Calgary Hockey Magazine Spring Edition 2018 by Suggitt Publishers

SPRING 2018

FEATURING:

Gold Medal Winners from 2018 Esso Minor Hockey Week

RILEY SUTTER CARRYING ON A FAMILY TRADITION

TRAVIS HAMONIC MAKING AN IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY

S ' IT L L A OD O G GOOD HOCKEY GOOD TIMES GOOD PRICE

99 KIDS

STARTING AT

ADULTS

PLUS APPLICABLE FEES + TA XES

| SCORE TICKETS

CALGARY HOCKEY MAGAZINE | SPRING 2018

CONTENTS 14

FEATURE ON GOLD MEDAL WINNERS FROM 2018 ESSO CALGARY MINOR HOCKEY WEEK

Message from the Publisher of the Calgary Hockey Magazine

ARENA LOCATOR MAP

100 THINGS to Love About the NHL Right Now

21 TRAVIS HAMONIC Making an Impact in the Community

RILEY SUTTER The Family Tradition Continues

ELEVATING THE GAME The Rise of Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hockey from India to Calgary

ERIC FRANCIS Getting Paid to Watch Hockey is the Ultimate Dream Job

27 SPOTLIGHT ON AN OFFICIAL Ashwin Kaul

To those who

believe in pre-game rituals,

YOU ARE

ÂŠTim Hortons, 2016.

Message From

The Publisher Welcome to our final edition of the Calgary Hockey Magazine for the 2017-2018 season. In this issue, we have a feature interview with Riley Sutter, who grew up in Calgary, and currently plays for the Everett Silvertips in the WHL. Riley is expected to be the highest drafted Alberta-born player in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Riley feels he emulates his father Ron’s style of play – a strong two-way forward with incredible work ethic. We are also pleased to feature Calgary Flames defenseman Travis Hamonic, who was traded from the New York Islanders last summer. Hamonic has not only been a big hit on the ice but he is also making an impact in the community. Following in the Flames strong tradition of community support, Hamonic and his wife Stephanie have brought the ‘D-Partner’ program to Calgary, a program which offers support to children, who have lost a parent. Another person with strong community efforts is journalist/ broadcaster Eric Francis, from the Calgary Sun and Calgary Herald. Francis is also a weekly analyst on Sportsnet 960 and an intermission analyst for Calgary Flames home games on Sportsnet West. Francis is a big supporter of Kidsport, and his “Pizza Pigout” raises between $70,000 to $90,000 every year towards this important cause. We have an inspiring article on Haley Wickenheiser’s endeavour to bring female hockey players from India to Calgary for the 2018 Wickenheiser World Female Hockey Festival (“Wickfest”). Wickenheiser has done this before with players from Mexico and China, and her next plan is to bring in players from Belfast, Ireland in 2019. Rounding out this edition, we have a fun submission from Luke Fox at Sportsnet: the top 100 things he likes about the current game, from the quirky to the cool. That’s all for this issue. With the hockey season winding down, we would like to wish all the participants a great off-season and look forward to seeing everyone back on the ice in a few short months!

CREDITS President and Publisher // Rob Suggitt Art Director // Christine Kucher Graphic Designers Cailey Buxton | Katelyn Suggitt Contributing Writers Jeremy Freeborn // Rob Suggitt // Shannon Cleary Cover Photo Provided By Rob Moses Photography Copy Editing Shari Narine Photography Credits Brad Watson - Calgary Flames Batul Kapasi Chris Mast - Everett Silvertips Gerry Thomas - Calgary Flames Hayley Wickenheiser India YYC Initiative Rob Moses Photography SC Parker Photography Sports Illustrated Sales Associate Lynn Schuster Administration Amber Grmek The Hockey Magazine is a product of Playhouse Publications Ltd. - an affiliate of Suggitt Ltd. President & CEO // Tom Suggitt President & CFO // Rob Suggitt 10177 - 105 Street, Edmonton AB T5J 1E2 Ph: 780.423.5834 // Fax: 780.413.6185 All Rights Reserved. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed within do not necessarily represent the opinions of the publisher or Calgary Hockey. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, ie. electronic, mechanical, photocopied or otherwise recorded without the prior written permission of the publisher - www.suggitt.com Printed By R.R. Donnelley

Sincerely,

Rob Suggitt Publisher of the

Calgary Hockey Magazine Calgary Hockey Magazine | 5

HAMONIC TRAVIS HAMONIC HAMONIC HAMONIC BY JEREMY FREEBORN

PHOTO PROVIDED BY GERRY THOMAS | CALGARY FLAMES

MAKING

AN IMPACT

HAMONIC IN THE COMMUNITY

6 | Calgary Hockey Magazine

“

PHOTO (RIGHT) PROVIDED BY SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

I think the real thing that should and has been profiled is the sum of all our work that we do together to help a lot of people in need

“

- Travis Hamonic

When the Calgary Flames acquired Travis Hamonic and a future fourth round draft pick from the New York Islanders on June 24 (in a trade that saw the Islanders receive a first round draft pick in 2018, and two second round picks), the Flames knew they were getting an elite defenseman. Hamonic would be joining an experienced Flames blueline that already included Captain Mark Giordano, T.J. Brodie and Dougie Hamilton. In an exclusive interview for Hockey Magazine Calgary, Hamonic said he was thrilled to join the Flames organization. “It’s awesome,” he said. “From the day I was traded until now, it’s been really good. My family has been treated great by everybody in the organization. It is a unique thing to be playing on a team like this. It means a lot.” Hamonic has been able to fit in with the Flames and not just on the ice. Only in his first season with the Flames, he is already making an impact in the community, following in the Flames strong tradition of making a difference with programs that are supported by the Flames Foundation. Hamonic and his wife Stephanie have brought the ‘D-Partner’ program from Travis’s time with the New York Islanders to Calgary. The program is for children who have lost a parent. The child is given four tickets to a Flames game in the lower bowl, a D-Partner t-shirt and an opportunity to meet Hamonic after the game. “I have kept in communication with a lot of the families,” said Hamonic. “It is a pretty gratifying thing to see a smile on their faces. I get a lot out of the program as well.” On Oct. 6, the day before the Flames regular season home opener against the Winnipeg Jets, MEG Energy announced it would be a sponsor for the initiative.

