Mudbugs Hockey Blog

Rapid City was voted to be the host city and team of the 2010-11 All-Star game. Congratulations to the entire organization. The format for the game will be whomever is on the Rapid City Rush roster sheet at the time of the game. They will play host to the chosen few from the other 17 teams in the league.

So in other words if the Rush were to only have 4-5 players on their team worthy of being chosen to such a game, does that mean that rest of the roster will be in a sense taking up spots that should be filled by All-Star caliber players?

I know it’s a long way off, and it is not even August yet. But remember, every player signed by the Rush is already penciled in as an All-Star.  I don’t mind having a host team, it’s the format of the game I can’t get past. It should be a North-South game format in my opinion. After all, it was the league that boasted the two conference system in the first place.

In other news, but not necessarily new – category: Come playoff time, there will be two teams that will be left feeling like schmucks to their fans after being eliminated from the playoffs, this we know. What we don’t know yet is how many below .500 teams to make the post-season. Along with teams having had bad seasons, but not as bad or unlucky as the #9 teams. I will say this though, teams near the cutoff line will want to use every last breath they have not to fall below the leagues waistline..

I am also guessing that most fans have a pretty good idea of which teams have the best shot at not making the Conference Cut.  This format adds a whole new meaning to the words “Cold Cuts”.

Hopefully we can get a sense of how things are shaping up in the playoff race after a 3rd (22 gms.) of the schedule is played out.

I will (for now) put the stick down and stop beating the poor dead horse. But then where’s the fun in that?

© 2010, Mudbugs Hockey Blog. All rights reserved. To Republish this Post you must provide a Link to the Original Post

Just when I was getting used to the idea of two conferences instead of 4 divisions, the amazingly gifted hammerheads from the league decide on leaving 2 out of 18 teams out of the playoffs.

The press release from the league says:

• A total of sixteen (16) of eighteen (18) teams will qualify for the post-season, consisting of eight (8) clubs from each conference. 

Are you kidding me, 8 of the 9 teams qualify? Just when I thought the Conference setup was going to make it competitive, they throw this mess in our face. Why don’t we just start the playoffs now?  Heck, all you have to do is eliminate a total of 2 teams and the other 16 teams can prepare for the post-season.

Continue Reading »

© 2010, Mudbugs Hockey Blog. All rights reserved. To Republish this Post you must provide a Link to the Original Post

I have tried 1 million and one ways to go about the best way I thought possible to align the Conferences and Divisions. I found that no matter how its done, one division ends up with more travel than all the rest.

So what I did was cut a line across the map, in effect leaving 9 teams above and 9 teams below the line. Let’s call it the CHL version of the Mason-Dixon line.

It is setup with a Northern Conference – to include a Northeast Division and a Northwest Division. A Southern Conference – to include a Southeast Division and a Southwest Division. This how it will look with the 18 (so far) teams in place, as I predict anyway. Continue Reading »

© 2010, Mudbugs Hockey Blog. All rights reserved. To Republish this Post you must provide a Link to the Original Post

It has been forever since the news of the pseudo-merger between the IHL and CHL, with only bits and pieces for fans to nibble on, the fans are getting more restless everyday. I have this distinct feeling in my gut that tells me there will be nothing substantial for quite some time.

What’s up with the name? A Super-League? Hello! I think it’s called the National Hockey League. The only way in my mind it could ever be called a Super League as such, is to combine every AA league into one. Then setup divisions according to geography. All combined there would approximately 40 teams, more or less. Who wants approximately 10 teams in each division?

The season is said to begin the 2010-11 campaign with 18 teams total, that’s 15-2(CHL)+6-2+1(IHL) divided by 18 = 1 Central Hockey league. Had to get my calculator out for that one. Question is, will the CHL teams really be affected all that much? Continue Reading »

© 2010, Mudbugs Hockey Blog. All rights reserved. To Republish this Post you must provide a Link to the Original Post

Amongst the many awards decided upon at the for-everlasting Central Hockey League’s 15th annual Summer Conference, there was one that stands out for us Mudbug fans. Travis Huntington was voted the distinct honor as ‘09-10 CHL Broadcaster of the Year.

