Moorehead native Jason Blake has been diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, a rare form of cancer in which a patient's body makes too many white blood cells.  According to the National Bone Marrow Donor Program, in the United States, more than 20,000 people have CML and about 4,600 new cases are diagnosed each year. If diagnosed in the early stages, it is a very treatable form of leukemia.  Blake's reported treatment will consist of taking a pill called Gleevec which blocks the tyrosine kinase enzyme so that the body stops (or slows down) making too many white blood cells.  Provided Blake doesn't suffer any significant side effects from the medication, his doctors have told him that he could continue playing hockey for the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Reports are that team physicians became aware of Blake's condition from results of blood tests at routine physicals prior to training camp.  This is the second cancer scare for Blake's family.  In 2001 Blake's wife Sara was diagnosed with thyroid cancer midway through her pregnancy of their first child.  When their daughter Lauren was delivered healthy two weeks early the tumor was removed it was determined to be benign and Sara is has remained healthy since.

According to Team Marketing Report the Minnesota Wild have the third highest Fan Cost Index in the National Hockey League this season.  According to TMR the cost to take a family of four to a Wild game is $322.46 (up 9.7% over last year). The FCI gives a representative look at the cost of taking a family of four to a hockey game. It comprises the price of four tickets, two small draft beers, four small soft drinks, four regular-sized hot dogs, parking for one car, two game programs and two adult-sized caps. Only the The New Jersey Devils, who have the highest Fan Cost Index at $365.67 and the Boston Bruins at $322.46 cost more than the Wild. The Minnesota Wild increased their ticket prices 12.2 percent this season, noted as a significant increase amongst NHL teams by Team Marketing Report, who are among eight other teams with double digit increases this year. 

Former Husky Ryan Malone got married over the summer and he and new wife Abby are expecting their first child around February 12th. Maloneis reportedly is in "great shape" and is expected to return to his 20+ goal scoring form with the Penguins this season.
 
Matt DeMarchi & Matt Koalska are playing in a rink that overlooks the Alps in Italy. Unfortunately on the opening night of play in the Italian League, former Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Darcy Robinson collapsed on the ice and died from apparent heart failure and all league play was suspended for the day. The incident is eerily similar to the death of former Minnesota Moose star Stephane Morin, who collapsed on the bench following a shift for the Berlin Capitals in Germany and died of cardiac failure in 1994.  
 
Jeff Taffe was recalled to the Pittsburgh Penguins to compete for a fourth line checking line position, replacing Tim Brent, who was sent to Wilkes Barre/Scranton in his place, but the move only lasted a matter of days and Taffe was returned to the minors.

Troy Riddle was released from the Houston Aeros with whom he signed a two-way AHL contract this summer. Riddle's ECHL rights are currently held by the Trenton Titans.  

Tyler Hirsch was signed by the Aeros to a two-way contract and assigned to the Texas Wildcatters of the ECHL.

Erik Johnson scored his first official NHL point, an assist, for the Saint Louis Blues but it was another celebrated former Gopher defenseman who got the last laugh as it was Keith Ballard who went past a sliding Erik Johnson, and got three shots off on Manny Legace, staking the Coyotes to a 1-0 lead over the Blues.  Phoenix won the game 3-2.

Jamie Langenbrunner's recurring muscle problems turned out to be a sports hernia for which he had corrective surgery. Langenbrunner is expected to be out for eight to ten weeks after being placed on Injured Reserve by the New Jersey Devils which means he will miss the opening of their new home rink in Newark.

The opening night rosters of NHL teams as released by the NHL public relations department this season contain the names of 25 Minnesotans including Mike Lundin and Matt Smaby of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Mark Parrish of the Minnesota Wild, John Pohl of the Vancouver Canucks, David Backes, Dan Hinote (adopted) and Erik Johnson of the Saint Louis Blues, Keith Ballard & Peter Mueller of the Phoenix Coyotes, Patrick Eaves of the Ottawa Senators, Paul Martin, Jamie Langenbrunner & Zach Parise of the New Jersey Devils, Tom Preissing of the Los Angeles Kings, Tom Gilbert of the Edmonton Oilers, Bret Hedican & Matt Cullen of the Carolina Hurricanes, Andrew Alberts, Brandon Bochenski & Mark Stuart of the Boston Bruins, but the Colorado Avalanche take the cake with the most Minnesota blood with Jordan Leopold, Jeff Finger, Tyler Arnason & Kurt Sauer & Wyatt Smith on their opening day roster. These NHL rosters include Injured Reserve and do not include players who remain to replace injured players.  