“I am super appreciative of their help. To have a company like that take the reins and be a sponsor means a lot. It is a program that is close to my heart and has affected me a lot. It has been good so far,” said Hamonic. The program is personal for Hamonic, a native of St. Malo, Manitoba. When Travis was - 10 years old, his father Gerald died of a heart attack on Sept. 15, 2000. Gerald was only 44 years of age. In Travis’s early years playing minor hockey in Manitoba, Gerald was the president of St. Malo minor hockey at the time of his death. Travis had a special bond with his father because there was a large age gap between him and his three older siblings. In an interview with the New York Post on Oct. 15, 2014, Hamonic told Brett Cyrgalis, “He was my superhero. He was someone who I felt more safe with in this world than anyone could imagine.” In a feature for ESPN, Hamonic said, “When you’re 10 years old, you are still trying to comprehend what is going on, what is not going on, what is real and what is not real. You are in shock.” Hamonic’s mother sold the family farm and the family moved to Winnipeg where his mother became a nurse. Hamonic played minor hockey in Winnipeg before joining the Western Hockey League in 2007, where he played for the Moose Jaw Warriors and Brandon Wheat Kings. He was the Islanders second round draft pick, 58th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Calgary Hockey Magazine | 7

Here’s to over one million hockey dreams. Proud supporter of one million kids. And counting. Through our support of community hockey, we’ve given over a million kids the chance to play our nation’s game. That’s a million kids dreaming big hockey dreams. And it’s only the beginning. www.scotiabank.com

When Hamonic speaks with families, he tries to share a lot of his experiences. He also tries to have the families share their own experiences, and keeps the conversations private. As a teenager, he admits he was quiet and did not open up about his father’s death. The D-Partner program is currently in its seventh season, but the first season in Calgary. While with the Islanders, Hamonic spent more than $50,000 hosting participants at Islanders home games. This past June at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas, he was the recipient of the NHL Foundation Player Award, the same award that Flames defenseman Mark Giordano won in 2016. “It was important. It wasn’t important for me, but it is important as players in the NHL we do those things. It is an award for guys who do great charity work and there are so many guys in the league. It could really go to anybody. I think the real thing that should and has been profiled is the sum of all our work that we do together to help a lot of people in need,” said Hamonic. “I try to help out as many people as I can. It is your duty as a citizen to be a good person. It is a double edge sword. The more people I am helping, the better. But it also means that there are people dying as well and children are going parentless. From that aspect, it is tough.” In addition to the D-Partner Program, Hamonic has started the “Northern Project” for the 2017-18 National Hockey League season. This program has special meaning for Hamonic because he is of Metis descent. At the time of print, Hamonic planned to fly one Indigenous family from all three Canadian territories to a Flames game this season. The family gets a tour of the Scotiabank Saddledome, an opportunity to meet the Flames in the dressing room and get autographs, to fist-bump the Flames as they head to the ice for their pre-game warmup. Their expenses are paid for by Hamonic. For the family from Nunavut, it took them 2,300 kilometres and five separate flights to travel to Calgary. The children were nominated by Hockey North (governing body for ice hockey in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories), with the lucky family receiving a phone call of congratulations from Travis and Stephanie. This past summer, Hamonic also helped out in a hockey camp where Canada’s top First Nations hockey prospects got exposure in front of junior hockey scouts. Hamonic might be new to the Calgary Flames this season, but he is not new to the NHL. He played 444 regular season games with the Islanders from 2010 to 2017 and had 26 goals and 120 assists for 146 points. Over seven seasons with the Islanders he has had 857 hits and 880 blocked shots.

“

PHOTO PROVIDED BY BRAD WATSON | CALGARY FLAMES Hamonic is known for his physical play and determination to do whatever it takes to help the Flames win. However, it is the intangible qualities that the Flames coaching staff seem to like the most about him. “Travis Hamonic is a leader in our locker room,” said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan. “He’s probably been more vocal than most of our guys on the bench during games. We got a great defenseman and a good leader, too.” On the international stage, Hamonic won a gold medal for Canada at the 2008 World Under-18 championships in Kazan, Russia. He was on an amazing Canadian team that included Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall, Jake Allen, Matt Duchene, Cody Hodgson, Brayden Schenn, Tyler Myers and Ryan Ellis, and coached by the legendary Pat Quinn. Two years later, Hamonic won a silver medal for Canada at the 2010 World Junior Hockey Championship in Saskatoon and in 2013, he was the youngest defenseman invited to the Team Canada Olympic Orientation Camp in Calgary as Hockey Canada prepared for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.

I try to help out as many people I can. It is your duty as a citizen to be a good person.

While playing in the NHL, Travis stays close to his father. He writes his father’s name on the nob of his stick, his father’s name is tattooed on one arm, and a tractor is tattooed on his left bicep. Before every game starts, he looks to the northeast corner of the stadium because that is where his father would watch him play. The quality work Hamonic exemplifies off the ice says a lot about his outstanding character. Now he is ready to help take the Flames to the next level and try and secure a playoff spot for the second consecutive season.

Calgary Hockey Magazine | 9

“

The Kidney Foundation of Canada, WHL and REMAX have joined together to promote organ donation in Canada. Your WHL team is suiting up with Don Cherry to promote organ donation. Check out the Don Cherry Bobbleheads, a special Upper Deck hockey card, and Don Cherry team sweater auction. Learn more about what your team is planning and organ donation at CanadaDonates.ca

Edmonton Oil Kings Friday March 2, 2018

Victoria Royals Friday March 9, 2018

Kamloops Blazers Friday March 2, 2018

Kelowna Rockets Saturday March 10, 2018

Medicine Hat Tigers Saturday March 3, 2018

Red Deer Rebels Saturday March 10, 2018

Prince George Cougars Saturday March 3, 2018

Saskatoon Blades Saturday March 10, 2018

Swift Current Broncos Saturday March 3, 2018

LEARN MORE VISIT:

CanadaDonates.ca

FAMILY

TRADITION CONTINUES

with

RILEY SUTTER BY JEREMY FREEBORN

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CHRIS MAST EVERETT SILVERTIPS

Calgary Hockey Magazine | 11

“

it is actually pretty special to have people to look up to for support. there is definitely not a shortage of family and friends i can lean on if i ever need advice or someone to talk to.

