BabyParm waiting for the puck to drop circa 2008.

So, it’s just about one month before most CHL teams, will be starting their training camps; and my boys are no exception, as they will be getting started on the 25th of August. Along with the normal activities that will go on during this camp for both invitees, draft picks, rookies and vets to get ready for the season the boys in green and grey will also be preparing for their annual Labor Day tournament that they host every year. For a hockey junkie it’s like being let loose on a buffet when you’ve been drinking Slim Fast for four months. It is three full days of games, made up of nine games, with the WHL’s US division teams and usually one from the BC division like last year with Dion Phaneuf’s baby brother and his Prince George Cougars; however this year, we get a treat. Since all of the BC teams had better things to do other commitments, Coach Craig Hartsburg put in a phone call to his old team, aka the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League. It’s the very first time that the Tips have played anyone outside of the WHL, my seat is two rows behind the bench; and I am very excited about this.

Also making me pretty damn excited is that in the past 36 hours, our GM Doug Soetart has pulled off two deals that make me want to know if maybe he’s been taking lessons from Ray Shero or Kenny Holland. Yesterday, the Tips traded for Landon Ferraro and today, they signed former Minnesota Golden Gopher Josh Birkholz. Both of these deals are, to me anyway, complete surprises; but I think they’re going to make our team a bit tougher and a bit stronger if they can live up to the hype especially Mr. Ferraro.

Landon, aka Baby Parm, is the son of former NHL center Ray Ferraro and the stepson of USA gold medalist and Hockey Hall of Fame electee member Cammi Granato. He was drafted and had previously been part of the Red Deer Rebels as well as being chosen by the Detroit Red Wings last summer. I actually got to see him play both up in Alberta when he was a rookie and two years ago here in Everett; and the boys can score. I just hope he has worked on his fighting skills… he got his clocked cleaned by former Silvertip and current baby Blackhawk Kyle Beach when he was here last. We got Landon in exchange for center Byron Froese, who is also a baby Blackhawk chosen in last year’s draft; and I’ll miss Byron. He’s a good kid and a great player too.

Josh B schmoozing with the Kitties' brass last summer.

Mr. Birkholz, on the other hand, is a complete unknown to me. He was also drafted last year as a third-round pick by the Florida Panthers; but played last year in Minnesota. When I saw the announcement that he was committing to play here this season, my first thought was “Buh!? Who is this guy?” Well, it appears that the Tips had his junior rights; but as an American kid who was planning to go to college, he decided to play in the USHL instead as a 17 year old before moving over to the Gophers’ program last season. We’ll see what happens with this kid as part of the reason for him leaving UM after one year is for team rules violations; but the Tips brass seem confident that this isn’t going to be an issue. So I guess that I’ll have to trust them since they don’t give a monkey what my opinion is; I’m just a season ticket holder. ;)

And before I forget, the next two weeks we will have two members of our team spending some time with Team USA. California boy Tyler Maxwell will be spending some time at National Junior Evaluation Camp and I hope he makes it this year. We need more WHL wearing Stars and Stripes. Also with USA Hockey is our Associate Head Coach Jay Varady, who after winning a gold medal this last year as video coach for the U-20 team, will be the assistant coach for the 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. Good luck to them!

Anyway… that’s what’s happening in Hooterville this week. I am not sure if I’m going to be able to wait four weeks to smell that ice again; but I guess I have to.

Photos: Landon Ferraro by Goddess Amy, and Josh Birholz from Bruce Bennett/Getty Images.

Michigan Tech's Eric Kattelus of the WCHA.

College vs. the NHL. It seems pretty simple. One is professional, one isn’t. One has guys who have physically matured earlier than the other. Some people claim that college is more “pure” and prefer to follow the youngsters, others enjoy the level of play at the professional level.

Me? I’m finding myself more and more torn. See, I work at a university with a Division I NCAA team. That, combined with other circles I’m in, makes me privy to all the dirt and some of the most personal information on these kids. I know first hand what brats — and worse – they can be (don’t ask, I won’t tell). In the past, I’ve rolled my eyes and passed on the discounted tickets to the games, preferring the professionalism and focus of the NHL. We are talking men as opposed to boys, after all. But recently, I have found myself pondering this very issue and wondering if indeed, the NHL is the better product.

In my last article, The Increasingly Vanilla NHL, I expressed my disgust at the media cleansing these poor boys go through. Stripped of all personality, we hear the same mantras from the players: “We’re not getting pucks in the net,” “We need to play the whole 60 minutes,” “I like to golf and play Xbox in my spare time.” There’s no need to interview these guys live anymore. Just pull footage from the archives.

Conversely, college players have yet to be muzzled. For example, the NCAA playoffs this past weekend had creative features. Guys wittingly tease each other in interviews. Open hearted and honest discussion of the game, the opponents and the players themselves appear in all broadcasts, and post game interviews reveal frustration, heartbreak and yes, even that dirty player you play against. Clever and creative comments abound from the boys. What a treat to see that hockey players actually do have personalites. And I’m not buying that it’s because they’re in college and hence smarter than your average professional hockey player. Remember, I know these kids.

Adam Murray and Corson Cramer shake hands after a WCHA playoff series.

But that’s not all. Go to a college game in your city. You’ll see how different the atmosphere is. Hang out post-game at the favorite local bar near the school on a Saturday night and you’ll probably see the players. Not only that, but they’re approachable and might even have a drink or two with you. None of the pretense is present, no walls are erected and no one is getting in trouble for hanging out with “commoners,” or fans as they’re usually called. These guys are still just kids having fun. I don’t know about you, but I find it quite enjoyable to see that there are real people under those uniforms.  

So, where does this leave me? It leaves me foregoing my season tickets to the Colorado Avalanche this year and instead purchasing NCAA hockey tickets for the first time ever. Yep, they’ve not only succeeded in driving any personality from the NHL, but they’ve succeeded in driving loyal fans from the game as well.

Gary Bettman, are you listening? I know I’m not the only one.

Photos: By Goddess Sasha. Copyright 2009-2010. All Rights Reserved.