Wolverine Update: Ward, Halko, Knuble, Oliver

[M-HockeyNet]

I don't think they should give up on him yet, but it doesn't do him much good sitting in the press box every game, either, which is why I hope he moves on. He is young (would have graduated college this year) and still has plenty of good years of development ahead of him.

Mike Van Ryn, another guy who left college early, showed this year what he could do if given a chance. According to ESPN's game stats, he logged 32 minutes of ice time a few nights ago. Last year he spent the majority of the season in San Antonio in the AHL. Getting traded to Florida was the best thing that's happened to him. He's had quite a remarkable turnaround from a year ago.

[Hobart Higgins]

There are a lot of young defencemen with a fraction of Komisarek's ability playing significant minutes in the NHL. He was an AHL All Star game starter a year ago, as a rookie pro, and was selected Minor League Player of the Year by one sports publication. This season, he was selected to the AHL All Star lineup again, even though he only played 18 games in the league. At the end of last season, when given a regular shift, he looked totally comfortable.

The problem is Montreal's, not Komisarek's. They play a 5'8" French Canadian defenceman who they picked up on the waiver wire 25 minutes a game and give Komo about 5. There is a serious French/English split in Montreal, and because the coach is a French Canadian who was an undersized, marginal pro himself it isn't hard to see where his sympathies lie.

Habs just acquired Kovalev from the Rangers. For Josef Balej and a second round pick. I wonder how close Komo was to being a Ranger? Particularly with Leetch also rumoured to be on the block.
Would be a great spot for Mike, I think. The Rangers are rebuilding.

[Hobart Higgins]

The early jumpers are learning the reality of life in the pros. Mike Comrie traded for the second time in a matter of months. Jeff Jillson traded three times already. Mike Cammalleri back in the AHL. Andy Hilbert on a yo-yo between Boston and Providence. Mike Komisarek averaging 11 minutes a game in Montreal when he dresses. But at least they are getting paid for it, I suppose.

[M-HockeyNet]

Yeah, but they're all young so it's somewhat to be expected between lack of playing time and flip-flopping back and forth between the NHL and AHL.

Cammalleri had a really hot streak going earlier this season with L.A. before being sent back to the AHL. I believe he was also hurt part of the year, too (concussion wasn't it?). He was showing that he could get it done.

Hilbert it's hard to say much about this season simply because he was injured until January. Had he not gotten hurt, he could possibly have been in Boston's lineup on opening night and been with the parent club all year.

Jillson went from a regular shift to being a healthy scratch again. Who knows what'll happen with him. I'm sure he doesn't mind being traded a few times since he ended up near home in Boston and Providence.

I guess that's life in the pros, though. As you said, at least they're being paid.

I wonder what the NHL success rate is between players who leave college early and those who stay all four years. I guess that'd be pretty hard to do since there's a lot of different things you can factor in and trying to determine who and what counts as success, but the easiest example would be someone like J.M. Liles staying all four years in college and stepping right in and contributing for Colorado whereas someone like Jillson leaves early, gets bounced back and forth between NHL and AHL, and gets healthy scratched quite a bit lately. It'd just be an interesting comparison to see.

[Hobart Higgins]

I think they probably end up at about the same spot overall. I think Liles and Jillson are the same age (23), and both have played about the same amount of NHL time this year. Jillson has more games in overall, and he has probably earned an extra million bucks or so. Lot of NCAA players stepping right in, Paul Martin, David Hale in NJ, Andrew Hutchinson as well.

Mike Comrie is probably having as difficult a time as anyone at the moment. He is not playing a lot with Phoenix, although that could change quickly.Komisarek and Cammalleri have both played the exact same number of NHL games so far (59), although it looks like big Mike will have the edge from here on in. Both have played more games than Hilbert.

One aspect that stands out about Komisarek is his durability, although I guess that isn't surprising. He played 100 games last season between the NHL and AHL without missing a single game due to injury. It looks like he will stick with the team for the balance of the season and playoffs, and he seems to be getting more ice time. He could come into his own in the playoffs where size and strength are at a premium.

[M-HockeyNet]

Comrie had another goal tonight (think he had one last game, too) and played about 18:30 according to ESPN's stats.

[M-HockeyNet]

Correction to my Jillson comment because he was traded to Buffalo just before the trade deadline. He was involved in a three-way deal which saw the Bruins send him back to San Jose for forward Brad Boyes, then the Sharks redirected Jilly to Buffalo for fourth-line center Curtis Brown.

[Hobart Higgins]

2 points for Komo tonight. Doubled his season total. Still only playing 10 minutes per game.

