N A M E D N O R T H A M E R I C A ’ S B E S T S U B U R B A N N E W S PA P E R S E C T I O N 2 0 1 0
BRODIE HEATS UP PAGE 3
MATT KEITH PAGE 5
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ABBOTSFORD NEWS
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
O F F I C I A L
F A N
G U I D E
ABBOTSFORD NEWS
O F F I C I A L
F A N
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
3
G U I D E
Naturally gifted Rookie Brodie making an impact DanKINVIG ABBOTSFORD NEWS
Over the past couple months, Heat head coach Jim Playfair has grown fond of referring to rookie centre Mitch Wahl as “Cool Hand Luke,” a nod to the Californian’s unÅappable demeanor. If classic movies are Playfair’s compass when picking nicknames, allow us to submit “The Natural” for T.J. Brodie. At just 20 years of age, the rookie defenceman still has a ways to go before he’s a full-time NHLer. But given how quickly Brodie’s taken to the pro game in his Ärst go-around, it’s a Ätting handle. Brodie was a training camp sensation with the Calgary Flames this fall, tying Jarome Iginla for the team lead in the preseason with four goals, and he stunned many observers by cracking the NHL club out of camp. After three games in which he failed to register a point and posted a minus-3 rating, the Flames decided Brodie could use more seasoning in the AHL.
But Brodie didn’t interpret the demotion to Abbotsford as a setback. Coming into training camp, his primary motivation was to impress the Flames brass sufÄciently that they’d allow him to stick with the Heat this season – he was still eligible to be sent back to the OHL’s Barrie Colts for one more year of junior hockey. “It seemed like the game just came a little easier than I expected it too,” Brodie said, reÅecting on his sometimes-spectacular transition to the pro ranks. “My main focus this fall was getting here (to Abbotsford). Obviously I wanted to do well in Calgary, but I exceeded the expectations I had for myself. It was a great experience.” For some players, improvement is incremental, but Brodie’s growth has been obvious on a game-to-game basis since he joined the Heat. In his Ärst home game in Abbotsford on Oct. 25, Rochester Americans forward Evgeny Dadonov gave Brodie the turnstile treatment on his way to scoring the game-tying goal with just over a minute remaining in the third period. The Heat ended up winning that game in overtime, but Brodie’s gaffe was an enduring image. But as the Heat’s eight-game homestand wore on, Brodie’s superior speed and vision quickly became apparent. Forecheckers were Continued on page 9
John Van Putten photo
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ABBOTSFORD NEWS
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
O F F I C I A L
F A N
G U I D E
Young team fun to work with E H T
H C N E B
In each edition of the Abbotsford News’s FACEOFF magazine, Abbotsford Heat head coach Jim Playfair sits down with beat reporter Dan Kinvig to give fans the inside scoop on the team. For future editions of FACEOFF, fans are invited to pose their own questions to Playfair. Submit your questions for consideration via e-mail to sports@abbynews.com, or via Twitter to @dankinvigsports. We caught up with Playfair via phone last week, prior to a pair of weekend road games against the Peoria Rivermen.
Jim PLAYFAIR
Q
Q
A
Jim, I deÄnitely get the sense that you’re having a lot of fun working with this young team. Is that fair to say?
A“Yeah. When you look at what the
team and the organization is trying to accomplish, it’s exciting to have young guys step up and take up more of a role within the structure of the game. And I think they’ve done a good job of that. We’re in a situation now where with the amount of young kids we’re playing, people may not have expected that many young kids to be playing at this point in the sea-
24 points in 19 games. So we’ve reached that target. Obviously our penalty killing (ranked 28th) and our power play (ranked 27th) have to be a lot better, and I think that’s going to come with getting some key players back. We’ve got some guys out right now who can make our power play and penalty kill more dangerous. “We’ve done a lot of good things, and there are areas where we can get a lot better, and that’s where our focus is – becoming more consistent. We lead the league in (fewest) shots against, and we take pride in that. We want to get a lot more shots on net – we need to be No. 1 in the league in that area.”
son. I think that’s been important.”
Q
A
One of the positive trends for the team this year is discipline. Last season the Heat led the AHL in penalty minutes per game, but this year you’re 27th in the league. What do you attribute that to?
“Younger players. The biggest thing is, they’re willing to skate and compete and lot harder. When you get an older group and they make a mistake, they try to recover that ice with their stick – hooking and holding. I thought we’ve done a much better job as a team of not taking those lazy, recovery-ice penalties. We’ve taken some aggressive penalties, but not as many of those lazy ones. That’s been the big difference.” I know you break down the season, for evaluation purposes, into 10game segments. We’re 19 games in – which areas are you encouraged about, and which are the biggest areas for growth?
