn decided to leave the CHL and join the Reign because the he felt the ECHL’s style of hockey better suited his game.

“It’s a little different game in the ECHL,” Yellow Horn said. “The CHL is more of a puck possession game and here (there are) younger guys who chip the puck in and out. There’s a little more grinding.”

“I also have some really close friends that I grew up with that are here,” Yellow Horn added. “There are others (in the league) who are out there as well. But there are no friends out on the ice (for the opposition).”

Yellow Horn discusses call with Ref (by Mitch Cooper)

Like any professional minor league hockey player, Yellow Horn strives for the opportunity to move up in his profession.

“I hope I get the opportunity (to play in the AHL),” Yellow Horn said. “I can only control how I play and hopefully I do well enough.”

One of the current barriers for moving up is the NHL lockout that threatens the 2012-2013 NHL season.

“It’s going to be tough to move up with the lockout this year,” Yellow Horn said. “So hopefully that gets settled soon so guys down here have a chance to move up. People don’t realize that the lockout affects not only the NHL players, but minor leaguers as well.”

His coach feels he’s capable of moving up to a higher league, but the opportunity just hasn’t presented itself.

“I don’t think he’s ever been in a situation where he’s been in position to be called up,” Christie said. “Hopefully, I can do that for him. That’s one of my goals. It’s a long process, but I’ll work hard for him.”

No matter who you talk to, they all agree that Yellow Horn is talented, tenacious, good in the locker room, and a positive influence on everyone he comes in contact with. He credits his parents for his positive outlook on life.

“My parents are the biggest part of my attitude,” Yellow Horn said. “They never pushed me to play hockey. That was my decision. But they said once you start, you can’t quit. They said if I worked hard, everything else would fall into place.”

It would appear that things have fallen into place just fine.

CHL Takes Over Quad City Mallards

CHL takes over Mallards

Here is a press release from the CHL regarding the take over of the Quad City Mallards.

GLENDALE, AZ (October 23, 2012) – The Central Hockey League (CHL) announced today that the league has taken control of the Quad City Mallards in an effort to stabilize the current operations, provide funding and evaluate the ownership status in order to keep the club in the Quad Cities at the i wireless Center in Moline, Illinois.
“The CHL is committed to the Quad Cities market and is confident that the long-standing tradition of Mallards hockey can flourish once again,” said Duane Lewis, CHL Commissioner.
The CHL will work alongside current Mallards Executive Vice President Ryan Simmons and the i wireless Center and their General Manager Scott Mullen to run operations of the team.
“We are very appreciative to the building and in particular Scott Mullen for his efforts in helping keep the franchise operating over the past few months as well as to the Mallards staff who has been through a challenging off-season,” added Lewis. “One of the immediate tasks is to hire additional front office staff to complement the current group of employees.”
The Mallards are heading into their third season in the CHL and were originally established in 1995. The organization previously won three league championships and had 50 or more wins in five consecutive seasons. The Flock are 71-58-3 in their two seasons in the CHL and will begin their 2012-13 season on the road in Tulsa on Friday night with their home opener slated for Saturday, October 27 against the Oilers.
“We believe in this market and are fully aware of what strength that a solid organization in Quad Cities can add to our league now and into the future,” said Lewis.