The newest Sutter on the hockey scene is Riley Sutter of the Everett Silvertips. The son of Ron, Riley is the highest projected player from Alberta to be selected in the 2018 National Hockey League Entry Draft. The Calgary native, who plays right wing, is known more as a defensive forward. He believes he has improved his overall play in his own zone significantly during his time in the Western Hockey League. As far as following in the footsteps of his family’s strong hockey tradition, Riley relishes the opportunity, which he doesn’t believe brings any pressure with it. “It is actually pretty special to have people to look up to for support,” said Riley in a January interview. “There is definitely not a shortage of family and friends I can lean on if I ever need advice or someone to talk to.”

12 | Calgary Hockey Magazine

“

As far back as I remember watching hockey, there has always been a Sutter in the National Hockey League as a player, coach, scout or general manager. The Sutter family, from Viking, Alberta, has played instrumental roles on the teams they have represented over the years.

Riley thinks he emulates his father Ron the most when it comes to style of play. However, he does not remember watching him play as he was only a year and half when Ron retired from the NHL. Still, his relationship with his father is strong. “He is always giving me feedback,” said Riley. “Even on an off day, he is my biggest supporter.” Riley also gives high praise to his cousin Brandon Sutter (son of Brent), who plays for the Vancouver Canucks. “I think he is a great two-way forward,” said Riley. “He is a good leader, strong on face-offs, and is a good all-around player, and he is even a better player off the ice. So, I try to model myself after him.” Riley got involved in the game of hockey at an early age. He was frequently on the rink with his parents and sisters before playing minor hockey in Midnapore. He then played for the Calgary Bantam AA Wranglers, the Calgary Bantam AAA Bisons, the Calgary Minor Midget AAA Rangers and the Calgary Midget AAA Buffaloes. It was with the Bisons and Rangers that Riley had notable offensive success playing minor hockey in Calgary.

In 2013-14 with the Bisons, he had 12 goals and 24 assists for 36 points in 26 games. In 2014-15, he had 18 goals and 23 assists for 41 points in 30 games. In 2014, Riley’s life changed significantly when he was drafted in the sixth round by the Silvertips in the Western Hockey League. He would leave Calgary and move to the United States, where he joined the Everett Silvertips, in a city 47 minutes north of Seattle. On the day of the WHL Draft, Riley remembers being at school in Calgary. He was constantly refreshing his phone and was told by a friend that he was drafted by Everett during gym class. In his first two seasons in Everett, Riley played for former NHL head coach Kevin Constantine. He said Constantine helped him with his game. “Coming out of midget I wasn’t the most defensive player,” he said. “Kevin taught me a lot about how to play in the defensive zone and how to be hard to play against on both ends of the ice. He was very strict but was a fair coach, and I was very grateful to be coached by him.” With Constantine’s assistance, Riley’s two-way play is now something he considers a strength. “I feel like I am just a good two-way forward,” he said. “I feel like I am strong in face-offs and have a good play-making ability.”

“With my dad, I always had the chance to go down and hang around the players which was pretty special,” said Riley. “Among the players I looked up to during that time was Dion Phaneuf and Jarome Iginla. It was cool to be in the (dressing) room with them and I had a chance to skate with them. After practice, I had the chance to shoot pucks on Jamie McLennan. Those were definitely some memories I would never forget.” Riley is trying to be faster on the ice. Having worked with a power skating coach over the last two summers, he believes he has made improvements when it comes to his overall speed, but that is still one area of his game he could be better at. Family and friends are extremely important to him, which is something Riley said NHL scouts need to know about him. He believes if he didn’t have his family and friends, he wouldn’t have had a chance to play hockey. “I am very grateful and honoured to have the family and friends that I do,” he said. “They are very special.” Time will tell if another Sutter will join the National Hockey League. There is no doubt that the Sutter hockey playing family members of Ron, Rich, Brent, Brian, Darryl, Duane, Brett, Merrick, Brandon, Brody, Luke and Shaun will be keeping a close eye on Riley for years to come.

Riley’s primary focus in 2017-18 (his third season with the Silvertips) is to win a Memorial Cup. The Silvertips have never been to a Memorial Cup in their franchise history since joining the WHL in 2003. However, this season, the Silvertips are a legitimate contender. They are led by goaltender Carter Hart of Sherwood Park, who won a World Junior Hockey Championship with Canada this past January, and left wingers Patrick Bajkov of Nanaimo, British Columbia, and Matt Fonteyne of Wetaskiwin, Alberta, who are both averaging more than a point per game. Hart and Riley are roommates this season in Everett. “He is very dedicated,” said Riley. “On and off the ice he is very focused when it comes to practice or the games. He likes to have fun, and I get to see another side of him that probably a lot of people don’t get to see. He is very motivated, works very hard and takes it very seriously.” Riley is excited about the transactions the Silvertips made this season. The most significant trade was made prior to the WHL trade deadline on Jan. 7 when the Silvertips acquired centre Garrett Pilon and defenseman Ondrej Vala from the Kamloops Blazers. Pilon was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the third round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft and led the Blazers in scoring at the time of the trade (44 points in 39 games). Vala meanwhile represented the Czech Republic at the 2018 World Junior Hockey Championship. Even though the Calgary Flames have had three of Riley’s uncles (Brian, Darryl and Brent) coach the Flames since 1997 and have had Darryl as the Flames general manager from 2003 to 2010, it should be noted that Ron has been an employee of the Flames since 2000. His first year with the Flames in 200001, Ron played 21 games in his final NHL regular season. That was followed by nine years as a scout, one year as the Flames development coach in 2010-11, and the last seven seasons as the Flames Director of Player Development. Ron’s longevity with the Flames has given Riley an opportunity to practice with the team in the past.

Don’t throw it away, Keep it in play!