“We try to get 12 points each segment, and we’re already at
Q A
As far as the injuries go, is it a little bit of déjà vu right now, after all the man games you lost last season?
“Yeah, but it is what it is. With injuries, there’s not much you can say or do about them. [Chuckles] What can you do? All you can really do is keep moving onward and upward. By Christmas, we should be a lot healthier.”
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Q A
At the moment, you’re tied for the AHL goal-scoring lead with seven, but you haven’t got an assist yet. What’s going on? “I don’t know! [Laughs] I guess I’ll get one whenever Cunner (Cam Cunning) or Army (John Armstrong) want to put it in after I give them the puck. We’ve had some chances, and it’s weird. But I’d rather be at seven goals and zero assists, than zero goals and seven assists.” (Editor’s note: Keith would later pick up his Ärst assist on a goal by Cunning. As of press deadline, he had nine goals and three assists in 19 games.)
invite you to participate in the 4th annual
If you weren’t a pro hockey player, what line of work do you think you’d be in? “When I was younger, I always thought I’d like to get into teaching. I like kids, and I’d like to do something in athletics. I’m going to look into taking online courses and stuff this year. This summer, I talked to a family friend who’s a counsellor to just try to get some ideas of what to do when I’m done hockey. But I think teaching would interest me.”
Q Do you have a pregame superstition? A “Not really. If I have a good game the game before, I try to do things the
same – driving the same way to the rink, eat the same pregame meal. But once I get to the rink, there’s nothing too drastic.”
How does the fundraiser work? It's simple! During the month of November, stay home and read a book instead of going out — then donate the money you saved to YOUR Libraries!
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“[Laughs] Local landmark in Aldergrove? I don’t know if there are any. Actually, the Greater Vancouver Zoo would probably be the place. We used to go on school Äeld trips there when I was younger. So I’d probably pick the zoo or the Aldergrove Arena. I’ve had some good memories there.”
familiar faces all the time is a big bonus, I think. I get to see my family and friends more than a lot of guys on the team, but once the season starts, everything’s really consumed with hockey and with the team. So in some ways, it’s the same as when I played other places. But when we get off a road trip, I get to go home, and that’s nice.”
A
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If you were showing someone around your hometown of Aldergrove, what’s the Ärst local landmark you’d show them?
Q What’s your favourite thing about playing so close to home? A “It’s just about being comfortable and familiar here – getting to see
Q
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ABBOTSFORD NEWS
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
O F F I C I A L
ON THE
BIG
F
STAGE
Abbotsford Heat players, like all AHLers, are just one step away from the NHL. We asked three of them to recall their first game in the Big Show. How did you get the news you had been called up to the NHL?
When you talk to people about your first NHL game, what’s the story you tell?
Who was famous p the ice tha
FEB. 24, 2004 Chicago Blackhawks at Philadelphia Flyers
“I was with the Norfolk Admirals, and I’d lost a tooth . . . I was on my way to the dentist when the GM called and asked what I was doing. I said, ‘Going to the dentist.’ He said, ‘You can get that tooth Äxed, or you can get your gear and jump on a plane because you’re playing (in the NHL) tonight. I almost crashed my car.”
“The whole day was kind of a whirlwind. The (Norfolk) trainer had taped up three brand new sticks for me, and the older guys on the team had taken the sticks and replaced them with broken ones. When got to Philadelphia, no one could Änd me because I was outside with my sticks, panicking.”
“There were names out th LeClair, Mark Alexei Zhamn pretty neat.”
NOV. 5, 2007 Calgary Flames at Colorado Avalanche
“I actually thought I was getting in trouble, becaus I’d been called into (Quad City Flames coach) Ryan McGill’s ofÄce. But he told me I was going to go up (to the Flames) and Curtis McElhinney was going to come down for a few games.”
“I got in for nine minutes in the third period of a blowout in Colorado. Kipper (Miikka Kiprusoff) got scored on, and (Flames coach) Mike Keenan said to me, ‘Do you want to go in?’ I looked at him, and I said, ‘Pardon?’ And he says, ‘GET IN THE NET!’ So I threw my gear on.”
