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Herb Brooks Foundation celebrates 16th annual golf event
It was a glorious day to celebrate the 16th Annual Herb Brooks Celebrity Golf Classic on Monday, July 25 at Victory Links Golf Course in Blaine. With a full field of avid golfers and supporters of youth hockey, the day was a monumental success as the proceeds generated from the event goes toward funding Herb Brooks Foundation (HBF) youth outreach programs throughout the year.
HBF programs include introductory “learn to skate” and “learn to play hockey” clinics throughout the Twin Cities and St. Cloud. HBF clinics are offered free of charge to the participating kids which removes one of the key barriers of participation for young people who lack traditional access to the sport.
In attendance were several former 1980 Olympians, current NHL players, major Division I college coaches and staffs, several local college players, and countless supporters from the corporate community who believe in the mission of the HBF while supporting the idea of “growing the game for kids” just the way Herbie
WINNERS FROM THE TEAM COMPETITION AND SKILL SHOT
Team Scramble Results – Top 3 Teams: 1st Place – Team Brodt – Vic Brodt, Kyle Brodt, Justin Brown & Ethan Prow – 56 (-15) 2nd Place – Team Miracle 1980 – Buzz Schneider, Dave Christian, Patrick Klinger & Dustin Parker- 57 (-14) 3rd Place – Team Arrowood/Carolina – Kevin, Marc, Poppy & Noah Arrowood with Mimi – 59 (-12)
Flag/Skill/Proximity Results: 3rd Hole – Scheels Closest to the Pin in 2 shots – Kyle Brodt
8th Hole – RBC Wealth Management Closest to the Pin – Tom Betti 9th Hole – Old National Bank Longest Putt – Mark Gherity 12th Hole – RJM Construction Women’s Long Drive – Julie (Yeazle) Cherney 16th Hole – RJM Construction Men’s Long Drive – Bryce Brodzinski 17th Hole – Da Beauty League Closest to the Pin – Bob Kowalski
Skins Winners:
Team Let’s Play Hockey – Bryan Zollman, Mark Bahr, Eric Workman & Cari Wahlgren – Eagle - Hole #14
Team UMD Bulldogs – Nick Swaney, Hunter Miska, Will Francis & Nick McCloskey – Eagle - Hole #5
The Herb Brooks Foundation celebrated their 16th annual golf tourney with the hlp of their strong and dedicated staff. Above are (from left) Cathi Bullis, Sara Jesperson, Kelly Brooks Paradise, Olivia Paradise, Kathy Brodzinski, Lindsey Coleman and Laurie Eggers.
PHOTO COURESTY OF HERB BROOKS FOUNDATION
If you are interested in contributing to the success of the HBF, please go to our donate page to make a contribution. All contributions are welcome and appreciated.
Follow the HBF on social media for the latest news and information.
Thank you to all NSC and Victory Links staff, volunteers and supporters of the HBF who help to make the annual golf fundraiser such a huge success. Also many thanks go out to everyone associated with the HBF who continue to pass on the life and legacy of America’s Coach, the late, great Herb Brooks to future generations. #GrowingtheGameforKids
Kelly Brooks Paradise, daughter of legendary coach Herb Brooks, took a momen to pose with a statue of her father during the Herb Brooks Foundation Golf Classic.
PHOTO COURESTY OF HERB BROOKS FOUNDATION
Maple Grove native had stellar college career at Western Michigan
Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres top affiliate team) General Manager Jason Karmanos announced today that the team has signed forward Josh Passolt
Prior to turning pro, the 2015 Maple Grove, Minn., high school Captain completed a five-year collegiate career at Western Michigan (NCHC), totaling 108 points on 44 goals and 64 assists in 166 career games. Passolt earned NCHC Academic All-Conference honors all five seasons and was twice named a NCHC Distinguished Scholar. Passolt’s best season as a member of the Broncos came during his sophomore season in 2018-19 when he set career-highs in goals (16) and points (34) in 36 contests. In his final campaign at Western Michigan, Passolt tallied 28 points on eight goals and a career-high 20 assists en route to helping the Broncos to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship game as well as earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The 6-foot, 195-pound forward also helped WMU earn the program’s first NCAA Tournament win with a 2-1 victory in overtime over Northeastern on March 25.
Passolt joins the organization after appearing in six games with the Cincinnati Cyclones last season, where he scored his first professional point with a second-period tally on April 15 against Indy.
Josh Passolt is a Maple Grove native who played for five years at Western Michigan and recently signed professionally in the AHL.
