They Shoot, They Score

With all of the call ups to Minnesota, and with Bakersfield in the playoffs, the Aeros are a bit shy of players, so yesterday, the team held an open tryout in hopes of getting some bodies for Sunday's game. So Heather decided to give it a shot...

Actually, the team had a media day event out at SLICE, and our T3I assignment editor Andrew, asked that I take some photos of Heather taking some shots from the players and coaches. I'll have a serious story re the playoffs up in just a minute, but here's Heather suiting up and taking shots from Andrew, some of the players, and Mike Yeo.

Enjoy.

27th out of 30?

The Hockey News came out with their AHL team rankings today and the Aeros did not fare well in the eyes of their AHL expert.

To Patrick's credit, I suspect this was written prior to all the business going down with Theodore being signed and Khudobin coming back to Houston once the Wild return from Finland.

I think Khudobin/Hackett is a stronger tandem than Hackett/Tordjman, but it's true that a lot does rest on this and it's not so big a difference as to negate his point. The Wild didn't exactly open the wallet to get the Aeros some top notch offensive help, so it will have to come from within.

And seeing how bad the Wild are thus far, I wouldn't be surprised to see them give some chances to guys down here who are playing well.

What do you think of the ranking? Fair or foul? How jacked for the season does that get you? :)

Camp Schedule and other stuffs (with a p.m. update)

Dudes! It's HOCKEY SEASON! YAYYYYYY!!!!!!

Just wanted to post a few nuggets for ya to keep your mouth watering:

First, the Aeros put out their training camp schedule yesterday. Don't be shy about going out and checking the guys out. It's free, it's nice and cold in the rink, and Darryl Sydor will be there!

Here's the schedule.

Do keep in mind that times may vary and what the guys are doing on the ice might not be real interesting all the time. For the last two years, I've gone the morning of the home pre-season game. First year, it was a good pre-game practice for the guys playing and then a real practice for the guys not playing. Second year, they were just screwing around, shooting on the goalies, not much structure, not much fun to watch.

Looking back, that's kinda how the seasons went, too, eh?


--------------------------

NHL pre-season starts tonight and if you are fortunate enough to have the NHL Network on your television, they're showing 35 or so pre-season games for the first time ever.

I love the NHL pre-season. The games are kinda weird, but it's cool to see the AHL-bound guys try to become somewhat less AHL-bound, if'n you know what I mean.

So, here's THAT schedule.

And the Wild are apparently going to start making cuts either after the first pre-season game tonight or tomorrowWednesday or Thursday, so guys will be trickling into town shortly.

---------------------------

Was picking up some breakfast this morning and listening to the NHL channel on XM and heard part of the Hockey Diaries. It follows Caps veteran Mike Knuble and up-and-comer Tyler Sloane through all of last season with audio diaries and other reporting and tons of interviews.

It's an NPR-style thing, so an unusual "tone" from how you normally hear hockey reporting, but it's really lovely, interesting, and a must-listen for any hockey fan. A real inside look at the course of a season for two players at very different points in their careers.

Check that out right here.

----------------------------------

OH! I remember now what I meant to add this morning:

Talked to a friend in Denmark who keeps me posted on former Aero Morten Madsen who was rather unceremoniously shown the door at the start of last season. Things are going great for him. He was named an alternate captain for his team in the Swedish Elite League, Modo Hockey and just recently scored in the season opener.

Nice to hear that a not so great ending to his time in the Wild system has turned into a really good situation for him in Sweden.

-----------------------------------------------

Won't be long until we're all back at the Toyota Center. I'm pretty excited for the season, eager to see what Coach Yeo and this bevy of prospects (for the first time in a while), will be able to do against what is going to remain a very tough division.

Aeros Media Info

Just a few quick notes from today's press conference with GM Jim Mill and head coach Mike Yeo, and it actually involves info not dealing with them.

Joe O'Donnell announced that the team's radio home this season should again be 1070 KNTH. They're just trying to get a few details ironed out. And he's also hopeful of working out a deal with Fox Sports to broadcast select Aeros games again this season.

Andrew should be back later today with some more info.

Aeros on Channel 2

The boys don't get on TV too often, so when it does happen, you have to savor it.

You also have to take it with a grain of salt. This interview included a question about why the guys room stinks so bad and a promise (by the interviewer) that Kassian was going to beat the whole of Syracuse up Monday night. Lovely.

Anyway, I apologize for the extreme low-techness of this (recording it off the tv) but that's the best I've got. Maybe the team will provide better footage, but if you're like me, you want it Right.F**king.Now.

And RFN you shall have it.

Here's the intro that showed Brusty's poke check that made me swoon Saturday night:



And here's the interview in all its glory (but here's a much better version of it on CH 2's web site):

Aeros featured on SportsRadio 610 Thursday

I've always found it a little uncomfortable watching the local media (apart from those of us who cover the team) interview Aeros players. It's usually on the verge of "the black disc is called a puck, right?" and "Wow, hockey sure is violent!"

So, 5 hours of focus on hockey in the morning (6-11 a.m.) on SportsRadio 610 (which is the sports station I listened to before I got XM Radio, and I've never heard a peep about hockey from them) should be pretty interesting. I'll certainly be up early to tune in and see how it goes.

Either way, it's pretty great publicity for the team. Usually the guys will get about 3 minutes on some morning show or a guest spot on some shady cable access show, so color me impressed.

Now I need to find a way to get in with the 610 guys as their official Hockey Girl.

Two days to home puck drop, folks... Not that I'm counting.

Game 4 Media Round-up

For starters, here's a nice little feature on the delicious Matt Beaudoin from theAHL.com.

From Houston:

• Andrew's Chronicle piece
• For continuity's sake, John's Press piece again
• And my PHN write-up

From Winnipeg:

• Bolduc may still be out on Friday according to the Winnipeg Sun
• The game report from the Sun, in which Coach Arniel says his team "flat out stunk"
• The Winnipeg Freep's game report

And finally if you have too much time on your hands, here's the replay of the live chat on the Freep's site last night. There's some pretty funny stuff. Interesting to see what opposing fans are thinking during a game.

My favorite line: Khudobin, his Russian nickname translates to "Tsar of Rebounds"

Wow, an Aeros feature in the Chronicle!

Check this out...

And here's Andrew's pre-gamer for tonight's Game 3.

I tell ya, the TC on game day is totally my happy place, so Monday night can't come fast enough for me. Hope to see all y'all out there.

Uh, About That Game Five Location

Somebody might want to remind this Peoria headline writer that Game Five is in Houston tomorrow night, not Peoria. Just saying.

Of course, if the Rivermen want to go to Peoria and forfeit the game, I'm not sure anybody would object.