Mike Heika's Player Profiles

As the long hot Texas Summer continues and with Late July and August is the slowest time of year for hockey news. Mike is working on a series of Player Profiles on everything on how much money their making to what expanded roles could be coming, or in some cases, what needs to be done to keep their NHL Jobs for some players like Fabian Brunnstrom and who could ultimately become Kari Lehtonen's Backup Goalie next year.

So far he's got two of the major forwards in last year's leading scorer Brad Richards and Team Captain Brendan Morrow.

Be sure to look for more links to these as they become available on the Dallas Morning News Website by Dallas Stars Insider Mike Heika.

Kari Lehtonen

Brenden Morrow

Brad Richards

Mike Ribeiro

James Neal

Jamie Benn

Steve Ott

Matt Niskanen

Adam Burish

Loui Eriksson

Tom Wandell

Stephane Robidas

Trevor Daley

Nicklas Grossman

Krys Barch

Mark Fistric

Karlis Skrastins

Toby Petersen

AHL Calder Cup Championship: Texas Stars Player Spotlights

John Tranchhina has done a series of stories on Texas Stars players who are looking to maybe fight for Dallas Stars Roster Spots next season as they continue to go through their professional careers.

He's done features on Raymond Sawada, Perttu Lindgren & Richard Bachman who are making big strides on the road to the National Hockey League as the Stars are in Hershey, Pennsylvania as the Calder Cup Championship Series begins tonight.

For more on the Texas Stars, log on to the blog called Hundred Degree Hockey.
http://hundreddegreehockey.blogspot.com/2010/06/gameday-preview-stars-at-hershey-bears.html

By John Tranchina of the Dallas Stars Website: http://stars.nhl.com/



RW Raymond Sawada Player Profile: http://stars.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8471265

2009-2010 AHL Regular Season Stats: 60 GP 19 PTS (8G 11A, E) 92 PIM,

2010 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs: 18 GP 7 PTS (2G 5A, E) 20 PIM

2009-2010 NHL Stats: 5 GP 0 PTS (0G 0A, +1) 0 PIM

He may not have seized the opportunity when it was first presented itself, but Texas Stars right winger Raymond Sawada has seen what it takes to make it to the next level and is still determined to claim a spot on the Dallas Stars roster next season.

The 25 year old from Richmond, B.C., has played a significant role in the deep playoff run experienced by the Dallas' top minor league affiliate, which continues next week in the Calder Cup Finals against the Hershey Bears.

Through 18 playoff games, the 6'2", 205 pound Sawada has contributed two goals and seven points, but he knows he won't get back to Dallas with offense. The task will require a much more well rounded performance and Sawada has been delivering just that throughout the post-season.

"I just try to do what I have to do to get up to Dallas, which is being physical, playing good defensive hockey and trying to get the puck to the guys that can score." said Sawada, who was called up to the big club, seeing action in five NHL Games. "I think I ended off the year pretty good." I had a solid start to the playoffs and I just hope I can keep playing that same way for at least a couple of weeks.

To See the Full Story: http://stars.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=530323


G Richard Bachman Player Profile: http://stars.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8473614

2009-2010 ECHL Regular Season Stats (Idhao Steelheads) : 39 GP 25-10-3 2.63 GAA .892 SV%

2010 ECHL Playoff Stats (Idhao Steelheads): 8 GP 3-4 3.09 GAA .861 SV%

2010 AHL Regular Season Stats: 8 GP 4-4-0 2.15 GAA .932 SV%

He may began the season ranked fifth on the Dallas Stars org. depth chart among goaltenders, but make no mistake, Richard Bachman is determined to keep climbing the list.

After two years as one of the nation's best NCAA goaltender at Colorado College, Bachman left school last spring and has enjoyed an outstanding first season of professional hockey. He spent most of it in the ECHL's Idaho Steelheads, but is currently with the Texas Stars, Dallas' top minor league affiliate based in the Austin Suburb of Cedar Park, serving as the backup to Matt Climie.

This whole year has been a valuable learning experience for Bachman, and the higher education continues from his vintage point at the end of the bench, as Texas prepares for Game 1 of the AHL's Calder Cup Finals against Hershey Thursday Night.

"I think it has gone really well for me," said Bachman, who complied a 4-3-0 record in seven AHL Appearance's over two different call-ups during the regular season, including a shutout, with a 2.02 GAA average and a stellar .933 SV%. "Getting some time down in Idaho was really good for me, just got some games in there, get some experience, kind of learning the pro game. It's a bit different then college, a little more controlled. So that was nice. Then, getting a few chances to come up here and play was great and I had a good experience with that. Also just practicing with these guys has really helped me be more patient. It's been great so far."

To see the Full Story: http://stars.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=530612


Perttu Lindgren Player Profile: http://stars.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8471738

2009-2010 AHL Regular Season Stats: 74 GP 47 PTS (14G 33A, +3) 14 PIM

2010 AHL Playoffs Stats: 18 GP 14 PTS (6G 8A, +5) 2 PIM

2009-2010 NHL Regular Season Stats: 1 GP 0 PTS (0G 0A, E) 0 PIM

By now, everyone knows how Dallas Stars rookie Jamie Benn has been tearing up the AHL Playoffs for the org. top minor league affiliate, the Texas Stars, who are based in the Austin Suburb of Cedar Park.

What Stars fans may not realize is that another significant contributor to the farm club's storybook run to the Calder Cup Finals has been Finnish Center Perttu Lindgren.