PHOTO COURTEYS OF RHONDA PASSOLT
PHF announces new salary disclosure policy
2022-23 Contracts Introduce Options to Support Players and Provide Greater Transparency
BOSTON, MA – (July 21, 2022) – The Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) today announced details for a new salary disclosure policy created in partnership with the PHF Players’ Association that applies to all signed player contracts for the 2022-23 season. The policy gives players the option to allow for their salary to be disclosed publicly by their team and the PHF when signing their standard player agreements. The introduction of this new policy is part of the PHF’s ongoing commitment to supporting its players and providing greater transparency.
“This is another important step forward in the PHF’s growth and development and reflects the collaboration we value between League leadership, our athletes, the Players’ Association, the Board of Governors, and General Managers,” said Reagan Carey, PHF Commissioner. “The PHF’s new era is driven by our commitment to provide enhanced professional opportunities for women’s hockey players that includes historic salary cap increases. We are excited to add another layer of growth and transparency to our League operations and to continue to prioritize player autonomy. This policy supports all athletes equally and without any pressure or influence towards those who may choose to disclose their salaries, or anybody who may feel that confidentiality is in their best interest.”
The salary cap for the 2022-23 PHF season is a record $750,000 per team. For the first time in PHF history, players can come to terms on two-year agreements through the 2023-24 season and may also receive signing bonuses up to 10 percent of their total contract value. As part of the salary disclosure policy, a consent form accompanies all standard player agreements for players to sign, and was also distributed to all players who had previously signed contracts before the implementation of the policy. The forms consist of options to disclose length of contract, estimated average annual value of the contract, and signing bonus (if applicable), each at the athlete’s personal discretion. The forms also provide players the option for no salary information to be disclosed. Salary disclosure is activated by a mutual agreement between the player and their team. Once the player and team signatures are secured, the contract information may be shared by the player, team, and the PHF.
“The Players’ Association goals are centered on our core values of educating, empowering, and advocating for PHF athletes,” said Nicole Corriero, Executive Director of the PHF Players’ Association. “We thoroughly discussed this issue among our player reps to canvas all potential benefits and drawbacks from the player’s perspective, and are encouraged by the collaborative process with Reagan and the League that led to this outcome. Transparency of salaries can help set industry benchmarks and assist others with their own negotiation process, however every player’s experience and circumstance is unique, and it is understood and appreciated that not everyone wants nor benefits from disclosing personal information. We wanted to work with the League on a policy that encourages and respects both of these mutually important considerations, and we’re pleased that the result of our collaboration provides options that may benefit all.”
To date, a total of 71 players have officially been announced by PHF teams as under contract for the 2022-23 season of which 18 have provided consent to disclose their salary information. Among them is Dominique Kremer of the Buffalo Beauts, the reigning PHF Defender of the Year. The 25-year-old from Napoleonville, Louisiana was the first signing announcement of the offseason with a historic two-year deal that earns an average annual value of $65,000 and included a signing bonus of $6,500.
“As the League continues to grow and move forward, I think it’s important that we take steps to emulate other professional sports leagues to show that the PHF is here to stay. One way to do that is by disclosing the monumental increases in salaries for PHF players,” said Kremer, who also serves as PA rep for the Beauts. “Not only does it prove to people that the PHF is striding towards making professional women’s hockey a full time career, but also gives that younger generation of girls something to work towards for their future. It’s a very exciting time for the League and women’s hockey, between record breaking salaries, multi-year contracts, the addition of health insurance, and a myriad of other opportunities, and I believe that the best is still yet to come.”
As PHF free agency continues, future player signing announcements by teams may include salary details in cases where the player has provided their consent to disclose that information. Competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits plan provided to all players distinguishes the PHF as a leader in professional women’s hockey and in the sports world.
Consent for PHF Salary Disclosure:
The following list represents players whose contracts have been announced as of July 21 and who have provided signed consent to disclose their salary information. All individual player requests to disclose personal salary information that have been submitted to date have been supported by each of their respective team general managers. Hannah Bates (CTW) $25,000
Ashleigh Brykaliuk (MIN) $45,000
Jonna Curtis (MIN) $50,000
Taylor Davison (TOR) $23,360
Emilie Harley (MET) $28,000
Tori Howran (CTW) $49,500 AAV
Carly Jackson (TOR) $29,375
Antonia Matzka (BUF) $22,000
Madi Nichols (BUF) $13,500
Liz Schepers (MIN) $45,000
Emma Vlasic (CTW) $36,000
Alyssa Wohlfeiler (CTW) $42,500
Emma Woods (TOR) $44,340
Taylor Woods (TOR) $31,145
All player contracts above are for the 2022-23 PHF season unless listed with AAV which means Average Annual Value and is applicable for two-year contracts through the 2023-24 PHF season.
