Are Expectations Too High In Allen? - A Lesson From The Ft. Wayne Komets

The Allen Americans have been the most successful team in the CHL in the last five years by almost any measurement you want to look at including most points, most playoff wins, Governor's Cups, and Presidents' Cups. With all of the success over the past five years and the back to back championships a question that surely arises is, are expectation in Allen too high and will a good team that makes a nice playoff run but doesn't make it to the finals be seen as a failure. I came across the article below written by Blake Sebring of The News Sentinel (news-sentinel.com) in Fort Wayne that addresses this very issue as it relates to the Fort Wayne Komets who won the CHL Presidents' Cup in 2012 and then moved to the ECHL. Last year, Ft. Wayne's first in the ECHL, they did not make the playoffs and this year they lost in the second round to the Cincinnati Cyclones.  Some food for thought for Allen fans going into next year.

Because the Fort Wayne Komets won four titles in six seasons, is every year considered a bad one if they fail to win another championship?
``Yeah, here that's a fair statement,'' Komets forward Chris Auger said. ``That's all you hear about, `Are you guys going to win this year?' It's not, `Are you going to have a good team?' ''
Though the Komets advanced past the first round for the 11th time in their last 12 playoff appearances, it was easy to forget that Auger and Kaleigh Schrock were the only players remaining who had won a championship ring with Fort Wayne. They were part of the 2012 Central Hockey League championship squad.
The Komets also won International Hockey League championships in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Some fans don't put as much emphasis on those three titles as they do the CHL title because the IHL was a smaller league.
That's kind of simplistic way to look at it because at least two of the teams the Komets beat for IHL titles would have easily handled the Wichita team Fort Wayne beat for the CHL crown. They were more experienced, more talented, better coached and they had better goaltending.
Winning a championship again didn't happen this year, but the Komets were probably much closer than anyone expected. They'll find out how close as they watch how Cincinnati does in the next two rounds.
``Hockey is a very opportunistic game,'' Schrock said. ``You can out-play somebody for 50 minutes, but they can cash in on their opportunities and that's it. As long as you go out and give the effort, and limit your mistakes, more times than not you're going to find a way to win games.''
It's the old ``Will beats skill'' mantra, which works in hockey more than in any other sport. Players and fans all believe their team can win as long as they want it bad enough.
``It's not going to happen every year because you're going to run into hot teams, you're going to have bad luck and injuries sometimes,'' Schrock said. ``I personally thought our goal this year was to make a deep run into the playoffs and develop a core that could come back and have a chance to win next year. I think the consistency factor comes in... You're not going to be in the finals every year, but as long as you are competing for that opportunity and you are good enough to do it, then that's important. If you are in the hunt every year, that's the goal, to have a chance to lift the trophy.''
That's fine for the players, who have been dealing with the fans expectations that they win all season, maybe even especially when the Komets were struggling to win at home. The players felt the pressure. Many fans didn't care how well the team played on the road because that's not what they were paying to watch.
``The fans demand the best and they can do that and should do that,'' Auger said. ``They are paying good money to watch us play. Is it unrealistic to deem a season bad if you don't win a championship? Yeah, of course.
``But here, especially this season, you can't rule this year as a success just based on the home record and the way everything happened this year. There was too much stuff that went on.''
What's funny is that so few of the current players had any idea of the expectations in Fort Wayne. They don't know the franchise's history, and to them, the name on the back of the jersey is every bit as important as the one on the front. To them, Fort Wayne is no different than Kalamazoo, Wheeling, Cincinnati or Chicago. Their priority is to move up to the American Hockey League and further their careers.
That's part of why it took so long for the team to come together this season, and why so many trades needed to be made. The players who left, generally, refused to buy into the team concept. Some didn't care about anything but their own points.
``I think it's cool that the fans demand that, but at the end of the day we play minor league hockey,'' Auger said. ``Guys want to win because that's the biggest way to get your career to the next level, to play on winning teams. The year after we won, everyone got good contract offers from other teams.''
And if they aren't going to the AHL, they want to go to Europe where the money is so much better. The players all have agents who are looking for their best options all the time.
Especially in the ECHL, the players and the team sometime have different goals, and it's up to the coach to channel both in one direction.
So do the Komets have to win a title for it to be a successful season?
``Yes, that's the way people see things here,'' Schrock said.
But who specifically?
``The people who wear orange and black in the stands.''
But the people in the stands have to remember that even the Komets have to start over sometimes.

Courtesy CHL Memes

DID YOU KNOW: If you go back to all of the CHL champions since 1996 (19 years) every team is no longer in the league with the exception of  the Arizona Sundogs (2008), Rapid City Rush (2010) and the Allen Americans (2013 & 2014).