COMPOSITE

STICK REPAIR

CONTACT: MICHAEL FARMER

Integral Hockey Calgary SE & Foothills

Phone: 403-465-2032

mfarmer@integralhockey.com

www.integralhockeySEcalgary.com

A REVOLUTIONARY HOLLOW CARBON FIBRE PROCESS UTILIZING AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY

Drop Off Locations Oilfields Arena (@ Diamond Edge Sharpening), Black Diamond: 403-933-5511

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Calgary Hockey Magazine | 13

GOLD MEDAL WINNERS FROM 2018 ESSO

MINOR HOCKEY WEEK JOSHUA MOSES

[ FEATURED ON THE COVER ]

Joshua Moses currently plays goalie for the Novice Saints-Hawks. He has played hockey for 4 years and is in grade 3. His favourite hockey player is Carey Price, goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens, which also happens to be Joshua’s favourite team. Off the ice, Joshua’s role model is his dad. In addition to hockey, Joshua also enjoys playing soccer. His favourite hockey memory is winning gold at Esso Minor Hockey Week. Congratulations to you and your team on the gold medal, Joshua! (A big thanks goes out to Joshua’s father, Rob, for supplying us with some spectacular photos!)

14 | Calgary Hockey Magazine

BOHDAN GOODYEAR Bohdan Goodyear, eight years old, currenly plays goalie for the Bow River Bruins Novice 4 Gold. He has played hockey for 4 years and is in grade 3. His favourite hockey team is the Montreal Canadiens and his favourite player is goaltender Carey Price. He also idolizes Hockey Hall of Famer, goaltender, Jacques Plante. When Bohdan is not playing hockey, he enjoys building Lego and playing Nintendo. His favourite hockey memory is when he scored his first goal. Congratulations to you and your team on the gold medal, Bohdan!

Calling Al l

GOLD MEDAL WINNERS If your child won a gold medal at the 2018 Esso Calgary Minor Hockey Week, we want to hear from you! Please complete the following questionnaire and send it in by September 12th, 2018, and your child could be featured in the next issue of the Official Calgary Hockey Magazine!

Name:

Age:

Current Team: Number of Years Played:

School Grade:

Usual Position: Favourite Hockey Team: Favourite Hockey Player: Who is your Role Model: Other Hobbies / Interests:

Send in completed entries, along with a photo (preferably in a hockey uniform) to:

Favourite Hockey Memory:

publisher@hockeymagazine.net

Calgary Hockey Magazine | 15

ARENA ADDRESSES 1.

Acadia Rec. Centre 240 - 90th Avenue SE

17.

SAIT Arena 1301 - 16th Avenue NW

Bowness Sportsplex 7904 - 43rd Avenue NW

10.

Frank McCool Arena 1900 Lake Bonavista Drive SE

18.

Sarcee Seven Chiefs Sportsplex 3700 Anderson Road SW

Brentwood Sportsplex 1520 Northmount Drive NW

11.

Jack Setters Arena 2020 - 69th Avenue SE

19.

Shouldice Arena 1515 Home Road NW

Cardel Recreation Centre South 333 Shawville Blvd SE #100

12.

Max Bell Centre 1001 Barlow Trail SE

20.

Stew Hendry / Henry Viney Arena 814 - 13 Avenue NE

Don Hartman North East Sportsplex 5206 - 68th Street NE

13.

Mount Pleasant Sportsplex 610 - 23rd Avenue NW

21.

Stu Peppard Arena 5300 - 19th Street SW

East Calgary Twin Arena Society 299 Erin Woods Drive SE

14.

Father David Bauer Olympic Arena 2424 University Drive NW

22.

Trico Centre 11150 Bonaventure Drive SE

Ed Whalen / Joseph Kryczka Arenas 2000 Southland Drive SW

15.

Optimist / George Blundun Arena 5020 - 26th Avenue SW

23.

Village Square Leisure Centre 2623 - 56th Street NE

Ernie Starr Arena 4808 - 14th Avenue SE

16.

Rose Kohn / Jimmie Condon Arena 502 Heritage Drive SW

24.

Westside Regional Rec. Centre 2000 - 69th Street SW

Flames Community Arenas 2390 - 47th Avenue SW

31st Great Year!

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Calgary Hockey Magazine | 17

100 BY LUKE FOX | SPORTSNET

Things to Love About the NHL Right Now

Sudden death overtime

The way Erik Karlsson skates, passes, does his hair

Watching warmups and taking note of which player goes off last for each team (also looking for who doesn’t wear a helmet because they want to be seen and/or enjoy the breeze through their hair)

Connor McDavid gathering steam around his own net with the puck on his tape

A couple days after a club’s elimination when you hear the long list of the injuries players were pushing through

No one wanting to block Shea Weber’s shot

Sticking up for one another

Drew Doughty interviews

Goalies who try to score on the opposition’s empty net

Steve Yzerman winning at both playing and GM’ing

Endless bickering about who should be your team’s seventh defenceman or 12th forward

The Halley’s Comet that is the blockbuster one-for-one trade

David Poile (see 21 - P.K. Subban for Shae Webber in 2016)

BORING SEAN MONAHAN

Gary Bettman always getting booed whenever he appears publicly

Gary Bettman not caring one iota that he gets booed whenever he appears publicly

Zoomed-out photos of games with poor attendance

Zoomed-in photos of sweaty, intense faces about to take a face-off

Tyler Seguin and Mark Scheifele’s paper-rock-scissors battles

That the winning captain, not the team owner, is the first person to touch the Stanley Cup

Tumbling down a CapFriendly.com rabbit hole

Going for the Gordie Howe hat trick

Goalie fights

Claude Giroux creating from the wall

Goalie controversies

Patrik Laine’s release

Goals from centre ice

Under-rated Evgeni Malkin considering leaving Sid and the Penguins but deciding to stick around anyway

Goal songs, good team ones and individual ones (Flames: Righteous Smoke by Monster Truck)

Mic’d-up refs

That guys with names like Dit Clapper still hold scoring records

Two full minutes of 5-on-3

18 | Calgary Hockey Magazine

The unbelievable excitement of 3-on-3 overtime

The three stars of the night

That night Auston Matthews hit ’em with the four (scored four goals in his NHL debut game)

When the singer holds the mic away from his or her mouth, lets the crowd sing “O Canada” and still gets paid

John Tortorella press conferences (bonus if he says “Brooksie”)

Completely unimaginative but so-fun-to-say nicknames

Hordes of grown men buying those Budweiser goal lights that sync up with their TVs

Head coaches that take time to explain

That every member of a championship team, even trainers and assistant coaches, gets a summer day alone with the Cup

Head coaches with no time to explain

Bob Cole trying to describe everything that’s happening

When they go to the Olympics

Doc Emrick’s vocabulary

The off-the-board draft pick that sends us all scrambling to Google

The undrafted star everyone missed

The Flying V (hockey formation used in “the mighty ducks” has actually been tested, and it proves successful.)