Travis has been with the Mudbugs as Director of Communications and Broadcasting since joining the team in September of 2007. He was also nominated for the CHL’s Broadcaster of the Year award in both of his first two seasons as well.

Some may have forgotten that he was also voted as the play-by-play broadcaster for the 2009 CHL All-Star Game in Loveland, Colorado. Oh! Yes we are blessed by the excellence by the “voice from above”. Continue Reading »

© 2010, Mudbugs Hockey Blog. All rights reserved. To Republish this Post you must provide a Link to the Original Post

Just when the Central Hockey League was looking to bolster their membership of teams, two teams jump ship. The Amarillo Gorillas, who had previously announced they will not be returning for the 2010-11 season, faded into the sunset, then suddenly arose.

The NAHL official website says, “The North American Hockey League (NAHL) has announced that its Board of Governors has accepted the membership application for an expansion team in Amarillo, Texas, to begin play for the 2010-11 season.”

The Corpus Christi IceRays had just recently announced they will also jump ship to the NAHL. “The Caller-Times has learned the IceRays plan to leave the Central Hockey League after 12 seasons in the professional ranks.” Continue Reading »

© 2010, Mudbugs Hockey Blog. All rights reserved. To Republish this Post you must provide a Link to the Original Post

It is a tough pill to swallow to be so close, to come so far while overcoming so much. But when you go further than you yourself ever imagined, with the strength and wisdom you never thought you had, is that taste so bad you lose the ability to see the truth?

The truth is that every player on the Mudbugs team lost game seven and the series with it knowing full well that one team was going to advance and one team was going home.

The Bossier Shreveport Mudbugs may have been defeated 7-3 in the 7th game of the Northern Conference Finals to the advancing Rapid City Rush. And yes, the privilege to represent their Conference in the Finals along with it. But are they losers, just for losing? I think not. I despise the crude adage “there is no 2nd place” or “there is #1 and everybody else is a loser”. Continue Reading »

© 2010, Mudbugs Hockey Blog. All rights reserved. To Republish this Post you must provide a Link to the Original Post

Game 7’s can be the ultimate excitement in any series. This group of Mudbugs players have fought tooth and nail for every inch of ice surface no matter what the adversity. No matter what is thrown their way, they seem to find a way to work through and persevere.

Parker Van Buskirk is a great example of just that. He came in here with the explicit attitude of NOT playing like a backup of the team’s backup. But more like a starter on any team in the league. He said he wanted to be a “calming influence for the guys”  and has done so and more.

With the Bossier Shreveport’s back against the wall, down 3 games to 2 in the series, it was time for a hero. It was time for a team full of heroes to get the job done or its the end. Van Buskirk stopped all 27 shots he faced for his 1st professional shutout. He was the hero in this game. Continue Reading »

© 2010, Mudbugs Hockey Blog. All rights reserved. To Republish this Post you must provide a Link to the Original Post

The Rapid City Rush forced the Bossier Shreveport Mudbugs to a position they have not been thus far in the playoffs. The brink of elimination at 3 games to two in the Northern Conference Finals. The two teams will meet again for game 6 of the series back in South Dakota.

The Mudbugs hoped they were to be the team that breaks the pattern. Neither team has won two games in a row. Will the theme stay the same with a Mudbugs victory to stay in contention in game six?

A large part of game five for the Mudbugs was spent trying to penetrate Rapid City’s solid defensive scheme. The Rush shut down the passing lanes as well as the shooting lanes with precision. For the most part, whenever the Mudbugs did get any kind of forecheck going, the Rush where right there to outman and overpower the Mudbugs. They rarely got off a second shot. Let’s face it, the Rush played an almost flawless playoff game. Continue Reading »

© 2010, Mudbugs Hockey Blog. All rights reserved. To Republish this Post you must provide a Link to the Original Post