About the Premier Hockey Federation
The PHF is the home of professional women’s hockey in North America. Established in 2015 as the National Women’s Hockey League, the NWHL rebranded to become the PHF in 2021 and provide opportunities for elite athletes to earn a living playing the game they love while fueling the continued growth of the sport. The league is made up of the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, Metropolitan Riveters, Minnesota Whitecaps, Montreal, and the Toronto Six who all compete annually for the Isobel Cup. For more information visit premierhockeyfederation.com.
For maintaining above a 3.75 GPA in each semester of the season, 56 from the Western Collegiate Hockey Association have been named to American Hockey Coaches Association academic honors as 2021-22 Krampade Division I All-American Scholars. In addition to their academic achievements, players had to appear in at least 40% of their team’s games, with an exception for injured players and back-up goaltenders. Of the 523 Division I honorees, the 56 WCHA honorees only trailed the 57 tabbed by the women of Hockey East across the nation’s five women’s hockey leagues. The 56 honorees skews from last season’s 81 honorees as the coaches association adopted a revised criteria for 2020-21 to include a 3.6 minimum GPA without a required benchmark of competition. This year’s list of WCHA honorees includes the Association’s 2021-22 Outstanding Student-Athlete of the year in Ohio State’s Sophie Jaques. The defender also earned special mention as she earned both All-American status both on and off the ice by the AHCA. For more information on the WCHA, follow the league on Twitter and Instagram at @wcha_whockey, and at the new wcha.com. Bemidji State
Paige Anderson
Abby DeLaRosa
Lindsey Featherstone
Hannah Hogenson
Reece Hunt
Taylor Larson
Graysen Myers
Taylor Nelson
Kayla Santl
Abbie Thompson
Claudia Verkerke
Minnesota Lauren Bench Peyton Hemp Maggie Nicholson Emily Oden Gracie Ostertag Audrey Wethington Madeline Wethington Minnesota Duluth Hanna Baskin Katie Davis Kylie Hanley Nina Jobst-Smith Jenna Lawry Anneke Linser Kailee Skinner Clara Van Wieren
Minnesota State Charlotte Akervik Claire Butorac Calla Frank Lyndsey Howard
Ohio State Madison Bizal Andrea Braendli Jenna Buglioni Emily Curlett Clair DeGeorge Jennifer Gardiner Sophie Jaques Paetyn Levis Sara Saekkinen Eve Savander Lexi Templeman
St. Cloud State Ellie Andersen Allie Cornelius Allison Green Kenzie Wylie
St. Thomas Maija Almich Luci Bianchi Maddy Clough Anna Erickson Emma Larson Allie Monrean Elvira Svensson
Wisconsin Kennedy Blair Grace Bowlby Kendra Nealey Casey O’Brien
Five players with NAHL ties taken in NHL draft
Minnesota Wilderness forward Barrett Hall was one of five players with NAHL ties taken in the 2022 NHL Draft.
The NAHL is pleased to announce that five players with NAHL ties were selected in the 2022 NHL Draft, which was held July 7-8 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec.
The five players was the most selected since 2019 when the NAHL had six players selected.
The first player selected was former Minnesota Wilderness forward Zam Plante, who was selected #150 overall in Round 5 by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Plante, 17, played in the NAHL for the Wilderness during the 2020-21 season. The University of Minnesota-Duluth commit also played the past two seasons for Hermantown High in Minnesota, where he put up 125 points in just 42 games played. Plante’s first career NAHL goal came on May 13, 2021 in a 6-2 win at Chippewa. He also spent time during the 2021-22 season in the USHL with the Chicago Steel.
The next player taken was Minnesota Wilderness forward Barrett Hall, who was selected #164 overall in the 6th round by the Seattle Kraken.
Hall, 18, spent this past season playing in the NAHL for the Wilderness and recorded 20 points (5 goals, 15 assists) in 19 regular season games. He also posted five points in nine Robertson Cup Playoff games. On June 8, 2022, Hall announced his commitment to play NCAA Division I hockey for St. Cloud State University. He was one of only four Wilderness players to finish with a point-per-game average or better.
Hall’s time with the Wilderness was spent in two phases, as he played his final season of high school hockey with Gentry Academy in between. In 25 games with the Stars, Hall led all scorers with 55 points (25 goals/30 assists) in 25 games. His performance with Gentry also led to him being named one of ten finalists for Minnesota’s Mr. Hockey award, given annually to the state’s top senior high school hockey player.