JAMES VAN RIEMSDYK NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT MOUTH GUARDS ARE FOR

Alex Ovechkin waiting for the one-timer

Cheeky shootout moves

58 42

Joe Thornton generally not giving an eff

Team Twitter battles

That you have to buy a guy something if you’re new to the team and want his sweater number

Trade rumours outnumbering actual trades by a ratio of about 45 to 1

HARNARAYAN SINGH’S PASSION & PERSEVERANCE

BEARDS: PLAYOFF & LIFESTYLE

HOCKEY HUGS

The unmistakable sound of a puck hitting a post

Unfair bounces

Mark Stone stealing your puck when you least expect it

Ceremonial puck drops

Commentators planted between the benches

The Tampa Bay Lightning‘s game presentation

Retired numbers watching bird’s-eye from the rafters

Calgary Hockey Magazine | 19

Press box snacks, and the hockey writers who passionately rate them

New arenas putting the home team’s logo on the dressing room ceiling instead of the floor

That moment between when a penalty shot is called and when a penalty shot takes place

“Last minute to play in the third period!”

Throwback jerseys

Scrambling-for-a-last-minute-emergency-goalie stories

Chirps

Sidney Crosby’s insatiable desire to win despite already winning everything

JAROMIR JAGR’S IMMORTALITY (AND THE ‘TRAVELLING JAGRS’ WHO FOLLOW HIM)

THAT TIME THAT PHIL KESSEL FILLED THE STANLEY CUP WITH HOT DOGS AND ATE THEM (ALL?)

Doug Glatt (played by Sean William Scott in “Goon”, and sports the number 69.)

Braden Holtby’s pre-game routine

Quiet Joe Sakic shutting everyone up

When tanking backfires

Offer sheets (extinct)

Insiders

The Pittsburgh model

When fake insiders get accidentally retweeted by real reporters

Five minutes of Timbits shinny during intermission

Steven Stamkos coming back stronger

The moment Don Cherry realizes he’s running out of time

Must-win games (but only the literal ones)

Ron MacLean’s dedication to the pun as a form of comedy

Gene Principe’s dedication to the pun as a form of comedy

Patrick Sharp still using thin shoulder pads that are about 23 years old and falling apart and gross

Jokes about the Columbus Blue Jackets’ cannon

Brainstorming a nickname for your freshly drafted fantasy team

Pucks in shallow (which result in an odd-man rush the other way)

Owning own-goals

Game-time decisions

Handshake lines

Wayne Gretzky mentoring Connor McDavid

EVGENY KUZNETSOV CELEBRATING GOALS LIKE A BIRD

100 Finished checks

20 | Calgary Hockey Magazine

Game 7 of the Stanley Cup playoffs

ELEVATING

THE GAME

The rise of women’s hockey

from India to Calgary BY SHANNON CLEARY

Stanzin Zangmo: The first ever Indian woman to play hockey

At 3,500 meters above sea level, nestled between the Kunlun Mountains and the Great Himalayas, the sparsely populated region of Ladakh in northern India might be the unlikeliest place to find an all-female hockey league. But there you’ll find the Ladakh Women Ice Hockey Foundation (LWIHF), a league that began with hand-me-down equipment and a rink made by the players’ own hands. It now supports a hundred or so young hockey players and has produced India’s first national women’s team. Noor Jahan, goaltender for India’s women’s team, started the foundation with a group of women in 2015. She began playing hockey a few years earlier, despite the objection of her parents and mocking of her peers, with a pair of skates borrowed from an older male cousin. Eventually more girls joined Jahan, finding joy and independence on the ice during Ladakh’s short winter season. The women took shifts flooding and maintaining the ice each night, transforming their mountain lake into an outdoor rink. The LWIHF was born, with two important goals in mind: to empower girls and to play some hockey. Those goals also belong to one of Canada’s most decorated Olympians, Hayley Wickenheiser. So it’s no surprise that when she learned the inspiring story of the women in Ladakh, she was immediately invested. “I saw a feature on them and just said, ‘Hey, we should do something with these guys,’” said Wickenheiser. “We should get them to WickFest.” A plan took shape. The Calgary minor hockey community, Calgary and Vancouver Punjabi communities, and a growing list of supporters and sponsors created the India 2 YYC Initiative to bring the girls of Ladakh to Calgary for the 2018 Canadian Tire Wickenheiser World Female Hockey Festival (WickFest).

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WickFest, approaching its ninth year, is an annual event that takes place in Calgary every November. The event is not only a tournament but also a celebration—of hockey, of working hard, of females in sport. And one of its main goals, says Wickenheiser, is to make the game more accessible to non-traditional hockey nations. “Through the game of hockey you can give girls opportunities they wouldn’t have otherwise,” said Wickenheiser. “This is a way to prop these girls up and say, “‘Now, we believe in you.’”

Referring to the girls in Ladakh, who are defying cultural norms, he said, “Their life would be totally different if they weren’t playing a sport.” In October, the Calgary Hitmen hosted a Diwali-themed women’s night, featuring an intermission performance by Calgary’s Nachda Punjab Bhangra Academy. Joining the group was the Calgary Fire—Girls Hockey Calgary’s elite bantam and midget program— which has been involved in the initiative from the beginning.