“I’ve got the sheet at hom wall, and peo pretty impres got to play ag Sakic. That w exciting for m
OCT. 7, 2010 Calgary Flames at Edmonton Oilers
“They never really came up and said that I’d made the starting roster (out of training camp). I just realized all the other guys had been sent down. It was pretty exciting, and it was a dream come true. Hopefully I’ll get back up there.”
“They (the Oilers) scored shorthanded after I pinched down (from the point). It was sort of a bad play by me, and it was Jordan Eberle’s Ärst NHL goal, too. It’s a little bit of a disappointing story, I guess, but it happens. It was still a good experience.”
“Everyone ou was someon on TV. Jarom and Miikka K probably. A lo Oilers guys w the same age actually.”
First NHL game
MATT KEITH
MATT KEETLEY
T.J. BRODIE
F A N
the most layer on at night?
ABBOTSFORD NEWS
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
G U I D E
How nervous were you, on a scale of 1 to 10?
What was your welcome to the NHL moment?
some big here – John k Recchi, nov. It was
“I don’t think I had time to be nervous. Everything happened so quickly, from being in the car, to picking up my gear, to getting to the airport. I was calling everyone I knew to tell them.”
“My sixth game that year, we played Tampa Bay at home. They had guys like Vincent Lecavalier and Dave Andreychuk, and they went on to win the Stanley Cup. Just seeing how good they were and how big some of those guys were, it was pretty shocking.”
game me on my ople are ssed that I gainst Joe was pretty me.”
“Probably 11. I was pretty nervous. You dream about playing in the NHL, and after hyperventilating for the Ärst couple minutes, it was okay. I made a couple stops.”
“How fast the speed of the game was and how many times I got scored on in practice was my welcome to the NHL moment.”
ut there e I’d seen e Iginla Kiprusoff, ot of the were around e as me,
“Probably around a six or a seven. I try not to be too nervous. I play better when I’m relaxed and calm out there. But obviously the nerves were still there. There’s a lot of pressure.”
“I’m not too sure. Everything happened so fast. I guess it would be just being around the guys after watching them the past couple years on TV, and getting a chance to play with them.”
Photos courtesy Chicago Blackhawks and Calgary Flames
7
8
ABBOTSFORD NEWS
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
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ABBOTSFORD NEWS
O F F I C I A L
F A N
G U I D E
Brodie a quick study From A3
left grasping at air. Teammates found seeing-eye passes on their tape. Four nights after being burned by Dadonov, Brodie set up two goals in a 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Admirals. On Nov. 6 against the San Antonio Rampage, he drew oohs and aahs on a spectacular play to set up Keith Seabrook for a goal. On a Heat power play, Brodie made a Drew Doughtyesque spin at the blue line to keep the puck in the offensive zone against pressure, then Äred a cross-ice pass to Seabrook, who wired a shot past San Antonio goalie Matt Climie. Through his Ärst 14 games with the Heat, Brodie has one goal, eight assists and an impressive +7 rating. “With T.J., you can sense quickly his ability to skate and carry the puck,” Heat head coach Jim Playfair acknowledged. “The real development part for him is his defensive ability. He needs to get on the right side of puck battles and be aware of what’s happening around and behind him. It’s just the details that go into defending.” Brodie’s early success is no surprise to Heat forward Bryan Cameron, one of Brodie’s OHL teammates in Barrie last season.
9
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
“He’s just a natural athlete,” Cameron said. “He’s the kind of guy who, when he faces tougher opponents or plays with better guys, he just elevates his game even more. “He just knows where guys are on the ice. He’s not afraid to make a highrisk play, and when he does, it’s usually in the back of the other team’s net.” Brodie lived with a billet family during his junior hockey days, and part of his development curve as a Ärst-year pro is learning to live on his own. He’s sharing an apartment with fellow rookies Cameron and Greg Nemisz and second-year defenceman John Negrin. “It’s kind of different – you don’t have as much time to relax,” Brodie said. “You’ve got to cook or clean up, stuff like that. “We split the cooking. One guy will cook the meat up on the barbecue, another guy will make the side – potatoes or rice or something.” One of the quirky aspects of Brodie’s early-season tenure in Calgary was the fact he wore No. 66. It’s a number that’s only been worn by four other players in NHL history: former Canucks enforcer Gino Odjick, exPhiladelphia Flyer Yanick Dupre, former Washington Capitals centre Milan Novy . . . and most notably, Pittsburgh
Penguins superstar Mario Lemieux. Some Penguins fans, in fact, were incensed to see Brodie, a baby-faced rookie, wearing a number synonymous with Lemieux. A Facebook group, with 122 members at last count, sprung up to petition Brodie to give up No. 66 and have it retired league-wide in Lemieux’s honour. “I hope T.J. Brodie trips on a banana peel and breaks his nose,” one Facebook user wrote. Brodie, for his part, had no input in picking his number. He had it handed to him at rookie camp two summers prior – low numbers are reserved for the NHL veterans, and the young guys get the high numbers. When he made the Flames in the fall, it was easier for the training staff not to change the number on his helmet and jersey. As for all the venom coming out of Pittsburgh via the Internet, all Brodie could do was chuckle. “Obviously I could see where they were coming from,” he said. “Most people are just having fun with it, joking around. But at the same time, there’s some people that are actually pretty upset about it. “You’ve just got to forget about it. You can’t let it bother you or distract you from your play.”
