Despite the loss, the Sharks do have a lot to be happy with. Marcel Goc looked more like a solid sophomore than a big-eyed rookie and his German counterpart Christian Ehrhoff was solid defensively.
(San Jose Homepage)
German Invasion
When Darryl Sutter took over the Sharks coaching reigns five seasons ago, he would have been more than slightly surprised if you told him that five years from then, one of his top forwards, and three of his top prospects, would be Germans. After all, barely a handful of Germans are in the entire NHL even today.
However, San Jose's Director of Amateur Scouting Tim Burke saw something in 2001 when he and Sharks General Manager Dean Lombardi selected Germans Marcel Goc (1st round, 20th overall), Christian Ehrhoff (4th round, 106th overall) and Dimitri Patzold (4th round, 107th overall) in the same draft. Patzold is a native of Kazakhstan, but holds a German passport. Now that he has seen the group first hand, Sharks Head Coach Darryl Sutter also likes what he sees.
Although Patzold has now returned to Germany for the season, Goc and Ehrhoff will remain with San Jose through the weekend and likely play in all three upcoming contests. Then they will join Patzold for the German Elite League.
"They will probably play all three games," said Sutter of the upcoming weekend. "Most of us haven't seen them play in North America. It's good for them if it's their aspiration to come over."
"I am pretty excited about tomorrow," said Ehrhoff. "I have really wanted to play in a game here."
Goc, a center, is obviously the higher profiled player, having been the first round selection, but Ehrhoff, a defenseman, is showing the Sharks staff what he can do.
"Both are good kids with a great work ethic," said Sutter. "Their skill level is at the top end here and the attitude they have reminds me so much of Marco. They are mature beyond their years."
The two will have to take the knowledge gained over the weekend and apply it to potentially playing next year in North America. The duo has the added benefit of playing in a German league that allows 14 imported players on every team. That introduces a very North American style of play in Germany, despite the larger rink.
"My plan is to spend one more year in Germany and then come over here," said Ehrhoff. "Some of the things I want to work on before then is adding some weight and improving defensively. It has helped me a lot over the years to play with experienced defensemen. They have helped prepare me for coming over here."
No matter how prepared a European player is for North America and visa versa, the rink still takes an adjustment.
"It is a little tougher on a smaller rink just because when you go into the corners, the forwards are immediately on you," said Ehrhoff. "But if you move the puck quickly you should be fine."
Despite being half a world away, Ehrhoff is able to keep up with the club he hopes to someday play for thanks to the electronic age.
"I try to keep up on the Sharks and the NHL when I am back home," said Ehrhoff. "I watch NHL Power Week, every week and use the Sharks site. They are usually on TV live once or twice a month, but the games are on so late that I usually tape them."
It will be at least another season before Marco Sturm has the ability to talk German in the Sharks lockerroom, but if Goc, Ehrhoff and Patzold stay on their current track of progression, Sturm could have German teammates sooner than anticipated.
(San Jose Homepage)
Team Black defeated Team Gray 3-2 in a contest that saw five tallies in nine minutes of action. Team Black jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the opening two minutes on goal by Mark Smith, but Christian Ehrhoff evened the score two minutes later. Vincent Damphousse put Team Black up 2-1 only to have Rob Davison respond within three minutes to even the score. Just 40 seconds after Davison's tying mark, Owen Nolan took a pass from Damphousse, skated in on a breakaway, and scored the winner.
Between the pipes, Seamus Kotyk backstopped Team Black to the victory by stopping 12 of 14 shots. Dimitri Patzold saw considerable more action, but allowed three goals on 32 shots in the loss.
(San Jose Homepage)
Vesa Toskala earned the victory by stopping all 15 shots faced with Dimitri Patzold suffering the loss by allowing two goals on 21 shots.
(San Jose Homepage)
In the second half, Team Black took advantage of their speed as Christian Erhoff bounced on a loose puck and drove deep into Team Gray's zone setting up Pat Rissmiller for the goal.
Team Black would strike again just a minute and twenty-seven seconds later as Tavis Hansen blasted a pass from Marcel Goc past Dimitri Patzold for a 2-0 lead.