Former Wild center Jim Dowd was signed to the Philadelphia Flyers after a tryout.

For the first time since moving to Denver, the Colorado Avalance failed to sellout their home opener.

David Tanabe was signed  to a two-year deal as a free agent by the Carolina Hurricanes, the team that originally drafted him. It is a two-way contract that reportedly pays him $600,000 at the NHL level and $100,000 at the AHL level the first year and $900,000 at the NHL level the second year

The University of Minnesota Golden Gopher Men's official team photo was a bit delayed waiting for new alternate/assistant captain Evan Kaufmann who was held up after an interview for an internship unexpectedly ran late. The interview reportedly went well though. Kaufmann did receive his share of grief from teammates for keeping them waiting.
 

Quick Quotes:  

“I think it's awesome having him around, especially for a young guy like me. Everything he does I try and pick up on. It's the little things, like faceoff plays.

“He knows the game so well. Penalty killing? He's great. He's coming out here and giving it everything he's got. You see a guy out here working like that, you read off it and build off it, I guess.”

- Ryan Potulny on Jim Dowd (Courier Post)

"The prognosis, and certainly the expectations of my physician, myself and my family, is that I will live a long, full and normal life,"  
- Jason Blake on his diagnosis of a rare form of leukemia (Toronto Sun)

 
Golden Gopher Notes

When the Gopher captains were named this week it came as no surprise to Quick Facts who was chosen, nor to the Colorado Avalanche, who drafted two of the four named captains. Three members of this years Gopher team spent time in Denver at training with other prospects and the management has high expectations of what they can bring to Minnesota this season.

Assistant General Manager Craig Billington has high expectations for Ryan Stoa especially. Said Billington, "Ryan showed progress from his freshman year to his sophomore year at Minnesota.  He’s a big kid who uses his size and physical play to his advantage. He can also skate well. I think his best attribute is his character. He has tremendous character.”  

Of Captain Derek Peltier Billington said "Derek spent most of last season paired with Erik Johnson, which obviously shows a lot of faith and trust from the coaching staff. He is a stay-at-home type defenseman who can chip in offensively when needed. We’re looking for him to continue to improve in his upcoming senior season."

Though Mike Carmen will have to address academic issues the first semester but his return will certainly give a boost to the Gopher offense. Billington likes Carmen's physical presence. “Mike is very competitive and brings a lot of grit to the ice. He makes your team tougher to play against. He plays with that edge that coaches are always looking for." Added Billington," he had a strong showing for Team USA at last year’s World Juniors and we’re hoping for the same again this year.”

Matt DeMarchi scored a goal and Matt Koalska notched an assist as Bolzano topped HC Alleghe Tegola Canadese 5-2 in the last exhibition game before the competition season begins. "The Matts" along with BJ Abel and the rest of the Bolzano Foxes take on Brunico (HC Senfter Val Pusteria) on Tuesday the 27th in the 74° Campionato Serie A Season opener.
 
John Pohl leads the Maple Leafs in preseason points with five.
 
Jason Blake will reportedly open the season with the Toronto Maple Leafs on their top line skating with stars Mats Sundin and Nik Antropov.
 
Kris Chucko scored en route to a 4-2 victory by the Quad Cities Flames preseason victory over the Peoria Rivermen.
 
Jordan Parise had an assist for the Lowell Devils but the Philadelphia Phantoms took a 2-1 shootout win from the Devils in a preseason game on 9/24.
 
Mike Vannelli has signed an AHL contract with the Philadelphia Phantoms for this season, no word yet on whether he's going to hit up former teammate Ryan Potulny for a place to stay yet, as the two Philadelphia franchises play across the street from each other.
 
Ryan Potulny recently had surgery to remove a bursa sac from his ankle. He returned to play for the Flyers against the Capitals in preseason action Wednesday. The recent hideous actions of Flyers forward Steve Downie may actually be beneficial for Potulny, allowing for more roster room for the former Gopher centerman.
 
John Adams has been added to the training camp roster for the Wild's affiliate Houston Aeros.
 