In 2015, WickFest invited and mentored an all-female team from Mexico, who Wickenheiser said were talented skaters but completely under-supported. Their journey to WickFest kicked off a thrilling qualification run for the Mexican women’s team, who fell just short of attending the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang. Forward Claudia Tellez, who now plays for the Calgary Inferno, became the first Mexican-born player to be drafted in the CWHL. WickFest’s 2017 tournament included two teams from Harbin, China, in the PeeWee division, one of which won the division title. And an all-female team from Belfast, Northern Ireland, is currently on the radar for 2019. “It’s incredibly exciting and personally gratifying that we’re able to reach out around the world and impact girls lives outside of our little bubble here in Canada,” said Wickenheiser. It would be difficult to find a place further from the bubble than northern India. The India 2 YYC Initiative estimates that it would take approximately $200,000 to bring two teams from India to Calgary. In September of last year, the initiative organized a fundraising gala, G.L.O.W. (Girls Light Our World), featuring several high-profile supporters such as Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi broadcaster Harnarayan Singh. At the event, Singh called hockey “the great equalizer.”

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Hayley Wickenheiser and Stanzin Zangmo Photo provided by Haley Wickenheiser

Photo by Batul Kapasi - From left to right: Semzes Dolma, Stanzin Zangmo, Disket C Angmo, Rinchen Dolma, Noor Jahan, Tashi Dolker, Skalzang Putit, Kunzes Angmo & Tsewang Chorol

“

It’s incredibly exciting and personally gratifying that

“I like to say that you can always tell a country’s social stance on women by the way they treat their female athletes,” she said.

we’re able to reach out

around the world and impact girls lives outside of our little

“

bubble here in Canada

And in January of this year, a group representing the initiative, including Wickenheiser, retired NHLer Andrew Ferrence, organizer Bindy Dulay, and corporate and NGO representatives—traveled to Ladakh to see the women’s story for themselves. They arrived with an enormous delivery of hockey equipment supplied by the NHL Player’s Association, and an agenda that included on and office sessions for all ages and abilities. While the players in Ladakh were excited for the chance to skate with one of the game’s greats, Wickenheiser said the initiative is so much more than that. “I look at it more as a human rights story than a hockey story,” said Wickenheiser. She said that sports give girls the opportunity to be leaders, to give back to their communities, and to advocate for themselves in what is often a male-dominated environment.

India’s women’s team, composed mostly of players from Ladakh, made their international debut in 2016 at the IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia in Chinese Taipei. Even though the team recorded straight losses, Noor Jahan was named the tournament’s best goaltender. For Jahan, one of the sweetest rewards of the experience was skating on smooth, indoor ice for the first time—a sensation, she describes, like skating on “butter.” Increased national and international attention led to some successful crowd funding, and the team raised enough money to train in Kyrgyzstan before the 2017 Challenge Cup of Asia in Thailand. There, they earned their first win with a victory over the Philippines. Their upcoming visit to Calgary will be the first time the women will set foot in Canada, an experience that Wickenheiser predicts will be exciting and emotional for everyone involved. One that she hopes will continue to empower these women when they return to India. “The way we look at women in hockey in this country has come a long way,” said Wickenhesier. “And I would hope that we can have that rub off on other countries around the world.”

For more information, visit:

www.india2yyc.com Calgary Hockey Magazine | 23

ERIC FRANCIS GETTING PAID TO WATCH HOCKEY IS THE ULTIMATE DREAM JOB BY JEREMY FREEBORN There is no doubt that Eric Francis has had a significant impact in the Calgary media scene over the last two decades. What makes Francis unique is that he has excelled in covering the National Hockey League in all three traditional media (newspaper, radio and television). His constant positive character deserves high praise in an industry where there is heavy criticism for controversial opinions and viewpoints. Prior to coming to Calgary in 1994, Francis covered the University of Carleton Ravens men’s hockey team for his university newspaper. He originally covered the Calgary Stampeders for the Calgary Sun, and was given the hockey beat one year later. Francis was assigned the Calgary Flames, and for four years, the Calgary Hitmen. “I can’t believe I have been in this business for over 20 years,” he said. “I still remember coming here on a three month probation when I was hired. I prayed to God that I would make it through the three months.” Francis has had opportunities to leave Calgary, which he has turned down. His love and appreciation for the city is that deep. In recent years, he has had the chance to coach his son in minor hockey. “The way I have always described Calgary since I moved here in 1994 is that I got in on a good stock tip early,” he said. “It has really paid off huge dividends ever since. Calgary is a city of tremendous entrepreneurship, which is something that is dear to my heart. It is a city that is pretty hardy, gone through some tough times, but always seems to be resilient and bounce back. It was a young, growing city, and I found that so intoxicating. I knew within six months of moving here that I would be here for the rest of my life.” Francis feels fortunate to work as a regular columnist of the Calgary Flames for the Calgary Sun and Calgary Herald (Postmedia), a weekly analyst every Friday on Sportsnet 960 The Fan with Rob Kerr, and as an intermission analyst for Calgary Flames home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Sportsnet West. “I love what I do,” he said. “I feel I have the best job in the world. I get paid to watch hockey. I love all three (media) because at the end of the day, I get to talk sports and that is my passion. You are so lucky in this world if what you do for a living involves your passion.” Francis credits his mother, Diane Francis, as a major reason why he chose the journalism avenue.

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Eric Francis with son, Cole “When I was a youngster, I said to my mother, who is a journalist, that one day maybe I would like to be a hockey writer. As a kid I always read the newspaper and followed the Toronto Maple Leafs, and my favourite team, the Hartford Whalers. So she said, ‘You want to get paid to watch hockey?’ I just feel it is the greatest job in the world, because I know a lot of people would kill to do what I do.” Francis has been able to follow in the footsteps of his mother, who was not only a journalist, but one of the most iconic executives in the history of Canadian media. In 1991, she became the first female editor of a national daily newspaper in Canada when she was put in charge of the content for the Financial Post. Diane would remain in that role until 1998. Over the last two decades, she has been the Editor-at-Large for the National Post.

