Colin Campbell, Author at Boutique Hockey Agency - KO Sports

Keith Magnuson’s Son Carries On Special Olympics Tradition

Posted on May 18, 2018September 15, 2020

CHICAGO, IL – Kevin Magnuson is sleeping fast these days. There is his real job as an agent representing numerous hockey players. Then there is this massive global celebration coming to Soldier Field in July: the 50th anniversary of Special Olympics. Thousands of athletes from 172 countries will participate, and as president of Special Olympics Chicago, Kevin is the chief cook and bottle washer.

Call him very busy, but don’t call him for a parking pass. Also, rest assured that this acorn did not fall far from an icon. His father, Keith, was a beloved member of the Blackhawks, a serial giver whose No. 3 banner hangs above the United Center not only because of how he played with so much heart, but how he lived his life with such verve.

Marlies’ Garret Sparks honors Humboldt victim Parker Tobin with new goalie mask

Posted on May 16, 2018September 15, 2020

TORONTO, ON – Toronto Marlies goaltender Garret Sparks paid homage to deceased Humboldt Broncos goaltender Parker Tobin on the backplate of Sparks’ new goalie mask.

It’s been 40 days since a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team crashed, killing 16 players, coaches and staff. As the story has begun to fade out of the news cycle, though, Toronto Marlies goaltender Garret Sparks is making sure the memory of one of the deceased players lives on.

With the Marlies in the midst of a Calder Cup playoff run, awaiting the start of the Eastern Conference finals against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Sparks revealed he’ll be sporting some new gear when that series begins.

Redwings Sign UNO Leading Scorer David Pope to Entry Level Contract

Posted on May 10, 2018September 15, 2020

DETROIT, MI – The Detroit Red Wings have signed high scoring left wing David Pope to a two-year entry-level contract.

Pope, 23, has spent the last four seasons at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, where he totaled 94 points (45-49-94) and 41 penalty minutes in 133 games. As a senior in 2017-18, Pope led the Mavericks in goals (20) points (41), power-play goals (12) and shots on goal (123) while tying for the team lead in assists (21). He tied for 28th overall in the nation in scoring, and finished second overall in power-play goals.

Pope tied school records in 2017-18 by recording four assists and five points in a game on Jan. 12 vs. Miami, and he also registered his first NCAA hat trick on Feb. 2 at St. Cloud State. The 6-foot-3, 194-pound forward placed fourth overall in conference scoring with 28 points (14-14-28) in 23 National Collegiate Hockey Conference games and was selected to the NCHC First All-Star Team and NCHC All-Academic Team.

Vegas’ Pierre-Edouard Bellemare might just be the most interesting man in hockey

Posted on April 28, 2018September 15, 2020

LAS VEGAS, NV – By the time Pierre-Edouard Bellemare arrived as a “rookie” atPhiladelphia Flyers training camp in 2014, the French forward had already spent a year in medical school, served an eight-year stint in Sweden, teetered on the brink of bankruptcy and learned his third language. So the fact that most of his prospective Flyers teammates had no idea who he was didn’t faze Bellemare. Neither did their incredulity at his relatively advanced age.

As he struck up a conversation with centers Claude Giroux and Vincent Lecavalier about the most recent world championships, Bellemare casually mentioned that he had played in the event for the first time about 10 years earlier.

Erik Brännström cherishes the opportunity to compete with NHL stars

Posted on April 28, 2018September 15, 2020

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN –

One by one, the established NHL players have taken over the Swedish World Championship squad. Stars like Oliver Ekman Larsson, John Klingberg and Mika Zibanejad will participate in this weekend’s tune-up tournament Sweden Hockey Games in Södertälje and Stockholm, where the Swedes play the Czech Republic, Russia and Finland.

But with one week to go before the this year’s World Championships starts in Copenhagen and Herning in Denmark, there are still some fresh faces on the roster. Notably five players that grabbed a silver medal in this year’s World Junior Championships in Buffalo. Goalie Filip Gustavsson, defenseman Erik Brännström and forwards Elias Pettersson, Lias Andersson and Axel Jonsson Fjällbyare all competing for spots.

Cal Foote shows why he is a huge prospect in AHL playoff debut

Posted on April 23, 2018September 15, 2020

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Cal Foote is still only 19 years old.

Watching him play, it seems hard to believe, but the 14th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2017 National Hockey League Draft, still has room to grow both literally and figuratively.

Making his professional playoff debut for the Syracuse Crunch, the 6-foot-4, 212 pound defenseman — yes, he’s the son of Colorado Avalanche legend Adam Foote — led all skaters with five shots on goal in the Crunch’s convincing 6-2 win over the Rochester Americans in Game 1 of the American Hockey League North Division semifinals.

He showed a smoothness in both his game as a whole, but in particular his skating that are uncommon for someone his size, and seems to be on track to follow in the footsteps of his famous father to have a lengthy NHL career.

Comeau keeping Avalanche calm during First Round Playoff Series

Posted on April 21, 2018September 15, 2020

DENVER, CO – Ask the Colorado Avalanche to describe forward Blake Comeau, and one word comes up often: calm.

Comeau isn’t loud and he’s not the most talkative player in the room. But when the Avalanche need to relax frazzled nerves, he’s the player they look to do it.

Comeau has two goals against the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference First Round, which continues with Game 6 at Pepsi Center on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TVAS, SN, ALT, FS-TN).

Colorado’s 2-1 comeback victory on Friday cut Nashville’s lead to 3-2 in the best-of-7 series.

Zajac Aims to Carry Load for Devils to Extend Series Versus Lightning

Posted on April 21, 2018September 15, 2020

NEWARK, NJ – The hopes of the New Jersey Devils to extend the Eastern Conference First Round rest heavily on the shoulders of their Mr. Everything, center Travis Zajac.

The Devils, trailing the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1 in the best-of-7 series, must win three consecutive games beginning with Game 5 at Amalie Arena on Saturday (3 p.m. ET; NBC, NBCSN, SN360, TVAS2) to avoid elimination.

Marlies’ Garret Sparks voted AHL’s most outstanding goalie

Posted on April 12, 2018September 15, 2020

TORONTO, ON –

Toronto Marlies goalie Garret Sparks was awarded the 2017-18 Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s most outstanding goaltender, the team announced Wednesday.

The award is voted on by players, coaches and media members.

The 24-year-old finished the regular season with a 30-9-1-1 record and six shutouts, and his 1.81 goals-against average and .936 save percentage through 42 regular season AHL games led the league in both categories and earned him a First Team AHL All-Star nod.