Steven Brothers - Ownership Philosophy, Players Leaving Town, Allen Sets Finals PP Record

I have been getting a lot of questions about what changes will take place now that the Allen Americans have been sold to an ownership group headed by the Steven brothers. If you look at what happened when they bought the Wichita franchise in 2011 and Tulsa franchise in 2013 you can get a good idea of their approach in Allen. In all of the articles from the past a couple of themes are always included. First, the key to success is having a quality on ice product including a top notch coach. I know it has only been a week since the championship game, and a few days since the ownership change was announced but it is time to announce that Steve Martinson has been given a multi year coaching contract. It takes time to get these things finalized especially since everything has to be done long distance but the quicker Martinson's deal is announced the more reassured everyone will be.

The second theme that comes across in articles you read about the Steven brothers and hockey is they very much expect to be profitable in this business and will set goals and hold people accountable. The article below was actually published over a year ago (March 29, 2013) by Josh Heck of the Wichita Business Journal (bizjournals.com). It gives you a good idea about the passion the brothers have for hockey and also their approach to ownership. After living through the championship last year when Allen won in the seventh game in overtime against Wichita and the back to back championship this year, you can see why the Steven brothers would want to own the Allen Americans.

The Steven brothers work to build a hockey culture in Wichita, and fans are responding

It’s minutes before the Wichita Thunder’s last home game of the 2012-2013 regular season, and brothers Brandon, Johnny and Rodney Steven make their way toward the plush chairs inside their suite at Intrust Bank Arena.
The passion they have for the team and their newfound love of hockey are evident as they talk about the team and its pending return to the Central Hockey League playoffs.
Rodney sits in the first row and Brandon in the second, leaning forward with their elbows on their knees. Johnny, meanwhile, prefers to stand, watching intently from the end of the row as the puck drops and the game gets under way on March 24.

---

Moments later, when the Thunder scores its first goal of the game, cheers erupt from the brothers and their family members — 14 of them on this night — who accompany them to most of the team’s home games.
“Sweet pass,” Rodney says.
A second goal is scored and a third, all within three minutes in the first period, and the brothers feel good about the game.
The Thunder is squaring off against the Missouri Mavericks, and first place is on the line. A Thunder win — coupled with a loss by the Allen Americans to the Tulsa Oilers — will give Wichita its second-consecutive regular-season championship and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
Knowing what’s at stake, Johnny spends much of the first period checking the score of the Allen-Tulsa game on his phone and updating his brothers. Aside from that, their attention is fixed on what is happening on the ice in Wichita. They don’t move from their spots until the first intermission.
Brandon, Johnny and Rodney later find out that Allen won its game.
But the Thunder also wins — handily, with a score of 5-2. That makes the Thunder the No. 2 seed in the CHL playoffs, which were to start Thursday.
Seeing the team’s owners so involved at games is common now, but it hasn’t always been that way.
The Steven brothers bought the team from Chicago businessman Horn Chen in August 2011 and started operating the Thunder under Steven Brothers Sports Management LLC.
Brandon, Johnny and Rodney attend virtually all of the Thunder’s home games and some road trips as well.
Professional hockey was a new field for the Steven brothers when they bought the team, but they made a promise to be visible and available, traits that many felt were missing from the previous ownership.
“When ownership is there, it holds everybody accountable to do their job,” Rodney says.
So far, the Steven brothers have kept their promise, and those close to the team say they’re creating a winning culture and attitude throughout the organization.
Winning on the ice goes hand-in-hand with increases in attendance and revenue.
In 2012, the Thunder advanced to the CHL finals, and the team and its owners are hoping for a similar run this year, with a championship being the end goal.

Paying dividends

The Steven brothers say they feel good about the strides that are being made with the team in terms of wins, attendance and sales. They say the team was profitable last season and will be this year, despite increases in the operating budget. They won’t disclose specific figures.
The Thunder now has more than 2,000 season-ticket holders. Average attendance this season was nearly 6,000, up from the early 2000s, when it was 3,500-4,000.
The Thunder played its March 24 game in front of 10,264 fans, the largest crowd of the season. That helped the team finish first in the CHL in overall attendance — 184,772 for the season.
Fans seem to appreciate the changes.
Longtime season-ticket holder Rick Boczek says the team is much more competitive than it has been in years past, a reflection of the owners’ willingness to spend more money on a top-notch coach — Kevin McClelland — and good players.
Boczek says the Steven brothers have helped to create a winner, and he hopes that kind of atmosphere is here to stay.
“It’s obvious the Steven brothers do care,” he says.
The team has more than 75 corporate sponsorship partners, including Prairie Fire Coffee Roasters, Hall’s Culligan Water, Sonic Drive-In and Verizon Wireless. The Thunder ranks third in the CHL for corporate sales revenue, though exact numbers aren’t disclosed.
Rodney says corporate sponsorships were up 42 percent this season, and much of the interest is coming from businesses that haven’t sponsored the team before, such as Kansas Medical Center and Subway.