Eric Francis’s most memorable year watching hockey came in 2004. He says his top 10 moments covering the Flames came the year Calgary surprisingly advanced to the Stanley Cup final, and came a controversially-missed call away from winning their second Stanley Cup in franchise history. “When you look back at 20 years of coverage of the Calgary Flames,” he said, “they haven’t been very good for the bulk of those 20 years. They had that one shining run which I believe saved NHL hockey in this city and gave them another 10 years of solid following in this city.” This past December, Francis wrote a piece for Postmedia stating that he thinks the Flames will move to Houston in three years. He believes Calgary hockey fans should be worried with the lack of success in negotiations between the Calgary Flames ownership and the city of Calgary for a new arena. “I think the Calgary hockey fan should be very concerned,” he said. “There is this cavalier attitude of ‘Oh, well, they will figure it out. We will get this thing done.’ I will tell you that every day that neither side is at the negotiating table for a new arena brings us one day closer to the Flames leaving. It is an undisputable fact that without a new arena, this franchise will be sold. Maybe the NHL has outgrown this city. It is a sad reality. I hope like hell I am wrong with my prediction that they are gone in three years, but I stand by that opinion.” Speaking of opinions, Francis is not afraid to give them. He knows that Calgary Flames hockey fans don’t always agree with his comments and can be critical.

“It doesn’t bother me one bit,” he said. “I rarely read things on Twitter or e-mails that people send me. The way I look at it is this. I have already given you my opinion on a subject and you have given me yours, and we call it even. I never engage with people. I never respond to tweets. It does mean I am doing my job. When I have a huge response, I know as a columnist, I am doing a pretty good job by sparking debate.” From 2010 to 2012, Francis fulfilled a lifelong dream when he was asked to be a regular on Hockey Night in Canada’s Hotstove Lounge segment. He was told that there was a need for more western representation on the program and he met the qualifications. Just like his time during the Calgary Sun, Francis would be paid to express his opinion. He says when he expresses an opinion, it is important to get to the point quickly, be brief and blunt. He also says it is important to be yourself, something that he learned from his co-worker and former NHL goaltender Kelly Hrudey. “Kelly is one of my best friends,” said Francis. “We met playing golf 20 years ago and our wives have become good friends. They (the CBC) hired me to be Kelly Hrudey because everyone loves Kelly Hrudey. I am not trying to be anybody but myself and nobody does that better than Kelly Hrudey.” On a few occasions, Hrudey also filled in for Francis’s co-host, Matt O’Neill, on JACK FM’s hit morning show, Matt & Eric. The program lasted from 2003 to 2015. Francis’s proudest accomplishment has been as the founder of the annual Pizza Pigout. Every year local celebrities come together at Cowboys to try pizzas from 150 Calgary restaurants with the proceeds going to Kidsport. “It is so touching to me that we raise between $70,000 to $90,000 a year by pigging out on pizza,” he said. “I am so proud that it is so unique. I am really thrilled that Jon Montgomery (Olympic gold medalist in skeleton) asked me if he could borrow the concept in Victoria. I would like to think my legacy in this city would be a silly pizza party.” Francis is also the commissioner of the most significant hockey pool in the city of Calgary. Known as the Dirty Dozen, the annual entrance fee is $300 and with hockey experts from across Calgary, including Kevin Smith of Global Sports, Steve MacFarlane of flamesnation.ca and Hockey Magazine Calgary’s own Jeremy Freeborn. “If there is a single greatest thing of the Internet,” said Francis, “it might just be hockey pools because now they are so easy to run. When we first started, we had to get the Tuesday papers and it took hours and hours and hours to compile the stats.” Francis hopes to write for years to come. You may not always agree with him, but at the end of the day, his heart is in Calgary and he has made a terrific impact in this city, beyond writing about the great sport of hockey.

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WWhat’s The Point

WWith Hockey Points? BY ROB SUGGITT

In this day and age, there are lots of systems for “advanced stats” in most North American sports leagues. (Baseball got things going in the early part of this century, and most sports fans and teams soon learned what “Moneyball” meant.) The NHL is no exception. In hockey, the most commonly known (and used) advanced stats are Corsi and Fenwick. In simple terms, Corsi and Fenwick measure shots directed or taken at the net, for and against, while a player is on the ice at even strength. Similar to plus/ minus, all five skaters for each team are assessed the same value for goals scored or shots taken while they are on the ice. While new stats and measurements have delivered some value, there is one statistic (probably the most relied upon stat) which remains the most valuable measurement of a player’s value to a team, ant that’s points. Yes, goaltending and defense matters, but every player (except goalies) is critically measured on how many points they tally in a season. After all, it’s points (not shots taken) which translate onto the scoresheet, goals which are scored, and assists which help set up the goals. Points are like a batting average in baseball or baskets made in basketball. The scoring leader is often considered the most valuable player on his team or in the league. In hockey, the scoring leader is awarded one of the most prestigious trophies in hockey – the Art Ross Trophy. And the winner of this trophy oftentimes is awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player in the league. Ten out of the last 20 Hart Memorial Trophy winners (MVP) also won the Art Ross Trophy for most points in the NHL. And 18 out of 20 Art Ross Trophy winners were finalists for the league MVP award. But as meaningful as points are in representing player value, there is a certain imbalance to how points are awarded and accumulated. Some goals are glorious efforts, while some goals are more the work of the playmaker(s). A goal is awarded to the player on the scoring team who last touched the puck. It’s usually a great shot, sometimes a nice tipin, but sometimes, it’s a flukey bounce off a player’s stick or body part. Sometimes it’s an easy tap-in after a great pass, or an empty-netter with the goalie pulled. Not all goals are equal in brilliance, but all goals are given equal value. Same thing with assists, but first let’s look at the definition of an assist. It’s a bit arbitrary, but essentially

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CORSI: Named after former Buffalo Sabres netminder Jim Corsi, Corsi is the plus/ minus amount of shots directed at a net while at even strength. This includes blocked shots, shots high and wide, shots that hit & shots that get tipped. A player who has a positive Corsi has more shots directed towards the opponent’s net while he is on the ice at even strength then shots directed towards his own net under the same criteria. All 10 players on the ice are used when calculating this metric.

it is deemed to be the last two players to touch the puck immediately before a goal is scored. But what does “touch the puck” mean? A defenseman (or sometimes another forward) may be given a point by merely passing the puck up to a forward, who may with certain creativity dangle around the whole team before putting the puck in the net. Is the defenseman’s play as valuable as the goal scorer’s play? Not even close in the example, but they are each awarded the same value on the scoresheet: one point. A goalie who shuffles the puck to a defenseman may be awarded a point if only one more player touches (or passes) the puck to the goal scorer. In this case, did the goalie actually help create the goal? On the other hand, if a great puckmoving goalie like Carey Price, Mike Smith or Braden Holtby makes an great pass to a player skating up the ice, and a goal is scored, an assist on the play is absolutely warranted.

