The Texas Coaching Connection

There's an Aeros post over at the mothership about the coaching staff and their connections to Houston and Texas, which I just found to be rather interesting since Houston and Texas aren't really considered to be hockey hot beds.

It's not as good as I was hoping it would be. I was just kind of rushed this weekend, and didn't have as much time to work on it as I wanted, and it just really doesn't work at least for me, but I hope you'll go read it anyway.

(And good news is, at least this time, I'm not pissing off the Aeros business office or any fans. I think.)

Remember, let them know you like this stuff as I'm going into heavy college football mode for the next several months and I will be lucky to get out a hockey story a week.

Meet Your 2010-11 Aeros: Maxim Noreau

MAXIM NOREAU

Born: May 24, 1987 (age 23)
Montreal, Quebec

5 ft 11
192 lbs
Defenseman
Shoots: Right

Career Transactions:
Signed multi-year contract with Minnesota on May 22, 2008…earned way onto the team after signing a PTO in 2007-08 and starting the season in Beaumont.

I’m going to be an old man, and I’m going to have this everlasting memory of Max Noreau. It was his rookie year with the Aeros in 2007-08. He was still trying to earn a contract with the Wild. But he was at that point where he was earning the trust of Kevin Constantine and his staff. As such, he was beginning to earn playing time at key points of the game. I don’t remember the game, but I do know the Aeros were in overtime. And the guy who scored the game-winning goal was Noreau.

But my memory is of interviewing him in the locker room after the game. There was this big smile on his face, and he eagerly, yet patiently answered our questions. That’s not the big deal as numerous players have done that. No, what I remember is showing up for the next game and finding out that Noreau had been playing that game with a broken foot.

In his three years with the Aeros, Noreau has become one of the team’s top clutch players, and he’s the key to the team’s power play. Noreau from the blue line on the power play is a very dangerous man, and over the years, he’s worked hard to improve all facets of his game. He made the AHL All-Star Game last year, and he earned a late season call-up to the Wild.

Noreau was the guy that Kevin Constantine pointed to when he was dealing with a youngster on his way back to the ECHL. Constantine would tell them to look at Noreau, an undrafted free agent who worked hard and made use of all his available talent to earn a NHL contract. I don’t know that much about new coach Mike Yeo, yet. But I’m sure of this, he’s going to like Max Noreau.

Mark LeRose tabbed to lead Wichita Falls Hockey

The Wichita Falls Wildcats have a new head coach, and it's former Aeros Assistant Mark LeRose.


In case you lost track, the coaching staff from last year is now employed in three different countries.



Kevin Constanine will coach in France, Troy Ward is now an assistant in AHL Abbotsford, Canada, and LeRose, who only spent one year in Houston, is now a head guy in Wichita Falls.

Update on Danny Irmen

This is a pretty good read on what is new (or not new) with Danny Irmen. At the moment, Danny (the one in this great photo by Fred) is still out of contract and looking for an NHL deal.

I'm not quite sure if it is too late for him to try something in Europe, but something is bound to happen for him.

The Wild organization cut ties after last season. The team was not at all interested in bringing him back. Danny played four full years for the Aeros and spent a little time here in 05-06. He is one of those guys we'll miss because of his personality and sense of humor. Unfortunately, after his first full season here, he never did improve on that decent 37-point season.

He loves his Minnesota teams, and there were SEVERAL times when I would wear my Packers jacket to the game just to see what comments he would throw my way. I wish he and his wife and the new little one the best, and I hope we'll get to see him come to Toyota Center as an opponent down the line.

I have a new Packers hat, after all.

And Some Miscellaneous Items

As promised, here's my post in the mothership on the Aeros schedule and that very special home game in St. Paul. So go over there and vent a bit, if you feel like it.

And I hope to get my tape of yesterday's presser with Jim Mill and the coaching staff transcribed this weekend, so keep checking back here for some good stuff. I was a Kevin Constantine fan, but I really liked Mike Yeo's attitude yesterday.

One more thing: the roster is pretty much set for this season, but Jim Mill did say he hopes to get about 3-6 more guys signed, including one goalie. These guys would have the chance to make the club, but will more likely be with the Aeros new ECHL affiliate and come up here as needed based on Wild/Aeros injuries, call-ups, etc.

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.

And Kevin Constantine Goes To...

For any of you who were wondering about what former coach Kevin Constantine was going to be doing this hockey season, well, we have your answer. KC is off to France where he will be coaching a team there (sorry, the story is in French, but you should get the drift of it, or else try Google Translate.)

I thought KC was a great guy, and I hope he does well in France, and that he makes it back to our continent to coach again, soon. That said, KC does like to employ a defensive style of hockey, and we all know how the French are when it comes to defense.

Some Thoughts On The Aeros Schedule

First, let me say that I'll be addressing this more, in depth, on the mothership blog on Friday. But...

I've been reading your comments to Andrew's post, and over at the Aeros Facebook site and on twitter, and I wanted to add my own two cents. And a brief aside, these are my thoughts, my comments, and I'm writing this without the knowledge of Andrew or Heather, so don't hold anything against them.

You, my friends, are being screwed over. Especially if you're a season ticket holder. You purchased tickets for 40 games. But you're only going to get to see 39. It's good for the players to play a game on the Wild home ice in front of Wild fans, but it doesn't do too damn much for you. The Aeros/Wild have stated that you will receive a ticket for that game in St. Paul as part of your season ticket package. But what you won't be receiving are airline tickets or hotel vouchers. You also won't get a ticket to the Wild game that night. So you're more than welcome to spend even more of your cash to fly to St. Paul, get a hotel room, and make your way out to the arena for the Aeros game, just don't bother sticking around to watch the Wild.

They'll also let you exchange that ticket for a ticket to another Aeros home game. But think about that for a moment. You're still paying to see 40 games. You're still only getting to see 39 games. Just what does an extra ticket do for you?

I'm also not too pleased by the two weekday matinee games because I'm sure that most of you season ticket holders actually have jobs, so it's hard for you to get away during a weekday morning to see a hockey game. So what we're actually looking at is that lots of you will be paying for 40 games, but you'll only be seeing 37.

I'll sign off now -- remember, read the mothership on Friday -- but let's just say that I'm a bit pissed about this thing. It's good news for the players, but bad news for you.

2010-11 Aeros Schedule Highlights

Here is a link to the Aeros schedule for 2010-11.

My initial thought?
"Man, this is a brutal schedule ... "

Why?

13 times the Aeros play three games in three nights (vs. just seven last year), and 23 of their first 38 games are on the road. They have TWO five game road trips in the December and January and are playing the same number of games as a year ago in seven fewer calendar days.

But there is a rainbow at the end of this sucker.
If the Aeros are a half way decent road team this year, things could be very good for them.

They will not play one game outside Texas during the Month of March, their busiest of the season, and starting on Feb. 22, they will play just four road games of 18 total on the road until April 1.

This schedule will test them physically, but if they can hang in there until mid January, they have a very nice set up waiting for them.

Good luck, Mike Yeo ... and welcome to the Western Division.

Schedule Update ... Aeros to play one home game in MSP

The AHL schedule will come out later today, and there is one surprise on it indeed.
The Aeros will play one of their home games against the Peoria Rivermen at the Wild's home in St. Paul.
That game will take place on Feb. 12, 2011.

First Aeros home game there since 2005 when they beat the Grand Rapids Griffins behind two goals from Dan Cavanaugh. The Aeros lost to the Milwaukee Admirals in their only other game there.