(San Jose Homepage)
GOC & EHRHOFF
The only two players not in attendance at rookie camp yet are Marcel Goc and Christian Ehrhoff. Both are currently in Germany due to scheduling conflicts with the German clubs, but will arrive on September 9.
(San Jose Homepage)
while Dimitri Patzold allowed two goals on eight shots in receiving the loss.
(San Jose Homepage)
Uwe Krupp, who mans the blue line with his right-handed shot and a desire to prove to all that he's 100 percent healthy after four injury-filled seasons.
(Atlanta Homepage)
Kann mich nicht an den genauen Wortlaut erinnern, aber es war sowas wie..
Wenn es auf Fitness ankommt kam keiner an den Neuzugang Uwe Krupp heran.
Zitat Fitnesstrainer :" Wir mussten ihn vom Fahrad runterholen bevor er es in die Luft gejagt hätte"
(Atlanta Newspaper)
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Preseason 2002
Flyers scouts and coaches alike have been quite impressed with German-born defenseman Dennis Seidenberg (sixth round pick in 2001) in the summer workouts. His puck-moving skills could earn him some attention this month.
(Flyers Homepage)
6:54 Philadelphia Pavel Brendl
Assists: DENNIS SEIDENBERG, Simon Gagne Philadelphia 1-0
14:29 Philadelphia DENNIS SEIDENBERG (Power Play)
Assists: Dan McGillis, Keith Primeau Philadelphia 2-1
(ESPN Scoreboard)
Several of Washington's young netminding prospects - including Robert Muller, Rob Gherson and Maxime Ouelette - were impressive throughout the afternoon, drawing cheers from the assembled crowd after sparkling saves. Defenseman Nolan Yonkman was the author of several board-rattling bodychecks, including one that broke open the rink's exit door
(Washington Homepage)
Robert Muller manned the nets for team White in the third
(Washington Homepage)
Olaf Kolzig allowed three goals in two periods for Washington.
(ESPN)
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Preseason 2002
St. Catharines, ON (Sept. 15, 2002)-- It was the ‘White Team’ that captured the Jack Gatecliff Cup on Sunday, but that was hardly the headline as the Sabres completed the St. Catharines portion of training camp. Much of the talk amongst the few hundred fans that came out Sunday was about the early impact of newcomer Jochen Hecht.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound left wing came over to Buffalo from Edmonton in exchange for a pair of second-round draft picks. At least temporarily, Hecht has found a home on a line with captain Stu Barnes and Tim Connolly.
“Obviously, they’ve got some excellent chemistry,” said head coach Lindy Ruff following the Sunday morning practice. “I thought Hecht might have been the best guy on the ice, but I thought Connolly and Barnes were very good also.”
The trio led ‘Team White’ to an 8-7 victory over ‘Team Black’ for the Jack Gatecliff Cup. ‘Team Red,’ who scored a pair of wins earlier in camp, wasn’t given a chance to compete for the Cup after an apparent scheduling glitch.
Each of the three teams had a combination of veterans and rookies, making it a balanced field. That gave goaltender Marty Biron the chance to face the likes of the Hecht-Connolly-Barnes line.
Biron commented on that line, and in particular what Hecht brings to the table.
“He’s got some great offensive skills – his line with Tim and Stuey controlled the play all morning. I’m really impressed. I’m happy to see that we’ve got that guy on our side.”
One of the better parts of the 25 year-old Hecht’s makeup is the quickness of his hands. That enabled him to score a pair of goals in Sunday’s Jack Gatecliff Cup Final.
“I think he has very good hands,” says Ruff. “If you look at the stats, he was right at the top in shots on goal in Edmonton. You listen to him and read about things he’s said – he believes he can score goals. He was disappointed in not scoring 20 goals last season, and that’s good to see him put pressure on himself to score.
“He’s got that strong work ethic. He’ll work to get the extra step on a guy and to get in position. He’s one of those guys that believes the play is never over. That’s something that real good goal scorers have.”
The Sabres hope that Hecht continues to shine as the team now packs up and heads back to Buffalo. Practices this week will occur at HSBC Arena, in preparation for this weekend’s opening set of preseason contests.