A team approach

The Steven brothers have a record of success in their businesses — Rodney and Johnny have Genesis Health Clubs, and Brandon runs Brandon Steven Motors and Eddy’s Toyota — and they’re transferring their team approach to the Thunder.
The new owners of the team set attendance and sales goals and hold staffers accountable to them.
“When the Steven family bought this team, things changed 100 percent,” says Joel Lomurno, who has been the Thunder general manager since 2007 and has been with the team for 20 of its 21 years in existence. “They gave us the tools to make this thing a very successful venture.”
The Steven brothers have grown the team’s back-office staff from four to 15 people, giving it more personnel to focus on increasing sales and sponsorships. They’ve spent money on attracting top players and coaches and this year bought a bus for the team. (They used to charter one.)
The Stevens also have worked to create a family-friendly atmosphere during games by bringing costumed characters like Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants to games. Kiosks where kids can get balloons or player pictures also are set up throughout the arena’s concourses.
“It’s an entertainment business,” Brandon says.
The owners want the Thunder, and hockey in general, to be popular and successful in Wichita for years to come.
And they’re trying to market hockey to the next generation as well. They’ve added a junior hockey team, and Rodney is involved with operations of the Wichita Ice Center through his Genesis Health Clubs business.
“We’re trying to grow grass-roots hockey,” he says.


OTHER COMMENTS:

- It doesn't take long from championship, to celebrations, to scattered to the winds. There has been a steady stream of players heading to the airport the last few days; Hanson, Tarasuk, Franson, Graham, Zion, Maiani, Lavoie, and Lessard to name just a few. And then those that make the long trek by driving like Schaafsma to Ontario or Bryan Pitton to California. Those that will be here during the summer include the Ludwigs, Bootland, Tetrault and McMillin. It won't be long until the focus will change to building a roster for next season. Such is the life cycle in the CHL.

- With silly season in full swing one of the issues you see talked about is at what point in terms of number of teams in the league can teams get out of their contractual responsibilities to the CHL. There has been the urban legend that if the league gets down to eight or six teams the remaining teams would be free to leave the league. I checked with the league office and was told there is no such clause in the team agreements.

Courtesy CHL Memes

    

DID YOU KNOW: Until this year when Allen went 0-26 on the power play in the finals, no team (either winning or losing team) had ever been held scoreless on the power play in the CHL finals. The closest was the Austin Ice Bats who were 1-22 in 2003 when they lost to the Memphis RiverKings in the finals.  

Cain Franson Gets Hometown Accolades

Found the article below in Cain Franson's hometown paper (Sicamous Eagle Valley News). In case you didn't see it earlier, here are his summer plans. I will go back home (Sicamous, British Columbia) for a couple of weeks and rest up there and see my family and friends. I will then go to Kelowna to live with my brother and train. It is only a 90 minute drive so I will spend the week in Kelowna and then come home for the weekends. I will not get back on the ice until July. My brother and I will play some golf, softball and baseball with friends and family. I am going to take a vacation to Cancun at the end of June. As for my plans for next year I am undecided if I will play pro hockey or go to college. I will see how things go this summer.

Franson joins CHL champs Allen Americans

• by  Lachlan Labere - Eagle Valley News
  
• posted May 14, 2014 at 6:00 AM

Just over a month after saying goodbye to the Vancouver Giants, Cain Franson will be slipping into a championship ring, as will his new teammates on the Allen Americans, the 2014 Central Hockey League President’s Cup champions.
The 2013/14 season was Franson’s last as a junior hockey player with the Giants. He finished the year with 30 goals and 63 points in 245 games. On April 7, the Sicamous product signed a contract with the Americans, (affiliated with the AHL’s Texas Stars and the NHL’s Dallas Stars), and joined the team on the frontline in their successful playoff run.
“Cain performed quite well and it was a very positive experience competing at the minor pro level,” says his father Cal Franson.
On the Allen Americans blog, Cain credits brother Cody, a fellow-Giants alumnus and current Maple Leafs D-man, for helping him train and quell any early self-doubt about his ability to play.
“I wouldn’t be where I am without him,” said Cain.
The 21-year old describes himself as an “offensive threat” with a  defensive game that developed considerably over the past couple of years, making him a complete player.

It Is Official - Americans Issue Press release on New Ownership

Here is the press release about the new ownership courtesy of the Allen Americans. Sorry for the black on red print.