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ABBOTSFORD NEWS
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
O F F I C I A L
Dave SHELDON
play
playby
F A N
G U I D E
Road warriors rolling along The Abbotsford Heat continue their remarkable road record this season. Last year, the Heat reeled off 21 wins away from the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre, which gave the Ärst year club a top-Äve record in the AHL away from home ice. This season, Abbotsford Heat head coach Jim Playfair has the youngest team in the league, which makes the task even more daunting. But Playfair is conÄdent in his youthful squad. “This group of players is without question the closest knit, tight group of players that I have ever coached,” marveled Playfair. “But as coaches, we have to realize that they are a young team and re-emphasize what we need to do to be successful.” “One of the nice things about this group,” Playfair continued, “is the fact that they have all been well coached, whether in the Canadian Hockey League or NCAA, these players are aware of what is expected. It makes coaching them and seeing their successes very rewarding for us as coaches.” At the time of this writing, the Heat were about to play their 10th road game and had a record of 6-2-0-1 in their Ärst nine showings away from home. At that pace, they would get to 25 road wins,
a number that would be near the top league-wide. “You had better learn how to win on the road during the season,” cautioned Playfair. “If you wait until the playoffs to learn how to win on the road, you’re dead.” So how come the success on the road? How can it be converted into
‘‘
If you wait until the playoffs to learn how to win on the road, you’re dead.
wins at home as well? The answer, says the coach, is to keep it simple. “Sometimes there is no question that we think we are better than we are, but that’s human nature,” Playfair said. “The key is to know what our strengths are as a team and to focus on that. Forechecking hard, shots on goal and driving the net are important to our overall success, but so is playing smart defence.
BALD
• • • • •
HEAD
Dave Sheldon is the director of communications and broadcast for the Abbotsford Heat. He writes a monthly column for Faceoff magazine.
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“Our team, as cliché as it is to say, needs to stick with the plan the entire game for us to be successful. It seems that we have a tough time doing that at home. Whether it is because the players put more pressure on themselves to perform at home is irrelevant. Learning to win in any building, but especially at home, is crucial.” So how do you do it? Asked if he could have one thing to win at home, Playfair was blunt. “This building has to be the toughest building for our opposition to play in… they have to dread coming here,” he said. “Our team needs to punish them for being here, and our fans need to punish them for visiting our building.” When asked about the chants against an opponent at a recent game, Playfair nodded and said, “Our fans are as knowledgeable as any fans in the AHL. We rely on them to have our backs when the chips are down. Our players feed off of it and bring more to the table. It’s a win-win.” Let’s hope that the Heat can keep the win-winning going!
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ABBOTSFORD NEWS
O F F I C I A L
F A N
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
G U I D E
Ian Fisher - age 32, season ticket holder Q What’s your favourite thing about coming to a Heat game?
A“The action, and the fact that it’s a good price. It reminds
me of when I was a kid, going to Vancouver Canadiens (minor league baseball) games. It was cool to see players before they made the major leagues.”
MEET the HEAT
fan
Q Which baseball players did you get to see before they made the majors?
A“Sammy Sosa was probably the most notable one.” Q How do you support the Heat? A“I’m probably the loudest person in the house. If you hear someone yelling ‘Go Heat Go’ randomly, it’s probably me.”
Q Who’s your favourite Heat player? A“That’s a tough call. I’d say J.D. Watt, probably. If
he can continue with his disciplined play, I think he could make it to the NHL. I’ve met him a few times, and he’s a pretty nice guy. He’s deÄnitely a tough guy. Other than that, Keith Seabrook for his name value, and he’s a good defenceman.”
Click&Win my NE
WIN
Be a deer. Volunteer.