Hall is also an alum of the NAPHL, having played briefly for the Madison Capitols 18U team during the 2019-20 season. He played in five NAPHL games and recorded one goal. Right after Hall, the next NAHL player to go was former Corpus Christi IceRays defenseman Hunter McDonald, who was taken #165 overall in the 6th round by the Philadelphia Flyers. McDonald, 20, played in the NAHL during the 2019-20 season for the IceRays. His first career NAHL goal came on March 6, 2020 in a 4-3 loss at New Mexico. Hall, who is committed to play NCAA Division I hockey at Northeastern University, spent the remainder of his junior career in the USHL with Omaha and Chicago.
At pick #169 overall in the 6th round, the Los Angeles Kings selected former former Minot Minotauros forward Jared Wright.
Wright, 19, played in the NAHL for the Minotauros during the 202021 season. Prior to that he also played high school hockey in Minnesota for St. Thomas Academy. The Colgate University recruit played for the Omaha Lancers in the USHL this past season, recording 34 points in 59 games played.
The final NAHL player that was selected was former Minot Minotauros forward Ben Strinden, who was taken #210 overall in the 7th round by the Nashville Predators. Strinden, 20, was originally an NAPHL tender for the Minotauros and made his NAHL debut on November 19, 2019, where he also scored a goal in a 4-3 win at the Wilderness.
Strinden also played in the NAPHL for two seasons for the Northstar Knights, where he had 25 points in 21 NAPHL games and also put up nine points in six Dixon Cup Playoff games. Strinden played in the USHL with Muskegon this past season, putting up 56 points in 61 games.
Player Retention Tips
The easiest way to find out what is important to your families is to ask. And with all of the technology available, it is easy to do a quick survey to find out. We have surveyed many of our customers and have some consistent nuggets of information. Tip 1: Focus on Your Coaches The coach is one of the important factors in the players’ youth sports experience. How many times did you hear a player say, “I didn’t like the coach”. While we can say that the parents are to blame or make some other excuse, the coach is important. From our Club Switching Survey: 60% of the respondents said that they left a club because they didn’t like the coach. Tip 2: Over Communicate When players and families receive communication from the coach or club admin, it means something. The more you communicate the better. It keeps your club top of mind too. From our Youth Sports Tech Report: 93% of our respondents said that they want technology that gives them the ability to communicate digitally between players, coaches and parents. And they want coaches to interact with players and families regularly – not just at practice. Tip 3: Focus on Player Development Parents and players want to know that they are getting better over time. The best way to do that is focus on your training. From our Youth Sports Tech Report: 70% of the respondents said that it was important to have a good player evaluation platform tool, and more than 75% wanted evals that are both qualitative (subjective) and quantitative (objective). Summary Player retention matters but how to keep it matters the most. Provide the best value for your players and families. This means ensuring that players improve over time. Track their progress, evaluate players, focus on training plans and make sure you have the best coaches.
WCHA FInal Faceoff to remain at Ridder
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is excited to announce that the 2023 and 2024 WCHA Final Faceoff championship tournaments are set to remain at the campus of the University of Minnesota and iconic Ridder Arena. The host site for the next two-year championship cycle was made following a vetting process and recommendation by the league’s staff and a vote of approval by the WCHA Board of Directors. Annually the premier conference tournament in women’s college hockey, the WCHA Final Faceoff weekend has evolved into a celebration of the sport’s past, present, and future by featuring the nation’s top programs and players. The 2023 event, scheduled for March 3-4 at Ridder Arena, welcomes fans of top women’s hockey back to its central location, in addition to continuing to provide top-notch accommodations for WCHA teams. The 2022 Final Faceoff at Ridder Arena featured four programs ranked in the top10 in the country, in Minnesota, Wisconsin, national runner-up Minnesota Duluth, and the eventual 2022 National Champion Ohio State. Fans in attendance saw some of the nation’s best hockey, along with the top-3 finalists for the 2022 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award competing on the ice in Taylor Heise (Minnesota), Gabbie Hughes (Minnesota Duluth), and Sophie Jaques (Ohio State). A storied building of history and league ties, the WCHA is excited to remain at Ridder Arena through the 2024 tournament, where a celebration of 25 years of WCHA women’s hockey will take place. The country’s first-ever facility built specifically for women’s hockey in the country, Ridder Arena is home to the seven-time National Champion University of Minnesota Golden Gopher Women’s Hockey program. Since its opening in 2002, Ridder Arena has been a 15-time host of WCHA Championships (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022), a regular host for NCAA Regionals, and has been the place to drop the puck on Frozen Fours (2010, 2013, 2015, 2018, and upcoming 2025).
