Mike Heika's Weekly Stars Chat

Every Thursday during the hockey season, Mike Heika gets the chance to chat with Stars fans. With the season beginning to comedown the home stretch. What kind of records needed to get back to the playoffs was a big topic of discussion.

Also topics like Eric Nystrom's hit on Kris Letang during the Stars VS. Penguins Game that became very  after it was revealed that Nystrom will not be suspended for the play. Also the crowds as they beginning to slowly win back hockey fans with the recent run where they won 4 in a row including a big win Sunday Afternoon against Vancouver on Sunday Afternoon.

With just 18 games left and their looking to to start putting some pressure like San Jose & Chicago for the 6th & 7th Place Spots and are also just 4 points back of Pacific Division Leading Phoenix Coyotes which would get them an automatic top 3 spot. Their becoming a team that can really be at least a dangerous lower seed in the playoffs and with guys like Ryan Garbutt who came out of nowhere to make an impact, as well as players like Brendan Morrow who are out who are on the verge of coming back.

Also in Austin, it could be a chance for players like Scott Glennie, Matt Fraser, Colton Sceviour & Jordie Benn possibly looking to get some call ups as the Texas Stars Playoff Hopes are beginning to disappear as they sit on the bottom of the AHL Western Conference to bring in some energy and to challenge some of the top players as well.

It will be a Western Canada Road Trip coming up for the Stars with Edmonton tomorrow night, Calgary on Sunday Afternoon and wrapping up in Vancouver on Tuesday Night.

Mike Heika Chat Replay

It's Offical: the AHL is coming to Oklahoma City

After months of speculation, rumors and stories about the American Hockey League coming to OKC. Yesterday, the AHL made it official that the league will be joining forces with the Edmonton Oilers to move their AHL affiliate which is the Springfield Falcons which are based in Springfield, Mass. Starting next season.

Even though the Oilers and their affiliates are not doing so well right now, this is about promoting hockey back in OKC after the Oklahoma City Blazers were pretty successful in the CHL where they were among the leaders in all of minor league hockey in attendance and being an imporant part of promoting the sport in the South in the late 80s and early 90s.

Unfortunately for the Edmonton Oilers, all of their teams that are a part of have been struggling this season. Currently the Edmonton Oilers have been sitting in the Western Conference Basement this season.

In addition, the current affiliate in the Springfield Falcons has been last in the Atlantic Division all year and only the Binghamton Senators who are a part of the Ottawa Senators have a worst record. Also, the Edmonton Oil Kings who the ownership have a minority stake in the team are dead last in the WHL's Eastern Conference this season.

The team that is yet to be named will be playing at the Cox Convention Center as that arena has been getting worked on to expand and renovate to get it ready to host ice hockey again after being nearly unused for the last couple of years. There decided not to play at the much larger Ford Center so they can have as little interference with the NBA team the Oklahoma City Thunder when it comes down to scheduling and getting fans to their games

Here's the Press Release from the Edmonton Oilers website.

The Edmonton Oilers announced today that the American Hockey League Board of Gov. has approved the relocation of the Oilers inactive AHL Franchise from Edmonton, Alberta via Springfield, Mass. to Oklahoma City starting in the 2010-2011 hockey season that will start in early October.

Oklahoma City will become the home of the Oilers primary affiliate, the proving ground for the team's top draft picks and prospects. In Operation since 1936, the AHL serves as the top development league for all 30 NHL teams. More then 84% of the NHL players have spent some time in the American Hockey League, and more then 6.5 million fans per season have attended AHL Games across North America since 2001. The Oilers have been owners in the American Hockey League since 1982.

"We are thrilled with today's announcement," said Kevin Lowe, Edmonton Oilers President of Hockey Operations. "The Oilers have felt for some time that Oklahoma City was the right fit for our AHL Franchise. There is a rich hockey history and tradition in Oklahoma City and we anticipate this partnership to be very successful."