James Jernberg has signed with Titaanit Kotka in Finland after an unsuccessful tryout at Malmo in Sweden. That is the same Finnish team with which Cole Koidahl has a tryout.
 
Dan Welch has returned to the US to play for the Texas Wildcatters of the ECHL. The Wildcatters are the ECHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild. He previously had signed with Neuchâtel Sports Young Sprinters HC in Switzerland. Last season he played in France and he spent the 2005-06 playing in England.
 
The Fresno Falcons have re-signed Luke Curtin. The Falcons open the season on October 19th. The first 1,000 kids 12 and younger in the arena receive a replica Curtin jersey. He is the franchise record holder in most every category.
 
In case you hadn't heard, the United Hockey League (which used to be the Colonial Hockey League) has changed its name to the International Hockey League, invoking the old name of the league of which the Minnesota Moose was an expansion franchise way back in the early 1990s. They have even brought back the Huber Trophy and Turner Cup. Ahhhhh, the wonderful confusing world of minor league hockey!! Anyone remember the Sunshine Hockey League?
 
 
Quick Quotes:
"I've got one thought: This (Downie) should not be (allowed) to play in the league again. One day a player is not going to get up, so something needs to be done about hits of that nature."

- Jason Blake to a Toronto radio station on what he thinks should happen to Steve Downie after his hit to Dean McAmmond that left him motionless on the ice during a preseason game in the NHL. (Ottawa Sun)
 
"It's a different type of camp this year with Sutter with the way they want to play. Guys are expected to be more aggressive. Guys have been working extra hard with a lot of skating. ... I think now is the time if something is not feeling right, you make sure to get it taken care of before the season starts."

- Paul Martin on feeling a bit banged up in the preseason for the New Jersey Devils (Bergen Record)

"Once you've been in the league for a few years, you start to understand, especially as a role player, what needs to be done. There's little nuances of the game that you can't just pick up. I feel like there's no situation that I haven't seen or been through. That helps on the ice because you have that feeling, 'OK, I've been here before ... this is what needs to be done.'"

- Dan Hinote on what it takes to play in the NHL (St. Louis Post Dispatch)
 


Quick Take:
Why is it that the media now talks about Medial Collateral Ligaments and Anterior Cruciate Ligament strains and tears and arthroscopic surgeries like they are orthopaedic surgeons but then turn around and talk about "Groin Injuries"? For crying out loud there are muscles in the "groin" that have a names, they are called adductor muscles and each of those actually have names (the pectineus, adductor brevis, adductor longus, the gracilis and adductor magnus). Why can't people just use the actual names instead of saying "groin" all the time?" They call them Quadriceps, or Triceps muscles when those are injured.  But they use the general term "Groin" all the time when there is an injury to that area, it seems so darn stupid. If it was up to me I would start a revolution and start calling "groin" injuries "Adductor muscle injuries", whether they be strains, pulls or tears. So next time you hear that your favorite hockey player has a "Groin Injury", know that he or she really has injured his or her one of his or her Adductor Muscles.

The Nashville Predators signed forward Josh Langfeld to a one-year deal. Langfeld played with the Detroit Red Wings and Grand Rapids Griffins last year. Langfeld finished the season with the Red Wings but may be a depth player for the Preds, depending on how his camp with them goes.
 
Cole Koidahl has signed to play in Europe, for IF Troja/Ljungby in Sweden. The Minneapolis native spent the last four years with the University of Connecticut Huskies.
 
The Wild, who have been known to give second and third chances to players cast off by other organizations, took chances in giving tryouts to failed 1st round draft pick AJ Thelen as well as Tyler Hirsch who was dismissed from the Golden Gophers hockey team last year. Both will competed in the Center Ice prospects tournament in Traverse City and both were dispatched to the Wild's affiliate in Houston. The most likely scenario has Thelen in Houston and Hirsch with the Wild's ECHL affiliate in the Texas Wildcatters, though THelen could end up there as well.
 
Erik Rasmussen and Mike Stuart are Minnesota unrestricted free agents who still do not have contracts for this season. With injuries decimating the Vancouver Canucks during preseason it wouldn't be surprising to see one of them land there.
 
