Connect with us

Published

on

Charlie Burggraf has stepped down as head coach of the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s franchise in Minnesota just one week before the start of its inaugural season.

Former NHL defenseman Ken Klee was named the new head coach. Klee previously coached the U.S. Women’s National Team to gold medals at the 2015 and 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championships, as well as a pair of Four Nations Cup titles.

“We thank Charlie Burggraf for all he did for our franchise, and we wish him only the best in the future,” general manager Natalie Darwitz said. “Ken Klee brings a proven record of success to our coaching staff, and we are extremely pleased — for our players, our fans and our organization — that he has joined us.”

Burggraf, 66, accepted the job in September and has deep roots in Minnesota hockey. He played youth hockey in Roseau and coached men’s and women’s hockey at Division III Bethel in St. Paul. He was an assistant coach for two seasons at the University of Minnesota women’s program when Darwitz was playing for the Gophers.

“My family and I have decided that stepping away from the head-coaching position at Team Minnesota is the right move for us at this time,” Burggraf said in a statement. “I wish both the PWHL, and especially Team Minnesota, great success.”

Klee, 52, played 934 games over 14 NHL seasons as a defenseman. He previously coached Minnesota players Kendall Coyne and Lee Stecklein on the women’s national team. Klee was an assistant coach for the AHL Syracuse Crunch from 2017-19.

The PWHL begins its first season next week with six inaugural franchises. The league features women’s national team players from the U.S. and Canada, as well as former players from the now-defunct Premier Hockey Federation.

Minnesota opens its inaugural season on Jan. 3 in Boston.

Continue Reading

Sports

Foligno takes puck off hand, will miss 4 weeks

Published

on

By

Foligno takes puck off hand, will miss 4 weeks

Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno will miss four weeks after injuring his hand Saturday in his team’s 3-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs, coach Jeff Blashill said.

Foligno, 38, suffered the injury with 90 seconds left in the second period when he was skating near the top of the Blackhawks’ defensive zone and Jake McCabe‘s shot on net deflected off Foligno’s hand.

Foligno immediately hunched over and favored his hand while skating back to the Blackhawks’ bench. Foligno, who did not return for the third period, finished with three shots on goal and logged 10:41 in ice time.

The absence of Foligno, who has six points in 15 games, means the Blackhawks will be without their fourth-line center who was anchoring a combination featuring Sam Lafferty and Landon Slaggert. His injury is also the second to impact the Blackhawks’ forward group with winger Jason Dickinson currently on injured reserve.

After finishing last season with the second-fewest points in the NHL, the Blackhawks (9-5-4) have emerged into one of the biggest surprises through the first quarter of the regular season. With their win against the Maple Leafs, they enter Sunday third in the Central Division and a point ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken in the Western Conference wild-card race.

Continue Reading

Sports

Devils’ Hughes out 8 weeks after finger surgery

Published

on

By

Devils' Hughes out 8 weeks after finger surgery

New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes had successful surgery on his finger Saturday, the team announced. The expected recovery time is eight weeks, though he will be reevaluated in six weeks.

According to sources, Hughes injured his hand in a “freak accident” that involved getting cut by glass at a team dinner Thursday.

Hughes’ procedure was performed by Dr. Robert Hotchkiss at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

The 24-year-old was off to a terrific start for New Jersey, which is 12-4-1 and atop the Metropolitan Division entering Friday. The American-born star has 10 goals and 20 points in his first 17 games.

The injury will create an interesting predicament for Team USA ahead of the 2026 Olympics in Milan. Hughes’ brother, Quinn, has already been named to the team while the Devils star was expected to be a front-runner for the roster. Federations must submit rosters by Dec. 31. The Devils’ projected return-to-play timeline is around the second week of January. The Olympic men’s hockey tournament begins Feb. 11.

Olympic rosters feature 25 players, which is two more spots than teams had at Four Nations.

Continue Reading

Sports

Canucks sign ex-Leaf Kampf to one-year deal

Published

on

By

Canucks sign ex-Leaf Kampf to one-year deal

Center David Kampf signed a one-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday, just a day after the Toronto Maple Leafs terminated his previous deal.

Kampf, whose deal with the Canucks will carry a $1.1 million cap hit, was entering the third year of his four-year contract with the Maple Leafs that was worth $2.4 million annually.

The Leafs waived Kampf before the season, and he began the year with their AHL affiliate. Kampf played four games in the AHL before taking a voluntary leave of absence, which wasn’t sanctioned by the Leafs, to evaluate his options.

Kampf, who scored 5 goals and 13 points in 59 games last season, gives the Canucks a two-way center who has logged more than 110 short-handed minutes in seven straight seasons.

The Canucks have faced defensive challenges under first-year coach Adam Foote, who already has had to navigate injuries to Filip Chytil, Thatcher Demko, Derek Forbort, Filip Hronek and Quinn Hughes, among others.

Entering Saturday, the Canucks were allowing 3.53 goals per game, which is the fifth most in the NHL, while their penalty kill is the worst in the league at 66.1%. The Los Angeles Kings set the NHL record for the worst penalty kill in league history with a 68.2% success rate in the 1979-80 campaign.

Kampf also provides a veteran presence at center for the Canucks, who entered the season with questions at the position. Those concerns have intensified with Teddy Blueger and Chytil on injured reserve.

Entering Saturday, the Canucks (8-9-2) had the second-fewest points in the Pacific Division but were two points behind the Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets for Western Conference wild-card spots.

Continue Reading

Trending