[M-HockeyNet]

Souray's return might bump Komisarek (http://www.slam.ca/Slam040318/nhl_mtl-cp.html)

Don't think Komo's going anywhere for now. In fact, Souray returned yesterday and tonight Komo played 21 minutes (!).

[Hobart Higgins]

Yeah, solid game for Mike last night. All he needs is the playing time. Two right side Dmen (Quintal, Brisebois) were out of the lineup last night, that is what gave Komo the minutes.

[M-HockeyNet]

Ortmeyer Honored with 2003-04 Extra Effort Award
3/25/2004

Since 1988, the Rangers have proudly presented the Steven McDonald 'Extra Effort' Award to a member of the Rangers who, as voted by the fans, has displayed extra effort and “gone above and beyond the call of duty” for his team and teammates, named in honor of New York City Police Officer Steven McDonald, who was injured in the line of duty.

As a result of fan balloting which took place from March 1 through March 23, this year’s recipient of the Continental Airlines / Steve McDonald 'Extra Effort' Award is Rangers rookie right wing Jed Ortmeyer.

In a pre-game ceremony, Steven, wife, Patty and son, Conor, along with Kevin Gallagher, Manager of Sponsorship Marketing for Continental Airlines honored Ortmeyer, who was not in the New York lineup due to a hamstring injury.

In addition to the annual award presentation, a $25,000 check was presented to the Steve McDonald Foundation. In conjunction with the voting, all fans who cast a vote either online, in-arena or via mail have been automatically entered into a sweepstakes as well, with the Grand Prize winner receiving two (2) round-trip tickets anywhere Continental Airlines flies in the contiguous United States.

[Hobart Higgins]

Komisarek played his first playoff game last night and looked good. Habs won 5-1 to extend the series. Mike has also been invited to play for Team USA at the World Championships in the Czech Republic. Montreal may want him to play for Hamilton in the AHL playoffs if the Canadiens are eliminated, however. He is still on the Bulldogs clear day list for playoff eligibility.

[M-HockeyNet]

Brendan Morrison scored the game-winning goal in triple OT last night to give the Canucks the victory over the Flames and tie their series 3-3. I fell asleep midway through the first overtime and woke up to see Morrison score about 5 seconds after I opened my eyes. Good timing!

[umichjim]

Four former Wolverines are bringing home medals from the World Hockey Championship which finished up in Prague yesterday. Brendan Morrison was part of the Gold Medal winning Canadian Team while Blake Sloan, Jeff Jillson and Andy Hilbert helped the USA Team win the Bronze. Nice job, guys!

[MoFan]

Sad news, Jason Botterill was forced to retire due to concussions. Warren Luhning retired a while back due to the same problem. I still miss that line of Botterill-Morrison-Muckalt........man they were good. The local Rochester paper indicated that Jason wants to go back to Michigan to get his MBA.

Early retirement shocks captain

Baumgartner shared junior gold with Botterill
By KEN WIEBE -- Winnipeg Sun

No need for Moose to panic

Manitoba Moose captain Nolan Baumgartner couldn't believe his ears when told Rochester Americans forward Jason Botterill chose to retire on Thursday because of post-concussion syndrome.

Baumgartner and Botterill, a Winnipegger, were both first-round selections in the 1994 NHL entry draft, the former 10th overall to the Washington Capitals and the latter 20th overall to the Dallas Stars.

They were North Division rivals in the American Hockey League the past three seasons but were also teammates on Canada's world junior teams in 1995 and 1996 and came away with a gold medal both times (Botterill is the only player to ever win three gold medals for Canada at the WJC).

"Obviously he was a great player, and he was a good leader in the room," said Baumgartner. "He played hard-nosed hockey. Playing against him the past few years, he was a tough guy to play against but an all-around good guy.

'Disheartening'

"Hearing the news is disheartening. You never want to see somebody retire because of an injury. He didn't expect it to end like that. When it happened, he thought he would just recover. You always do. When you're playing hockey and you get injured, you think you're coming back. It's going to be a tough time for him because obviously he loves the game and he loves to play."

During his abbreviated career, Botterill won an NCAA championship with the Michigan Wolverines, a Calder Cup title with the Saint John Flames and appeared in 88 NHL games, notching five goals and 14 points.

[Lord Sidious]

I still miss that line of Botterill-Morrison-Muckalt........man they were good.

The "Blue Thunder" line. You're right, they were so much fun to watch. A perfect mix of a playmaker (Morrison), a sniper (Muckalt), and power forward (Botterill). I miss them too.

[M-HockeyNet]

Speaking of Morrison, help him out with InsideCollegeHockey.com's History's Favorite Hobey contest.

He's in the Semifinal round against Ryan Miller and currently leading 233-176.

Go to http://www.insidecollegehockey.com/7Archives/Features/hobey_0325.htm and cast your vote!