John Curry was reassigned to the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins from the main Pittsburgh camp early in the week. Alex Goligoski and Jeff Taffe remained, though Goligoski played tentatively and was always destined for the Baby Pens to start the season. Goligoski was cleared by doctors to resume playing and there was a chance for him to suit up for a preseason game on Wednesday but he was reassigned to Wilkes/Barre over the weekend. Jeff Taffe was reassigned to Wilkes/Barre with Alex Goligoski as well.
 
The Boston Bruins reassigned a trio of Minnesotans to their minor league affiliate in Providence: Nate DiCasmirro, Sean Curry & Matt Hendricks are all on their way to the Baby Bruins of the AHL.
 
Hobey Baker winner Marty Sertich was reassigned to the Iowa Stars by Dallas.
 
Former Gopher Kris Chucko was reassigned from the Calgary Flames' training camp to their new AHL affiliate Quad City Flames on Wednesday the 19th. The city was formerly home to the Quad City Mallards UHL franchise.
 
"The Matts" reportedly arrived safely in Bolzano Italy recently.  Former Gophers Matt Koalska and Matt DeMarchi will be playing with BJ Abel with the Italian League team this season.
 
Former Gopher Joey Martin is currently working in Hong Kong and is expected to return stateside just prior to Christmas.  Martin is enrolled in the post-graduate program at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.
 
 
 
Quick Take:
 
Quick Facts HATES the new Rbk NHL sweaters. Not only are the new patterns not that nice to look at but one of the most unattractive attributes of the uniform "system" as Reebok calls it, is the shirttail hem, it looks messy and frankly, quite silly. I understand changing the fabric of the jersey for the wicking and the lighter weight, and if you must make it more form fitting then do so, but these silly panels and piping are really "spiff" as my British mum would say, meaning they really don't belong in hockey. The Islanders and Red Wings probaby got the closest to tolerable in design, but they still don't look nearly as good as they used to and really equate to the last time they tried a uniform revolution in the NHL. Anyone else remember Cooperalls? Don't they realize that there is a reason the classic and retro looks are the best-sellers? They should have done a lot more tweaking before rolling these things out, it really is an embarassment to a league which definitely needs all the help it can get at this point.  And honestly, can you see your 250 pound beer-belly toting buddy wearing one of these form-fitting numbers? Yikes!
 

Thomas Vanek & his fiancee Ashley welcomed their first child a son on August 16th, and he now has a name, Blake Thomas Vanek. Everyone is doing well, though Vanek probably hasn't lost this much sleep since his college days.
 
Jake Riddle has signed to play in the UK this season, contracting with the Hull Stingrays of the British Elite League.
 
Nick Anderson will play for EV Füssen in Germany this season after spending last year playing for the Las Vegas Wranglers.
 
A Philadelphia paper reported that Paul Holmgren was seen golfing with Peter Forsberg recently. Holmgren reportedly denied they were having contacts talks but Forsberg has been the subject of much speculation, whether he will sign with an NHL team, retire or return home to play in Sweden.
 
Tim Hambly was signed to a one-year deal by the Quad City Flames, the farm team of the Calgary club.
 
Kudos to the Edmonton Oilers for their "Tickets for Troops" campaign. They have sent a letter to all season ticket holders asking them to donate one game of their tickets to local troops from a nearby base. Season Ticket Holders can mail their tickets back to the Oilers in a postage-paid envelope and the tickets will be distributed to the members of the military and their family members.  It is a great idea in this time of large deployments, a good distraction and a wonderful campaign.
 
Cole Koidahl has signed to play in Europe, for IF Troja/Ljungby in Sweden. The Minneapolis native spent the last four years with the University of Connecticut Huskies.
 
According to the Toronto Star the email account of Mark Parrish was one of the first accessed by Ted Saskin of the NHLPA in the spying scandal that forced his dismissal. Trent Klatt sent an email to players that their email accounts were being tapped and according to the newspaper account the first thing Parrish did was delete all his inbox and sent mail messages. The NHLPA has been meeting over Labor Day weekend to discuss the findings of that investigation and the one by lawyer Sheila Block. The players union is expected to elect a new Executive soon.

 
Quick Speculation:
 
An usubstantiated rumor out there has Nate Hagemo attempting a comeback with the Golden Gopher hockey team this year. If he could play his presence would go a long way toward filling the void left by all the departures on the blueline, but Quick Facts isn't expecting miracles from a player who suffered such a severe nerve injury.