(Buffalo Homepage)
Lindy Ruff on Jochen Hecht
He’s a solid player. He’s very good defensively and has some offense. If you watch him out there he’s a very smart player and he’s very good at handling the puck. He will add some new dimensions at both ends of the ice.
(Buffalo Homepage)
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Preseason 2002
Jochen Hecht, who was acquired from Edmonton in an offseason deal, had a goal and an assist in his first game for the Sabres
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Preseason 2002
Dennis Seidenberg
Position: Defenseman
Ht: 6'0" Wt: 180
Birthdate: July 18, 1981
Birthplace: Germany
Drafted by the Flyers in the sixth round (172nd overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Had 7 goals and 13 assists in 55 games playing for Manheim in the German league.
"Plays in Germany, he was here for a week this past summer at our minicamp. He is a young kid; played on Germany's national team last year in the World Championship which is kind of unheard of over there for a player that age to play at that level. We like him as a player and might take a look at signing him this summer to get him over here.
Assistant General Manager Paul Holmgren
The Flyers' rookie camp featured prominent figures in team’s future
By Brian Marks, philadelphiaflyers.com
Although the annual Flyers' rookie mini-camp closed house last week, it showcased some interesting faces for the future of the club. And for the first time in recent memory, Training Camp, which starts September 13, will feature some roster openings and opportunities for rookies to take advantage of.
“The boys have worked hard. They’ve been here at seven o’clock in the morning until two in the afternoon. They’ve put in an excellent effort,” said Flyers Strength and Conditioning Coach Jim McCrossin, who ran the camp. “We’ve run, we’ve biked, we’ve lifted. We did a lot of speed and agility work. There were boys who really needed some quick feet work. We look at the weak links of our boys and try to individualize a program that’s going to better suit their needs so when camps comes September 13, they’re ready to go.”
McCrossin, a one-time disciple of Philadelphia conditioning legend Pat Croce, had many keys to running a successful camp.
“One, you know you’re going to have to make them work hard but, two, you have to make it fun. You have to get some competitiveness to it,” he said. “There should be no surprises. [The players] get our conditioning manual, I speak to them – they know what to expect, it’s up to them to prepare themselves to get here. We give them all the tools.
“In fairness to them, it’s awfully hard if you’re working out by yourself [in the off-season] to push yourself as hard as when you’re in a group. It’s a whole new experience [coming to camp] because you have boys from all over the world. Everybody has a different work ethic.”
Among those McCrossin was impressed with are defensemen Jeff Woywitka, the 19-year-old first round pick from the 2001 NHL Entry Draft and Dennis Seidenberg, a sixth round pick in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft from Germany and forward Guillaume Lefebvre, who saw action in three Flyers games last season.
“I see people like Jeff Woywitka. Last year, he looked like the typical 17 year old with some baby fat on him. This year, he’s matured physically,” McCrossin said. “Guillaume Lefebvre – he was in great shape last year and I think he’s in phenomenal shape this year. Dennis Seidenberg – he gained 17 pounds, but he put it in all the right places. The kid looks unbelievable. I can go down the list and tell you each of them who was here last year compared to this year has improved because they know [how it’s going to be].”
And nothing makes McCrossin more satisfied than to see a player buy into his conditioning system.
“It’s a great feeling, it makes my job a lot easier,” he said. “It makes my job fun. I like competitiveness, it’s great. You want that.”
First-year Flyers Head Coach Ken Hitchcock used the camp to gain a different perspective.
“It was really interesting for me to watch the improvement of players, to watch people come in like [Antero] Niittymaki, who was struggling at the start because of the smaller ice and shots were coming from anywhere and everywhere to see where he’s at now,” he said. “Same thing with [Seidenberg]. Where he was at the start and where he’s at now – he’s comfortable.”
Hitchcock also revealed that Training Camp competition may be coming from some of the most unlikely of sources. One may not have thought of Radovan Somik as a possible contributor to the 2002-03 Flyers. Many probably haven’t even heard of the fourth round pick in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. But the international experience that the Czech forward has gained over the past seven years gives him an advantage over many prospects in the entire organization.