Allen, TX- The Allen Americans finalized a transfer of ownership from Top Shelf, LLC to a group of investors that includes Steven Brothers Sports Management, LLC, owners of the CHL’s Wichita Thunder and Tulsa Oilers. 
The deal takes place during a remarkable time for the Americans franchise, who clinched their second consecutive CHL Championship on Saturday in front of a season-high crowd of 6,125. Ironically the Americans – in just their fifth CHL season – joined the Wichita Thunder and the Memphis RiverKings as the only back-to-back winners of the CHL Ray Miron Presidents’ Cup.  
“This has been a long but thorough process to get this transaction completed but we are thrilled that we can help cement the future of the Americans in Allen as they close out another successful season”, said Rodney Steven II, who owns Steven Brothers Sports Management, LLC along with his brothers Brandon Steven and Johnny Steven. “The Americans already have a great partner in the City of Allen, tremendous support from the community and a proven winner in head coach Steve Martinson. “We are excited to give this team all the tools it needs to continue their success and grow their already great fanbase.” 
Steven Brothers Sports Management, LLC was formed in 2011 when they purchased the Wichita Thunder. The Thunder subsequently advanced to the CHL Finals in both the 2011-12 and the 2012-13 seasons, losing the Championship in 2013 to Allen in an epic seven game series that was decided in sudden death overtime. The Steven Brothers purchased the Tulsa Oilers last summer, guiding the Oilers back to the CHL playoffs this past season.
The Steven Brothers own and operate Genesis Health Clubs in Kansas and Missouri, just adding their 13^th facility, which supports their belief in physical activity and fitness. The partners also own and operate multiple car dealerships throughout the Wichita Area including Brandon Steven Motors, Subaru of Wichita, Ford of Augusta, Eddy’s Toyota and most recently Eddy’s Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.
“The CHL salutes the strong fan base in Allen, their passion for the team and excellent corporate support which has built the Americans into a strong national brand”, said CHL Commissioner Steve Ryan. “We are thankful for everything that Doug Miller did these last five years to help showcase CHL hockey in North Texas. The league believes the new ownership group will successfully build upon these foundations and continue the winning tradition the team has enjoyed.”

Shocker: Wichita Owners To Buy Allen Americans - The "Silly Season" Is On

For my last daily blog post of the season (emphasis on daily) I wanted to share the rumors I have been hearing from different sources around the CHL. I want to emphasize NONE of the information below is from any team or the league office so it is rumor and conjecture on my part and could not be fact. It is information I have seen or heard from around the CHL and after all "silly season" is just that, a bunch of outrageous rumors with only a few pearls of truth mixed in.

ALLEN AMERICANS:

I want to start with the Allen Americans as that is the team I know the best and it is well known that the team has been for sale for most of the season. A deal to transfer ownership to a new group has been completed according to many sources around the league. If you follow the messages boards and social media it has been pretty widely reported that the new majority owners of the Allen Americans will be the Steven brothers (Rodney, Brandon, Johnny)  who currently own the franchises in Wichita and Tulsa.  I have always been led to believe that when the team did change ownership it would be to a group as opposed to one entity and  part of the ownership group should/would include local presence. So my assumption would be there will be local ownership involved in the team as well. If the Steven brothers are the new majority owners of the team that will be a good thing for the organization as they are dedicated to winning and believe the on ice product is the key to financial success. The Steven brothers are young successful guys who own numerous health clubs and car lots in Wichita among their business holdings. They bought the Wichita franchise in 2011 and Tulsa in 2013. Their philosophy about building a successful franchise can be seen in their statements when they bought Tulsa last year. Here are some quotes from the Tulsa purchase. I have taken the liberty to substitute "Allen" for "Tulsa" in these quotes so you can see how they might approach things in Allen.
  "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of the next chapter of Allen Americans hockey. This franchise has an outstanding history, an extremely loyal fan base, and one of the best arenas in the Central Hockey League. We are looking forward to working closely with the coach as well as the American's players and staff to make sure the team has everything it needs to be successful."
  "Our first priority is to put a strong, competitive team on the ice. We need to win consistently. These fans in Allen deserve to watch a playoff caliber team that will compete for championships."
   "We want to re-energize our existing fans but we also want to make a big push to reach new fans, to attract families, and to let everyone know that Allen Americans hockey is the very best entertainment value in this entire region."

From left to right Rodney, Johnny & Brandon Steven

 A press conference billed as an "End of Year Press Conference" was scheduled for today for the media only. The notification about the press conference was sent around 2:00 pm yesterday afternoon but at about 2:00 am this morning a message went out postponing the press conference because of a conflict for Coach Martinson. Since it is silly season I am guessing (I haven't been told this by anyone) new ownership was going to be discussed/announced/talked about at this press conference and some issue came up that caused the postponement. 

The most important questions to be answered by the new owners from my perspective is what changes will be made to the current staff. I have said on the blog before, Steve Martinson needs to be retained with a multi year deal and the same can be said for Richard Matvichuk. If the new owners are the Steven brothers they just gave Wichita coach Kevin McClelland a contract extension so it should not be a stretch to give the back to back championship coaches a multi year deal.

 Will the new owners favor a two coach team? What changes if any will be made in the front office? How will the team be run differently than in the past and what impact will that have on the recruitment and retention of top players? After all Allen has had the formula for success from the first year of the franchise.

For those that still think the ECHL is an option for Allen next year I would say no way, not going to happen. The driving force for that was a previous owner.

I want to say again nothing is certain until it is officially announced and while it seems based on all of the sources around the league saying this is a done deal until we hear something official from the Allen Americans anything can happen. After all, it is "silly season" in the CHL.