W
a new
CAR! tion O Nose™ Redd N R Drivers, navigators, phone operators and dispatchers needed. Antlers optional. Nov. 26, 27, Dec. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18 & 31.
Simply visit our new website. Click on the ‘My New Ride’ button and look for the
Call 604.864.4657
‘Fraser Valley Auto Mall Vehicle of the Week’.
abbotsford-mission@operationrednose.com
www.fvautomall.com Prizes provided by
or
th
e ov
r
0 0 5 , nd a 7 r $2 Ca p
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11
NEW VEHICLES | USED VEHICLES | SERVICE | PARTS
Keeping the Abbotsford & Mission roadways safe for 15 years!
ABBOTSFORD NEWS
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
An impressive line-up with impressive offers are right here, right now.
O F F I C I A L
F A N
0 60 plus %
PURCHASE FINANCING
FOR UP TO
Only Ford lets you recycle your G2003 UorI older D E vehicle and get up to
$
MONTHS on select 2011 models
Winter Tires
3,300
towards most new Ford vehicles.
Steel Rims Tire Pressure Monitoring System
2010 FORD SUPER CAB XLT
Impressively tough trucks with impressive offers are right here, right now.
4.6L, AUTO AIR, TILT, CRUISE, CD, SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO, ALUMINUM WHEELS. F1A28390
23,999
MSA PRICE $ Ford Recycle Your Ride
Manufacturer Rebate ....................................$7,500 UP TO
–
$
3,000
Plus qualifying customers can get
Ford Recycle Your Ride Incentive ............ $3,000 Retire Your Ride Incentive .............................. $300 Ford Credit Cash (when financing) ......................... $1,500 UP TO
Ford Motor Rebate
–
$
W
W
1,500
W
NOW!
TOTAL ELIGIBLE INCENTIVES
$19,499 2010 FORD RANGER SPORT
UP TO
2011 FORD FIESTA S ABS BRAKES, ENGINE IMMOBILIZER, TILT, TRACTION CONTROL
AUTO, CD, ALUMINUM WHEELS, AT TIRES, SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO. RAA52101
ATIC AUTOM
12,300
$
BONUS WINTER SAFETY PACKAGE
14,999
MSA PRICE $ Ford Recycle Your Ride
–
$
1,000
Ford Motor Rebate
–
$
1,000
NOW!
NOW!
$13,999
$12,999 2010 FORD MUSTANG 2 AVAILABLE
MUA38594 / MUA03599
SOME MORE GREAT EXAMPLES NEW TAURUS LTD ALL WHEEL DRIVE
31,999
MSA PRICE $ Ford Recycle Your Ride
–
$
1,000
–
$
1,000
FNBS8057 / FNBS8058 ..............................................................................................
NEW 2011 FIESTA SEDAN S
$29,999
..............................................................................................
NEW FLEX SE SYNC
NOW!
TAA30283 / TAA31812 ............................................................
NEW 2011 FUSION SEDAN S FEB07922 / FEB05060
Ford Motor Rebate
FEA236
FXB08795 .................................................................................................
NEW EXPEDITION LIMITED, LOADED
EPA64811 ............................................................................
NEW TRANSIT CONNECT XLT TCA41941 .............................................................................................................
$39,990 $19,990 $13,999 $29,999 $39,990 $25,963 Winner
All payments based on 60 month term and 84 month amortization. APR is calculated at 7.39 per cent on approved credit. Bi-weekly payments include all taxes and fees. Prices net of all rebates. Recycle Your Ride program is for consumers who scrap their 2003 or older vehicle. FMC Financing Cash is for consumers who finance with Ford Credit on approved credit. All prices plus tax and documentation fee. All offers subject to availability. Dealer may sell for less. Some vehicles not exactly as shown. † With purchase of MSA Ford Maintenance Plan, see dealer for details.
ABBOTSFORD’S
The Fraser Valley’s only Ford SUPERSTORE!
A-LIST DL# 7957
Th e
MON - THURS • 8:30am 8:30am - 8 8pm pm | FRI & SAT • 8:30am 8:30am - 6 6pm pm | SUNDAY • CLOSED
ew
s
12
A b b ot f o r d N s
t t
3 TIME WINNER #1 NEW CAR DEALERSHIP #1 USED CAR DEALERSHIP #1 SERVICE DEPARTMENT
FRASER VALLEY AUTO MALL HWY 1 - MT LEHMAN EXIT • 604.857.2293 • MISSION 604.853.2293 • www.msaford.com