LOS ANGELES, CA – The LA Kings have signed defenseman Sean Walker to a four-year contract extension, according to Vice President and General Manager Rob Blake. The contract carries an average annual value (AAV) of $2.65 million.
The 5-11, 195-pound defenseman registered 24 points (5-19=24) in 70 games last season, his first complete NHL campaign. He ranked second among team defensemen in points, average time on ice (18:50) and shots (127).
Al Montoya, the first Cuban American to play in the NHL, says he was also the first native Spanish speaker in the 100-year history of the league.
Montoya finds both facts amazing, but also believes members of the Hispanic community would fall in love with the game as he did while growing up in Chicago. That is as long as they’re given the opportunity to try the sport.
“I realized the weight of what being the first Cuban American was the day I got drafted,” Montoya said. “You’re not representing yourself anymore. You’re representing the community. And I embraced it.”
He spent 15 years in professional hockey as a goaltender, but it’s also his family history that results in Montoya speaking with such pride.
Montoya’s mother was born and raised in Cuba. His grandparents fled Cuba and from the Castro regime in 1963 for the United States. They went from being landowners in Cuba to Montoya’s grandfather “selling strawberries on the side of the road and working at McDonald’s,” Montoya shared.
It’s the work ethic from his grandparents, and his mother working as a doctor, that has rubbed off on Montoya, now 35 years old. He recalls his grandfather telling him how grateful he was for the United States, the place that gave him his freedom.
“One of the prouder moments of my life is standing on that blue line or that red line, looking up at our flag and knowing the sacrifices that they made to give me that opportunity of freedom,” Montoya said. “They passed it down to me. I can’t say enough about it.”
Raised by his single mother and his grandparents along with three brothers, Montoya followed his older brother in playing hockey. Montoya started out as a skater, taking up hockey at 3 years old. He began hockey as a forward, but the next year, his team didn’t have a goalie. He remembers playing in a house league before that, where the goaltender bag cycled between teammates, allowing everyone a shot to try the position.
EDMONTON, ALBERTA – Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ian Cole is a 10-year NHL veteran, two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and he already has one of the best beards in the 2020 NHL playoffs.
He also was kind enough to spend some time on his off day in the bubble answering questions from fans, submitted to ESPN.
So as the Avs prepare for the next game in their series against the Arizona Coyotes, let’s hear from Ian on how he’s combating boredom in the bubble, what the food is like, why it looks like he’s eating his jersey during warm-ups, and of course, the latest fashion choices from teammate Nikita Zadorov.
Michael G: Do you mark your beard to figure out how much is a regular-season beard and how much is a playoff beard?
Cole: When you’re confident in your team, there is no difference between a regular-season beard and a playoff beard. But it is funny to see it grow. I pretty much trim it up or shave it before my headshot for the year, so it’s funny to look back and see a little bit of scruff or something, and right now it’s just … out of control.
DENVER, CO- Avalanche forward J.T. Compher skates to an opposing goaltender’s crease on a mission to create havoc on the forecheck, and even if it’s ugly, to put in the puck.
“That’s how you score goals,” Compher said. “Getting to the net.”
Colorado’s third-line center is more than just talk. Remember Saturday?
In the Avs’ 4-3 overtime defeat against Vegas, Compher scored the third-period equalizer when he bullied Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt by knocking him off-balance with a two-gloved shove — and creating the small space required to rebound a Nazem Kadri shot attempt back into the net.
“A big goal from the Compher line getting it in on the forecheck and bringing us back to even,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said postgame. “Going into the playoffs, you have to expect that teams are going to check you hard. That’s the goal of every team.”
Lately, Colorado’s third “Compher line” hasn’t been afraid to bring the pain. In three games of Western Conference round-robin seeding play, the trio of Compher, Andre Burakovsky, and Joonas Donskoi combined for eight points (four goals) with a net-aggressive brand of hockey.
ANAHEIM, CA — Troy Terry arrived to the Anaheim Ducks with much fanfare thanks to a stellar amateur career, and with a recently-inked three-year, $4.35 million extension, he will have plenty of opportunities to make good on his potential.
The deal itself, although not lucrative by NHL standards, does provide Terry with a considerable pay bump as someone who has bounced between the big club and the minors. Previously on a two-way contract, which meant a $70,000 salary in the AHL, the 22-year-old will now be paid well over a million dollars a year regardless of what league he plays in for the next three seasons. Not bad at all for a player with just 28 points and 81 NHL games to his name. Clearly, the Ducks’ front office is confident that he can develop into much more than those totals would indicate. When looking at a few key areas of growth in his game, that confidence becomes perfectly understandable.
ANAHEIM, CA – Troy Terry signed a three-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old forward could have become a restricted free agent after this season. He scored 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in 47 games before the NHL season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. Terry missed six weeks after breaking a bone below his kneecap in a 4-1 loss at the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 17.
Selected by Anaheim in the fifth round (No. 148) of the 2015 NHL Draft, Terry has 28 points (eight goals, 20 assists) in 81 NHL games.
NEWARK, NJ – On Tuesday morning, the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association announced the nominees for every NHL market’s Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
This year, New Jersey Devils Travis Zajac was nominated for the award.
Zajac is the longest standing member on the current roster of the New Jersey Devils, and reached several milestones this past season.
On February 6, he recorded the 335th assist of his career, pulling into a tie on the Devils all-time assist list, his 192nd goal on January 12thmoved the veteran into fifth all-time on the goals scored list, he finished the season with 195 in his career, placing him at fourth all-time. On January 9th he took sole possession of third overall on the Devils all-time point list with his 521st point. On November 2nd, 2019 he played his 934th NHL game, all with New Jersey to tie John MacLean for fifth all-time in franchise history, he ended the 2019-20 season with 991 all-time games played, sitting at fourth on the franchise list.
TORONTO, ONT – The Canadian Hockey League is proud to announce that 2020 NHL Draft prospect Cole Perfetti of the Saginaw Spirit is the 2019-20 recipient of the CHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year Award presented by CIBC.
Perfetti combined success on the ice with success in school by setting a Spirit single season scoring record of 111 points including 37 goals and 74 assists over 61 games while achieving an overall academic average of 93%.
“CIBC proudly congratulates Saginaw Spirit forward Cole Perfetti on receiving the CIBC Scholastic Player of the Year Award. Cole’s demonstrated excellence both on the ice in hockey and off the ice in academics has set a positive example for his fellow teammates and those in the community, and we look forward to seeing him continue to flourish back on the ice in the near future.”
TORONTO, ONT– The Canadian Hockey League is proud to announce that forward Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs is the 2019-20 recipient of the CHL Rookie of the Year Award presented by Wawanesa Insurance.
Wright led all CHL rookies in scoring with 66 points including 39 goals and 27 assists in 58 games competing as the league’s youngest and only full-time 2004-born player after being granted exceptional status by Hockey Canada.
“Wawanesa Insurance is proud to present the 2019-20 CHL Rookie of the Year Award to Frontenacs forward Shane Wright,” said Selena Hinds, Vice President of Brand, Communications and Community for Wawanesa Insurance. “We’re all missing hockey right now, but players like Shane remind us the future is bright, and we’re looking forward to cheering Shane on next season.”
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