AROUND THE CHL:

I know it is important to maintain at least a ten team league and that remains a question mark at this point. I have heard the same ownership group buying the Americans recently made a trip to Laredo to look at putting a team there but that didn't pan out. St. Charles is searching for new ownership and you hear several other places mentioned as possible expansion opportunities including  Louisville, Minnesota and another team in Canada among a bunch of others. Could the Brahmas be reactivated? Whether any new teams can be added for this coming season is doubtful but not impossible. You hear all of the time it is not too late to start up a new franchise but if you talk to most sales and marketing folks they will tell you it is already too late to do it right.

Then you hear other rumors (not substantiated as it is silly season) about teams like Rapid City, Denver and Arizona not playing in the league next year. The rumors include Rapid City going dark for a year and then moving to the ECHL or getting out of the CHL and coming back with a USHL franchise, Arizona being displaced by an AHL team, and Denver moving to another league. My personal feeling is all of these teams will be in the CHL next year and the league will do everything in its power to have a ten team league.

Most people that have been around long enough to know and understand the CHL business model  will tell you that it is not a matter of if but when the league will be forced to consolidate with the ECHL or more likely have some teams move to the ECHL, some to the SPHL and some to junior hockey. Rapid City Coach Joe Ferras mentioned recently in his year end meeting with fans that the Missouri Mavericks were the only profitable team in the CHL right now and the Chill lost 1.7 million dollars this year.

So there you have my perspective on the "silly season" and as always what transpires over the next couple months may or may not bear any resemblance to what is being talked about today. I can speak for most Allen fans and assume this applies to most of the fans that read this blog when the season comes around in October we will be "all in" supporting our teams no matter what happens during "silly season."

This will be my last daily blog post for the year. It has been something like 240 days straight and it is time for a break. I am like the players as I am taking a vacation (two weeks of fishing in Canada & Minnesota) and then will come back and hit the gym. In my case I will try and shed the twenty pounds I gained during the season by writing the blog in the morning instead of working out. I will still blog on an as needed basis as new information becomes available. If you are on Facebook or Twitter you can see whenever there is a new post on the blog by liking my page on Facebook at "Allen Americans Blog" or following me on Twitter at @allenamericans1. I will also put any new post up at chlforums.com which is a great place to get information about all teams in the CHL during the off season.


DID YOU KNOW: Since 1992 when the CHL was reestablished there have been over 40 different teams in the league. The Tulsa Oilers and Wichita Thunder are the only two teams that have been in the league since 1992.

The Boys Of Summer - Players & Coaches Plans For The Off Season

As the championship celebrations wind down and the players head for home thought you might enjoy hearing about their summer plans. As fun and exciting it is to win the Presidents' Cup it comes with the realization that the makeup of the team will be vastly different next year and many of these players will not return which has a sad component to it, but that is a story for another day.

Thanks to all of the players who shared their plans with me:


Jamie Schaafsma - We will head back home to Chatham, Ontario as we bought a home their two summers ago. It is close to my parents and Nicole's parents so lots of time for our two little ones to spend time with grandparents. My brother has a security business installing security alarms and cameras and I will help him. The group home for foster kids where I have worked part time for five summers closed in February. I have a six week fire fighting course I will be taking through the Professional Hockey Player's Association (PHPA) along with Bryan Pitton. We are doing some of the course long distance but then we will go to Mississauga for six weeks in mid June to a training facility where we will do all of the hands on training. Other than that I will be spending time with the kids as Nicole will be working at the hospital. We usually get a cabin with some friends for a week in the summer and hopefully we will be able to do that again. I will take a week or two off and then start training again. I will do some skating with some other professionals in the area and play some shinny hockey. I will play some softball (shortstop, pitcher, outfield) and a little golf as well. We have a family golf tournament each year called the Schaafsma open. I have a brother who works for General Motors who is moving to Singapore for three years so we will spend time with him and his family before they depart as we won't see them for a long time.

Cain Franson - I will go back home (Sicamous, British Columbia) for a couple of weeks and rest up there and see my family and friends. I will then go to Kelowna to live with my brother and train. It is only a 90 minute drive so I will spend the week in Kelowna and then come home for the weekends. I will not get back on the ice until July. My brother and I will play some golf, softball and baseball with friends and family. I am going to take a vacation to Cancun at the end of June. As for my plans for next year I am undecided if I will play pro hockey or go to college. I will see how things go this summer.

Phil Fox - I will be heading home to Stillwater, Minnesota and will live with my brother. I will work at the same high school hockey camp I have worked at for several years and will also work at a training facility. I will play a lot of golf and softball. I am not sure if I will play next year or start my coaching career as it all depends on what opportunities present themselves. I will be going to Washington DC to visit my sister in August. I play in an eight team men's hockey league that is pretty competitive and it is easy to find pick up hockey games as well. I will spend some time with Pearl (dog) who I don't see during the hockey season.