“He’s 25 years old and he’s played top international play for almost five years now,” Hitchcock said. “He’s been in that type of program – between World Championships, between Olympic games – he’s played there.”
Another player from rookie camp that Hitchcock is keeping an eye on is center Patrick Sharp, who was signed to a contract this summer. Sharp starred at the University of Vermont.
“Where did Chris Drury come from?” Hitchcock asked, referring to the Colorado Avalanche center and former Boston University standout when asked how a college player could adjust to the NHL level. “It’s not like they’re coming from [Quebec] Major Junior, these guys have played at an unbelievably high level.”
Woywitka and fellow defenseman Jim Vandermeer are players that used the mini-camp as a stepping stone. Woywitka will most likely return to Red Deer of the Western Hockey League for his last season of junior hockey and the second-year pro Vandermeer is pointed as being a leading blueliner with the Phantoms.
“Vandermeer is moving up on the learning curve and he’s doing a good job,” he said. “I think the whole organization is high on Woywitka. He’s another player that has to come into camp and has experience and confidence coming from the World Junior Championships.”
Robert Muller und Christoph Schubert sind bei den jetzigen Assignments noch nicht dabei gewesen, scheinen also beide noch bei den Capitals bzw Senators zu sein, ebenso wie Goc und Ehrhoff bei den Sharks, scheinen dem Team bzw den Trainern also zu gefallen, allerdings kann es auch sein, dass es so abgesprochen ist, da die Spieler ja dann wieder nach Europa zurückkehren werden....
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Preseason 2002
When the Sharks selected Marcel Goc in the first round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, he was immediately the source of a great deal of speculation. Would this young man pan out? Does he have the talent to make an impact in this league? When will he play in North America?
Well it will be at least one more season before he plays full time in North America. It is still anyone's guess as to whether he will pan out. But one question that is quickly fading into the archives of speculation is if he has the talent to make an impact in the NHL.
In Thursday's first preseason game, Goc looked like an established NHLer, rather than an unknown prospect. Against the Kings, Goc demonstrated the ability to stay one step ahead of many Los Angeles defenders and he view of the ice brought flashes of things to come. Yet, even with the poise demonstrated on the ice, he is still excited about the opportunity.
"It was great to play in a game over here," said Goc. "The game is a lot quicker and much different that back home (Germany), but it is fun."
Hopefully it is only a matter of time before Goc is in teal permanently and putting to rest any and all questions.
ROSTER REDUCTION
While the Sharks are expected to make some roster moves in the next couple of days, one move that is certain is the departure of German's Christian Ehrhoff and Marcel Goc on Monday. Tomorrow morning, the two Sharks prospects will return to their German clubs for the coming 2002-03 campaign. Both players are anxious to complete their assignments back home and return to North America next season.
Unfortunately, the Sharks would not be able to convert on the made advantage and at 16:07, would give the power play back to the Coyotes as Marcel Goc was called for hooking. On the following power play, Shane Doan game the Coyotes a 4-1 lead when he jammed a rebound in at 17:55. Doan’s goal featured assists from Todd Simpson and Daniel Briere. The Sharks would keep the Coyotes at bay for the final two minutes and enter the dressing room after two periods of play, trailing Phoenix by a score or 4-1. In the second period, the two clubs combined for 13 penalties (40 minutes), including the costly call on Goc resulting in a power play goal for the Coyotes.
Seasmus Kotyk entered the net for San Jose to start the third period, but the Phoenix onslaught continued when a slap shot from former Chicago Blackhawk Tony Amonte, just 46 seconds into the period, found its way past Kotyk, giving Phoenix a 5-1 lead.
The Sharks cut the Phoenix lead to 5-2 at 4:19 of the third, when Miroslav Zalesak backhanded a shot into the top corner of the net. Zalesak’s goal from Thomas and Hannan, was his first of the preseason.
It looked as if San Jose would cut the lead by another goal at 10:50 of the third when Marco Sturm stole the puck and broke into the Coyote zone, but Sturm’s shot, which beat Zulianello, went off the post, rather than into the net.
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