“Assists” - From NHL Rule Book: Crediting Assists - When a player scores a goal, an “assist” shall be credited to the player or players (maximum two) who touch the puck prior to the goal scorer provided no defender plays or has control of the puck subsequently. Each “assist” shall count one point in the player’s record. Only one point can be credited to any one player on a goal.

FENWICK Named for Battle of Alberta writer Matt Fenwick, Fenwick is almost the same as Corsi, but it doesn’t count blocked shots. The reason for this is that it is entirely possible that blocking shots is a skill, and not just a random series of events.

“Assists” - From Wikipedia: In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were “assisting” in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal. The assists will be awarded in the order of play, with the last player to pass the puck to the goal scorer getting the primary assist and the player who passed it to the primary assister getting the secondary assist.

And what about the difference between the first assist given and the second assist given? In most cases, would the pass which immediately leads up to the goal be more important than an earlier pass given? And what if there are three equally good (and important) passes which lead up to a goal? So no credit is given to more than two passes which lead up to a goal, even if the first pass (in a three pass segment) was more creative and complex than the second and third passes. What about the player who intercepts the puck in his own zone, and goes coast to coast to score a highlight reel goal? Should this count as only one point, or should some consideration be given to the quality of the goal? If a maximum of three points are awarded for a goal, should an unassisted goal count for more than one point? A little far-fetched perhaps. How about screening the goalie? If a player stands in front of the net, and a goal is scored because of his screen, is this not as critical as a first or second pass which led up to the goal? The current model for awarding points works well, but it has its flaws. It’s rare to see a goal scored, where the goal scorer and one or two playmakers have equal value participation with the end result. It’s not usually “good goal,” “good pass,” and “good and equal pass” when a goal is scored. Sometimes it’s “easy tapin,” “amazing pass,” and “okay pass” when a goal is scored. Or it could be “amazing goal,” “okay pass,” and “amazing pass.” And to those who say these things balance out, this is not necessarily so. There are plenty of defensemen who “pad” their stats with easy first out of the zones passes, who gain assists by the brilliance of another playmaker or goal scorer on a scoring play.

One which more accurately measures the actual “value” of a player’s contribution when a goal is scored. And how subjective would this measurement be? And could it be fairly and equally applied? With the right hockey minds, it could be done. One way of doing this (while arbitrary) is to come up with a points value system for each goal scored, and break down (by percentage value input) participant value for every goal scored for and against. It would not be perfect, but the current method of awarding and calculating points is not perfect either. To have a points value system which more accurately measures real contribution would be invaluable to NHL teams. I would be surprised if teams were not already doing this, measuring players on their team in this manner, and players on opposing teams this way too.

NHL goals by number of assists 2016-2017 Season

Unassisted goals One assist goals Two assist goals

There are similar inherent weaknesses with plus/minus stats, where all skaters on the ice are given a plus or minus regardless of their own individual contribution (positive or negative) to a goal scored at even strength. Surely, all five skaters do not contribute equally to a goals scored for or against. Same with Corsi and Fenwick, both which measure shots for/against when a player is on the ice, regardless of each player’s contribution. What’s needed is a system which measures real and representative contribution for every goal scored or shot taken (for and against) while a player is on the ice. But here’s the challenge. How do you come up with a system (or metric) for calculating points (or shots taken) based on merit?

[ Total goals scored: 198 ]

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SPOTLIGHT

ON AN OFFICI AL

Ashwin Kaul BY ROB SUGGITT PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SC PARKER PHOTOGRAPHY

We met up with Ashwin Kaul in early February, as we he was just ready to go on ice for a high level bantam game. Ashwin, who turns 17 in April, has been a minor hockey official for four seasons. In addition to officiating hockey, Ashwin still plays hockey, and his other winter activity is skiing. In his spare time, he also likes tinkering with cars, and modifying them for performance. Ashwin took the time to answer a few questions about why he took up officiating, and what he enjoys most about being a young minor hockey official.

When did you start officiating hockey? At 13, this is my fourth season. (Ashwin started playing hockey at six years old.) What made you want to become a hockey official? Being able to take part in a sport that I love in a whole new way was an amazing idea to me. How many games did you officiate last season? About 30-35. How many games do you plan to officiate this season? Around the same, maybe a few more. What level of hockey are you currently officiating? I have done up to high level midget. I mostly do lines for bantam. 28 | Calgary Hockey Magazine

Any special memories or highlights from big games or tournaments? Being applauded by the fans after reffing a final. After the last game of a tournament, our names were announced over the intercom thanking us for our time and volunteering. All the parents then stood up and applauded us. It was a nice feeling that our time was appreciated by all these parents. It was a very close game. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t remember the exact score but I think it was 5-4, and lots of close calls. Being able to receive applause is an amazing feeling, as generally criticism is mostly all you receive. What do you enjoy most about officiating hockey games? Being able to improve my skills and knowledge of the game at all times as well as participating in the game in a new way. What kind of training were/are you provided? At the start of each season, we are required to attend one full day course which outlines all of the rules once again, which is followed by an exam. Do you have a role model or mentor who has helped you along the way? Gary Greenough. I have been working with Gary for the last four seasons. I respect him for his extensive knowledge of the game and his commitment to ensuring all the officials can become as successful as possible. I respect him for the amount of time he has dedicated to making us better officials. How have you improved your skills as an official? Through being a referee, not only has my skate work improved, but so has my knowledge of the game. What is the toughest part about being a referee? Receiving criticism from players, coaches and fans. How do you handle criticism on the ice? Generally, I will talk to the player and coach and try to clarify any misconceptions but if the player or coach is persistent I will either choose to ignore it or assess a minor penalty. Do you have any future aspirations in officiating? I would like to progress into becoming a referee in the A program.

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PENALTY CALL SIGNALS

Boarding

Body Checking

Checking to the Head

Butt Ending

Cross Checking

Hooking

Slashing 30 | Calgary Hockey Magazine

Interference

Spearing

Elbowing

Kneeing

Checking from Behind

Charging

High Sticking

Misconduct

Tripping

Holding

Roughing

Unsportsmanlike Conduct

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