Jarret Lukin - I will head home to Calgary for a bit but am not sure where I will be working. I may go to Ft. McMurray (center of Canada'a oil sands production) to work for a while. I will get a trainer like I have done in the past. I will see Colton Yellow Horn as we play in a four on four tournament at the end of this month. We are called the "Toe Dragons" and we won the tournament last year. Aaron Dell also played with us. I will play some golf as my dad loves to play golf. I will also spend some time with my nephew who is three now and at that fun age. He is just starting to skate so I am sure we will spend some time on the ice together. I will turn into a cowboy for ten days when the Calgary Stampede takes place in July.

Trevor Hendrikx - I will be heading to California to spend some time with my girlfriend (Cassi) and then head home to Ottawa, Ontario for a month or two to work at some hockey schools and help out my parents who have a flower nursery. No specific vacation plans but I definitely need one. We will probably take a beach vacation sometime this summer. I am not a golfer but enjoy fishing as does Cassi so I go fishing as often as possible whether it is ocean fishing in California or lakes in Ontario.

Tyler Ludwig - I will take a couple of weeks to let the body heal and spend time with the family. Our annual family vacation to Wisconsin will be later than normal this year because Trevor just had a baby and we need to wait until she is a little older and my younger brother (CJ) has signed a contract with Oklahoma City and he has to be in Edmonton for a bit of rehab for an injury he had at college this year and then he will be at training camp with Edmonton in July. We will have our summer hockey team again (we won last year) and hopefully will play in a softball league as well. I hope to get in a few rounds of golf before it gets too hot outside. I will be working full time again this year for Mark Miller like I did last year.

Greger Hanson - I will be headed to North Carolina to be with my wife (Andrea) who is attending law school. She will be doing an internship this summer and I am hoping to get an internship as well. I will be in North Carolina for most of the summer and hopefully will be able to go home to Sweden to see my family sometime in August. Since I have been more injured this year than in the past I will take off two or three weeks before I start training. My off season training is more of a track and field style training and I will stay off  of the ice until late August.

Trevor Ludwig - I will play hockey and softball with my brother and some friends this summer. I will still be rehabbing for the next month or two using putty and balls to keep strengthening my arm. My arm is getting stronger all of the time and I can shoot better every week. The doctor and therapist are surprised and happy with my progress thus far. The biggest difference for us this summer is our daughter, Lynden who was born 4/14/14. We will take our annual family vacation to Wisconsin in August to introduce Lynden to grandparents and other family. 

Garrett Klotz - I am heading to Maui to spend some time with a buddy who works on power lines and got called to a job in Hawaii. He has a house with some other linemen so I am going to spend a couple weeks with him. After Hawaii I will head home to Regina, Saskatchewan where I will work at some hockey camps, train some kids and workout and train myself. I will play hockey during the summer and I am a big outdoors guy so I will spend lots of time at a cabin fishing and hunting. I also do a lot of biking in the summer.

Jonathan Lessard - I will head home to Quebec to spend time with my family and friends and train. I will take a couple of weeks off before I start training. Normally I take longer to rest my body after the season but because we played so long I won't take much time off. I will play a little summer hockey with some friends and will also get on the ice with my trainer. I will play as much golf as possible during the summer. I have no plans for a vacation.

Steven Tarasuk - I will be heading home to Ontario to visit family and friends. Because we have made such a good run to the championship the other guys at home have already started their workout programs so I will only take a week or two off and then get right back at it. I work at some hockey camps to make some money. As for vacations the only thing I have planed is a visit to London, Ontario where I played junior hockey to visit my billet family. I will probably go to Montreal for a few days as well. I try to stay active in the summer whether it is playing hockey, beach volleyball or tennis.

 Ross MacKinnon - I will take some time to recover from the season and then get back on the ice in late June. I need to find a job. Last year I worked at a golf course so I might do that again. In addition to playing a lot of golf I play a lot of tennis as it helps with footwork. My vacation this year is attending the US Open golf tournament which will be played at Pinehurst in North Carolina. I am really looking forward to that.

Jonathan Zion - I will be heading back to Ottawa and will play sports all summer. I won't take any time off from training and will get right into it when I get home. I do a lot of mixed martial arts training in the summer. I am also into yoga and do a lot of bike riding. Ottawa has great biking trails that go through some beautiful areas. We have one of the biggest beach volleyball tournaments in the world each year and I will play in that. I am a big music buff and will go to as many concerts as I can. We have an event called Blues Fest which is ten days long, we have Jazz Fest and also a country music festival. It is the best city to be in if you like music. No vacations planned because I am gone during the hockey season and it is nice to stay home in the summer. I might go to Montreal in June for the Formula One race weekend.

Bryan Pitton - I will be driving to Lodi, California with my wife (Katie) who will be helping out her parents during the summer. I will leave California in mid June to head back to Canada to attend a six week firefighters course with my brother (Jason) and Jamie Schaafsma. It works out great for me as the training facility is in my hometown so all I have to do is wake up and drive fifteen minutes down the road. After the firefighters course I will head back to California to spend time with Katie and then we will come back to Canada as I am the best man in my brothers wedding which is in August. I love to hunt and fish and will do as much of that as possible. I have already missed an annual fishing tournament we have every year and also spring turkey hunting. My brother has already got a turkey. But I much prefer being in Allen winning a championship. I work at a goalie school during the summer which is nine hours a day on the ice so I will do that though it will be different this year with the firefighting course. I play in a softball league with my brother and some buddies but do not play golf. I would rather fish than golf.