Lindgren's six post-season goals only trails only Benn's league leading 14 on the squad, while his 8 assists gave him 14 points in 18 games, including a virtuoso performance when it mattered most. Lindgren scored a goal and two assists in the Stars 4-2 win in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals last Wednesday Night against Hamilton, ensuring a trip to the Finals. He capped off the club's comeback from a 2-0 second period deficit by connecting for the game winner goal with six minutes left in the third period.

Perttu, that guy has a great set of hands," noted Texas Winger Raymond Sawada. "He can display doodle in a phone booth with five other guys in there. He's a tremendously skilled hockey player and when he gets out there on the power play, even on 5-on-5, if you give him some room, he's going to do some special things with that puck."

The display he put on in Game 7 was just the latest proof of the dynamic offensive talent the 6-foot, 185 pound Lindgren possesses. Over the course of the regular season, Lindgren, 22, registered 14 goals and 47 points, which ranked third on the team, in 73 games, and even earned himself a brief call-up to Dallas.

"I think it's been pretty good," said Lindgren of his first couple of seasons back in North America after spending 2008-09 with Lukko Rauma in the Finnish Elite League. "A couple of not-that-good years and I had a good summer and I was happy to be back here. I think it's been a good year for me, especially for the team."

To see the Full Story on the Dallas Stars Website: http://stars.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=530749


Also theirs a story by Mike Heika on Jamie Benn's success in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/hockey/stars/stories/060310dnspostarslede.205053b.html

Justin Quenneville enters the CHL Chat Room

Corpus Christi Icerays Captain Justin Quenneville has became the latest player to enter the CHL Chat Room to answer questions from fans from all over the country recently.

This season has been a strong showing, especially in the 2nd half of the season as the Icerays are starting to holding on to the 5th and final playoff spot in the Southern Conference. This season for the Icerays Captain has scored 55 points and is 2nd in total team scoring only behind Chad Woolard.

Justin Quenneville Player Profile: www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/playerpage.html?playerid=977386&seasonid=4438

Fans asked him about the recent Olympics and being a dual citizen, a recent trade involving Kyle Beech that's helped out the team. Also the pressure of the playoff picture.

If you play Odessa in the playoffs will it be as physical as it was in the regular season?

I would think so. We have had good battles in the games we have played against each other during the season, which should make for a similar match-up in the playoffs.

Who were you rooting for since you are a dual citizen (U.S.A. Or Canada)?

I'm born and raised in Canada, so I was pulling for my country. However my mother is American, so I looked at this as a win win situation. But definitely wanted Canada to win because of the importance of the gold medal to our country. That game was an instant classic and I wouldn't of wanted it to end any other way.

How different has the play been since Kevin Beech was traded to Corpus?

Its no secret that we have had an interesting year when it comes to finding goalies. We were fortunate to turn things around with the addition of Kevin Nastiuk, but when he left for Europe we needed to fill that void fast. Beech has played great for us and given us a chance to win every night. He has made some huge saves for us and had an immediate impact with our team. Between him and Kris Teebs, we have solid goaltending that we can rely on.

Who has been challenging opponent this season?

Personally I would have to say Odessa given the close one goal battles we have had. But Allen or Bossier-Shreveport and Texas are always difficult teams to play, especially on the road. It would be nice to say teams like Rapid City or Missouri, but we only played them once. Or Colorado, Wichita, and Tulsa, but never get to play against them. I am not even sure a Wichita Team exists, since I have not played them once in 4 years ago I have played in the CHL.

What was it like to step out on to the ice in your very first CHL Game? Were you nervous?

I was not nervous playing in my first CHL Game, since I had already had a few years under my belt in other leagues. If anything, I was confused, since my first CHL Game was a pre-season game in Austin. That building was tiny, the ice surface was smaller and the locker rooms were embarrassing. I don't miss that place at all.

Do you feel that being the teams captain puts the playoff picture on your shoulders as we head into the final weeks?

No, I am confident in my ability to lead my team into the playoffs, and I have all the confidence in my team to continue to play well down the stretch. If you look at our team's progress this season, we are a stronger and more consistent team then we were at the start of the season. It's important for us to be playing our best hockey of the season heading into the playoffs.

What is your pre-game routine like?

To be honest I don't have a pre-game routine. Unlike most players, I don't have a specific meal routine or pre-game nap before games. I have always had a difficult time sleeping on game days. I get too excited or anxious for a game after morning skates, I often trend to just find a way to distract myself on game days. Most game days, after a small meal, I either watch a movie, or when we are at home I go for a motorcycle on nice days to kill time.

If you make the playoffs, what are you most afraid of?

I can't think of a team we wouldn't want to play. There are teams that are tougher to play in their home building then other. In the playoffs there is no easy teams to play against anyways. When the playoffs start all records and points are washed away and team can win, just who wants in more. As a hockey player, you always want to play the best and beat the best.

Your still one of the fastest skaters in the league, do you think your getting faster or have you lost a step?

I don't think I have lost a step. If anything I have noticed that more speed is coming in every year in the CHL. The game has changed a lot over the years, and speed is everything. I take pride in training and look to find ways to improve on things every year, speed being a big one.

Do you remember dirty hits from other teams?

Hockey is such a rough sport and dirty hits happen all the time. Some teams play harder then others and you always have that in the back of your mind when you play a rougher team. The dirty hits are not the ones caused by a split second reaction, rather the ones a player deliberately thinks about and then does it. Although it happens occasionally, there is no room for players like that in our league, and eventually they are weeded out. And yes, you do remember dirty hits from other teams.