The yet to be named team will begin play at the newly renovated Cox Convention Center in downtown Oklahoma City in early October. Renovations such as state of the art scoreboard and sound systems, will be complimentented by other improvements such as, terrace suites, exc. lounge areas, new locker rooms and new workout areas.

"This announcement is the culmination of hard work from all the groups in this process," said Prodigal Hockey LLC owner Robert Funk Jr. "As a group, we're pleased to be teaming up with a franchise with the history and passionate fan base of the Edmonton Oilers. We look forward to providing OKC with outstanding entrainment center as well as world class hockey.

"I am proud to welcome Oklahoma City to the American Hockey League as we look ahead to our historic 75th season of play in the 2010-2011 season," said AHL President and CEO David Andrews. "Oklahoma City has a rich hockey history and terrific fan base, and will be an excellent fit with our 29 member cities across the U.S.A. and Canada fans in Oklahoma City can look forward to seeing intense competition, strong rivalries and the best young players in the world as they prepare for careers in the NHL.

Last night's Stars Summary

Despite the Stars 2nd straight SO Loss, the Stars have looked strong and eager to return to the leagues elite as the team has looked very strong as some players are looking like their are taylor made for Marc Crawford's style of play.

One of the best ones so far is James Neal who scored both goals in the Nashville game and a SH goal which was set up by a fantastic pass by Marty Turco to make the game 2-1 early in the 2nd period.

Brendan Morrow is continuing his comeback from last year's nasty knee injury by scoring twice in last night's game, the first goal was kind of lucky as he was attempting to pass the puck to Robdias but with off the Oilers skate to deflect the puck in to the net.

One of the biggest changes for Marc Crawford's style is allowing the defense to be more involved with the offense attack while he wants forwards to be a lot more responsible to play defense. James Neal is perfect for this style with his speed and scoring ability with him scoring 3 goals already in the first 2 games.

If this style is going to work throughout the season, Crawford is going to keep the forwards vigilant on defense, this will really be put to the test when the Stars play teams like Detroit and Chicago later in the season.

Early in the 3rd period when the Stars and Oilers were tied at 3-3, Morrow netted his 2nd of the game on the PP with Ribero setting it up from the right face off circle and after a couple of strides into the slot to put it in 5 hole to give the Stars a 4-3 lead. Unfortunately, just 5 minutes later, Denis Grebeshkov converted a one timer that deflected Nicklas Grossman's Leg and over Turco to tie the game 4-4.

During the SO, Stephane Robaids was in a must score situation when he shot the puck off the post and gave the Oilers a 5-4 win in SO. This is the 2nd straight game where the Stars lost in the SO after being one of the best SO teams in the NHL since the SO was introduced after the lockout.

This takes Dallas to 0-0-2 while the Oilers won their first game of the season last night.

On an interesting note, with both Mike Modano and Jere Lehtinen out of the lineup. It was the first time that they wasn't a single player from the 1999 Stanley Cup team on the ice.

NCAA Preseason Rankings

With the NCAA Season about to start up, the first rankings of the season are now out and the University of Denver will start the year as the #1 ranked team in the country as the season get's underway for most teams starts on October 9. Chris Brown's team in the University of Michigan will begin the year ranked 3rd.

As for Austin Smith and the Coalgate Raiders which will begin the year unranked after a rough year last year after finishing 8th in their conference last year.

The rankings will have the records for the 2008-2009 season.

1. Denver 23-12-5

2. Boston University 35-6-4

3. Michigan 29-12-0

4. Miami of Ohio 23-13-5

5. Norte Dame 31-6-3

6. North Dakota 24-15-4

7. Cornell 22-10-4

8. Yale 24-8-2

9. Minnesota 17-13-7

10. Princeton 22-12-1

11. Mass-Lowell 20-16-2

12. Boston College 18-14-5

13. Wisconsin 20-16-4

14. Vermont 22-12-5

15. St. Cloud State 18-17-3

16. New Hampshire 20-13-5

17. Ohio State 23-15-4

18. Minnesots-Duluth 22-13-8

19. Air Force Academy 28-11-2

20. Northeasten 25-12-4