Ross Rouleau - We are actually moving to Minnesota to be closer to parents and grandparents. As of right now I don't plan to play next year but that is always subject to change. We will see what the fall brings. I will play some pick up hockey this summer but just for fun. We have no vacations planned other than visiting family.

Kale Kerbashian - I will go home to Thunder Bay for the summer. I  help coach a AAA 15 year old team and really enjoy that. I spend a lot of time with friends and family in the off season. I train with a bunch of other professionals and we also play hockey every week. I am going to enjoy this second championship and then decide what to do for next year. It looks like I will have a couple of good tryout opportunities so we will see what happens.

Alex Lavoie - I will head home to the Montreal area and take a few weeks off to heal up my body. I will then start training at the same gym I have been training at where there are many NHL players and other professionals. Jonathan Lessard and Antoine Roussel train at the same gym. We also will go on the ice at the gym where we train.  I will spend time with my family and also do some fishing which I really enjoy. I have a vacation planned in June with some friends and we are going to visit Cuba.  I will also play a lot of golf with my parents and my friends.

Anthony Maiani - I will be heading home to Shelby Township, Michigan to spend time with my friends and family. I will help out with the family catering business which is very busy this time of year.  Around mid July I will join some friends for our annual trip to Las Vegas. After a week in Vegas I will head over to the University of Denver where I live with and train with some other Denver alums including Tyler Bozak who plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs. I might go to Phoenix this weekend for a bachelor party and then I have to go to Toronto for a wedding. I actually have three weddings to attend this summer so it will be busy. And as always I will play a lot of golf this summer.

 Spencer Asuchak - I will head home (British Columbia) to work, train, and play a lot of golf. As far as training is concerned this is a weird year as I have never played this long so I don't want to miss too much but I need a little time to heal up after a long season. I will be stacking a lot of cases of beer as my summer job is at the Liquor Warehouse. I love boating and the beach in addition to golfing. The only vacation I have planned so far is to visit my grandparents on Vancouver Island.

Bruce Graham - We will be headed back to our home in the Moncton, New Brunswick area. I have not given a lot of  thought to our summer plans yet. I will take a few weeks off to heal and will then start to train again. I definitely now have the bug to play another year or two and will train with that goal in mind. My side of the family is building a cottage in Nova Scotia right on the ocean (Bay of Fundy) so I will be involved in that. I will also try and play some golf.

Brian McMillin - I will be spending most of the summer in Allen as Wendy started a new job when we returned and so we will stay here. My brother is graduating from high school so we will go back to Minnesota for that in about a week and have a chance to visit with friends and family and hopefully get in some walleye fishing. When we get back from Minnesota I will get back to training at Cooper Fitness and hope to play a lot of golf as well. Will also try and get in some bass fishing before it gets too hot in Texas. Wendy has to go to San Diego for work in August so we will make that a mini vacation.

Daniel Tetrault - I will be giving a lot of skating lessons to kids in Richardson as that is my passion. At the end of the month we will be going to San Diego with Tabayia's parents and brothers to relax and play some golf. The plan is to coach hockey this coming year but things change. I will train like I always have whether it is for hockey or for my health. Whether I play another year is a question mark. I  have waited a long time to taste a championship and once it happened you want to do it again. We will see.

Darryl Bootland - Our summer plans are still up in the air. I have an offer from a hockey school that travels around the US and then a couple things in Dallas so we will see what happens. We will spend time with Sarah's family around Conroe. I will take two or three weeks off before I resume training to let my body heal. I am the player representative for the team so will attend the Professional Hockey Players Association (PHPA) meeting in Las Vegas in June and we will make a vacation out of that.


Mike Berube - We will be heading home to Edmonton, Alberta and I will work with my brother and dad who own a kitchen cabinet company. I have done this for the last six years. I'll take off a couple of weeks to rest my body.  I will work out with a long time friend.  I do play some summer hockey just for fun with my brothers in law, brother and dad and I play in a charity softball game every summer. I also play a lot of golf. We will take a vacation to Palm Springs later this month with my brother. My brother in law is getting married this summer so that will be fun to attend.


Richard Matvichuk - I spend so much time away from the family during the season it is now my time to give back to the family. They are out of school on May 29th so we will have some fun in the summer. My eighteen year old is graduating this year so we will take some type of beach vacation but nothing is planned yet.

