Clutsam named Sugar Kings Rookie of the Year

Kris — Sat, 12 May 2012 14:58:29 +0000

The Hockey Group Client and Soo Greyhounds Prospect MAC CLUTSAM (7th Rd, 2011) was named the Elmira Sugar Kings Rookie of the Year this past weekend. (Elmira is a member club in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League)

Clutsam, a product of Flamborough ON played in 49 games with the Sugar Kings in 2011-12 grabbing 2 goals and 7 assists good for 9 points.
In addition, the left shooting defenseman suited up in 6 regular season games for the Hounds this past season spanning two separate occasions (early November and late December/early January).

Mohr having season to remember

Kris — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:45:02 +0000

Thunder Defenseman Having a Season to Remember

The old sports saying, “Defense Wins Championships” is truer than ever, especially for Wichita blue-liner Jarred Mohr.

Mohr is now in his fourth season in the Central Hockey League and finds himself in the Presidents’ Cup playoffs for the third time. This is his first stint with Wichita and he has found his calling on this team’s roster.

Mohr also spent time in Laredo (2010/11, 2009/10) and Rocky Mountain (2008/09) making the playoffs in ’09 and ’10. In the 2010 season, Mohr’s solid play earned him a roster spot on the CHL All-Star Team.The Regina, Saskatoon native started the year off in Rapid City working in their training camps, but was then traded to Wichita prior to opening night. He spent the entire season with the Thunder playing in all 66 games and notching a career-high 38 points (6 goals, 32 assists).

However, Mohr is not considered a high-point scorer, and is more attributed for his shut-down style of defense. He finished the season with a plus/minus rating of +22, also a personal career best for Mohr.

Mohr has now carried this confidence with him into the playoffs and is really playing his role on the blue line. He has three helpers so far in seven games and leads the entire league with his plus/minus rating of +12. In Sunday’s game against the Texas Brahmas, Mohr tied a CHL playoff record with a +6 plus/minus rating. That mark ties a CHL record equaling the total accomplished by Steve Weidlich of Laredo in 2004.

Mohr and the Thunder are just two wins away from advancing to the CHL Finals as they put their 2-0 series lead on the line against the Brahmas in Game 3 on Wednesday night.

Rookie Courtney develops into mainstay for Mavericks

Kris — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:34:27 +0000

Missouri Mavericks forward Andrew Courtney went down with a season-ending injury last year that kept him out of the playoffs. This year, Courtney has broken several team rookie records. His efforts have earned him a spot on a line that includes veterans Ed McGrane and Sebastien Thinel.

Independence, MO —

Andrew Courtney is living up to his all-star reputation as the Missouri Mavericks continue to fight for their third playoff berth in the three-year history of the CHL club.

Courtney, who burst on the scene late last season with an impressive hat-trick performance before a season-ending injury prevented him from appearing in the playoffs, has scored 28 goals and recorded 26 assists for 54 points this season.

He was named to the CHL All-Rookie team Monday and is a nominee for the CHL’s Rookie of the Year Award.

“He made such an impact last year with a hat trick in one of his first games, then he got injured,” Mavericks coach Scott Hillman said. “Who knows if the playoffs might have been different if we’d have had a healthy Andrew Courtney.

“I just know that he’s been a difference maker this season. He earned that all-star berth and has been playing like an all star ever since.”

Courtney, a 6-foot-3, 209-pound forward, has shattered several Mavs’ rookie records this season, including goals (28), points (54) and plus/minus rating (currently +14). Courtney is currently tied for the Mavs’ rookie record for assists in a season with 26.

Yet those stats don’t mean a thing to the Belleville, Ontario, native.

“Those are the things you look back on at the end of the season,” Courtney said. “Right now, all I want to do is help this team win. If I score a goal, it helps us win. So I want to score a lot of goals in our last four games. But if I don’t score, and we win, I’ll be the happiest guy in this locker room.”

Because of his success in such a short period of time last season, Hillman placed Courtney on a line with veterans Ed McGrane and team scoring leader Sebastien Thinel.

“That’s a dream line,” Courtney said. “You have two veteran guys who know as much about hockey as anyone in the CHL. When the season started, I didn’t really know what role I would be asked to play or where I would play.

“Coach had the confidence to put me in with Ed and Sebbie and it was pretty exciting. They make everyone around them better players.”

Because of his brief success last season, Courtney had many options for the 2011-2012 season.
“We made Andrew a priority in the offseason,” Hillman said. “First, he’s a great character guy. He’s made a big impact in the community and everyone knows how important that is to the organization.