Steve Martinson - We will stay in Allen until school is out and then head to our home in Rockford, Illinois for the summer. We have a home on the river so it is like a vacation all summer. We have a sports court, boats, and ATV's so it is a lot of fun for the family. We might take a trip to the gulf coast the end of the month before we head north. There really is never an off season for a hockey coach as you are recruiting all year around. I keep in touch with lots of players.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You Plus A Preview of "Boys of Summer" & "Silly Season"

While we are all still basking in the glory of a hockey season that ended with back to back championships it is time for me to say my thank yous to all involved. I sure consider myself lucky to have started this blog two seasons ago and having both of them end with championships.

Who would have imagined a blog started for the Heritage Ranch Allen Americans fan club now reaches people all over the US and Canada as well as the hockey hotbeds in Europe on a daily basis. It proves Allen Americans fans are all over the world.

I want to start out by thanking all of the fans that frequent this blog. It has been my pleasure to meet many of you and your words of encouragement in person, comments at the end of each blog post, on Twitter, Facebook and email have been very satisfying and inspiring.

Thanks to the many fans, bloggers, and media from all over the league that have promoted the blog as fair and balanced and also have shared information with me about their teams. One of the unexpected benefits of writing the blog has been getting to know all of the passionate fans from the other CHL teams.

Jim Wiley, Director of Hockey Operations and Bob Hoffman, Director of Operations for the CHL have spent more time with me than I deserved to help educate me about policies, rules, discipline, rosters, and officials. They are always willing to explain the rationale behind their decisions and while you don't always agree you can appreciate their willingness to share how a decision was made. They both have difficult jobs to do but have always been open and honest with me and very responsive.

Thank you to the players who have never said no to a single request I have made of them for a chat, an interview or a question.  I have gotten to know most of these young men both professionally and personally and they have represented the Americans in an outstanding manner.

One of my goals when I started the blog was to share the personal stories of the players. The wives/girlfriends, parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and friends I have met have been great in sharing family stories which I have then been able to share on the blog. Thanks to all of you.

Thanks to Steve Martinson, Richard Matvichuk, Kacee Coberly, & Osama Kassab for always being willing to talk to me and help educate me. A special thanks to coaches Martinson and Matvichuk for allowing me to stop by their office after every game and every practice to ask questions and talk about the team. It is their openness and trust that has allowed the blog to have information you can't find anywhere else.

A special thank you to Tommy Daniels, Director of Communication & Broadcasting who has been a tremendous help to me all season. He is the one that encouraged me to start the blog, made me feel like part of the media team, answered many questions, let me stop by his office on almost a daily basis to get current information, publicized the blog to attract new readership, and invited me to be part of the between periods conversation on his radio broadcast to talk hockey and promote the blog.

Thanks to Erik Adams and Tom Manning for letting me bother them with questions when they are busy with other duties. Erik has been the liaison with the fan club at Hertiage Ranch and has devoted many hours talking to the fan club and helping me arrange for guests at our fan club meetings.

Unlike most writers, bloggers, and other media types that cover the Americans I have a dual role as in addition to being a blogger I also coordinate the activities of the fan club at Heritage Ranch. In this capacity I spend a lot of time in the front office of the Americans arranging for season tickets, suites, individual game tickets, seats for soldiers tickets, and other promotions. I want to thank the entire sales and marketing staff and  especially Mike Martin and Robert Fatta who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to help the residents of Heritage Ranch.

Finally thanks to Matt Canavan, club President, who is always willing to answer all of my questions about how the league operates, the business end of minor pro hockey and any other questions I may have.

So a second magical season has come to an end. I have been a season ticket holder since the beginning so I have been following the team since its inception but these last two seasons have been different. I was able to see the team from a different perspective and the access I was given by the entire organization helped me bring the story to the blog.

Now everything is over except a couple more celebrations (Splitsville tonight and Game On Sports tomorrow), exit physicals and interviews. Then everyone will scatter to the wind and all of the uncertainty about next year commences. Based on history  more than half of the players will not return. I plan on writing two more blogs post before the daily posts turn into periodic posts for the summer. Tomorrow will be the "Boys of Summer" which is about what all of the players had to say about their summer plans. You will find out everything from who is going to Cuba on vacation, who is building a cottage on the ocean, who is taking courses to become a fireman, and who throws around cases of beer for a summer job. Then on Wednesday it will be "The Silly Season" with all of the rumors about the CHL from expansion to contraction, changes with the Allen Americans and other teams around the league. This will be a good one for sure.

Finally, the guys that run the Team Store asked me to share the following information:
In case you didn't get one of the two championship shirts after the game on Saturday we will have them at the Team Store and celebration events as well as online. Also preorder forms will be out and at the Team Store if you want the special edition "Come and Take It, 2013-2014 Back to Back" jersey which can be customized with any name and number you choose. We are also preordering pucks, ministick and hats. The jersey will be on the Team Store website soon or you can stop by the Team Store for additional details.


                                                       Thanks again,  Barry

Courtesy CHL Memes

DID YOU KNOW: In the last twelve years the CHL championship final has been won in five games six times. It has gone to seven games three times, six games twice, and only once (2008 Arizona defeated Colorado) has the finals ended in a four game sweep.