Making the Cut 2010 scheduled

Brahmas’ annual prospect camp set for September 24-26

The Texas Brahmas have set the dates for the annual Making the Cut prospect camp. There’ll be more information out on this soon but the dates are set for September 24-26th at the NYTEX Sports Centre.

Last year, 34 athletes attended three days of camp with countless drills and multiple scrimmages as well as several off-ice activities. They were reduced to two finalists who were offered training camp contracts.

This year, prospects will attend an informational meeting on Thursday evening, September 23rd at the NYTEX Sports Centre where coaches Dan Wildfong and Ron Vogel will lay out rules and expectations. Also expected to be on hand will be General Manager Mike Barack, Equipment Manager Phil Shipp, Athletic Trainer Tom Hart.

The camp will begin Friday morning and break Sunday evening when two athletes will be offered official 2010 Texas Brahmas training camp contracts. The Brahmas and all CHL teams are able to officially open training camp Monday, October 4th.

Two years ago, defenseman Ross Rouleau was on the receiving end of the "Making the Cut" speeches, and after a strong outing, an invitation to the Brahmas official training camp followed. Rouleau became a member of the 2009 Ray Miron President’s Cup Championship team and returned to the blue line for the 2009-10 season.

Photo Credit: Robert Keith

The Insider Interview - Ron Vogel

The Brahmas' assistant coach talks about the past season, changes in the off-season and the challenges of recruiting new players

Preparing for his third season as the Assistant Coach of the Texas Brahmas, Ron Vogel is anything but complacent. On the contrary, Vogel and head coach Dan Wildfong are putting in long hours recruiting new players as well as making decisions on which members of the team to re-sign for the 2010-11 campaign. Through the successes of the 2008-09 season and the challenges of last season, Vogel has found that there's always something new to learn.

I sat down with Ronnie recently at his office in the NYTEX Sports Centre. Here is our conversation.

Q: What's your reaction to the departure of Brett Jaeger?

A: It’s a big loss for us as a team and an organization. He’s definitely a solid net minder. It’s going to be tough to replace a guy with his character and his work ethic, but there are a lot of players out there and we’ll find the best replacement. We really appreciate what he’s done for us the last three years. He did everything we expected him to. For him to get this opportunity to experience the other side of the pond, you know, get over to Europe and experience that, it’s a great opportunity for a player. Personally, I did it in my career…It's a great experience; something that you can enjoy over there and see how it fits. It’s definitely a different style of game over there. It does come, not as a surprise, but its tough when you lose a guy like that.

Q: The Brahmas are now in the position of finding a number one as well as a back-up goalie. How is the process going?

A: There are a lot of good goalies out there and its now filtering to which one is going to best fit our system. You know with Jaegs, there was a lot of comfort...knowing what to expect from him day in and day out on the ice. We’re looking for the best player to fit into our team, to our systems and to our chemistry, like we do with every other player. We’re looking for strong character and that attitude to win. It’s tough to draw between the lines but we’ve contacted a lot of people and we’ll do our work and get the best replacement in here.

Q: Of the players you've been talking to, is it difficult to make a decision?

A: I’m very picky because I expect a lot from our goaltenders. Jaegs and I had a good relationship and I expected a lot from him, but I also had somebody to run things off and that was good.

Q: Is there any concern about bringing in somebody completely new to the Brahmas?

A: You don’t know how people will adjust to our team, our systems and this league – we’ll probably grab a goalie from another league and you just don’t know how they’ll make that transition.

Q: The Brahmas have seen at least a couple of players come in from another AA league and fail to make the transition, ultimately choosing to return to their old league. Is it a gamble that they are going to make it here?

A: It is...you can look through year-to-year statistics and the top end guys will have consistent years throughout their career and then you have those guys who will have hot and cold seasons. It’s tough to know what kind of season any guy you’re going to bring over from another league is going to have. Some guys are hungry and want to prove that they belong in this league and that they can do everything that they did in the previous season and some guys just can’t make that transition. Sometimes they don’t think our league is as good as it is - you know coming over from the ECHL or coming back from Europe or anything like that. Some people just don’t realize how good our league is.

Q: The CHL has lost two teams during the off-season - Amarillo and Corpus Christi, where you played during the 2006-07 season. What are your thoughts on seeing the departure of these clubs?

A: It’s always disappointing. The league has lost some good franchises here and there throughout the years. It’s tough when you’ve got strong franchises that, with the way the economy is, can’t cut it right now. The junior level seems to be the way some of them want to go. Its tough to lose those teams but with the IHL coming in, there’s a chance for our league to grow and its going to be a new challenge not only for the league getting everything figured out, but seeing how the two leagues match up because now you get to play each other...its going to be interesting.

Q: You've has some experience playing in the IHL...

for Rockford. It’s a talented league. I know the rules are going to change a little bit for both leagues to make it work for both of them but it’s definitely good hockey. Anywhere at the AA minor is good hockey whether its the A: Yeah, I played in Port Huron and Kalamazoo for a little bit and I played previously in the UHLECHL, CHL, IHL or in Europe – it’s all comparable; there are just certain differences between them.

Q: If you look at the map of the United States and overlay it with the "New" CHL cities and then add the ECHL cities, you have a blueprint for a nationwide AA league. Do you think that's something that we may see in the future...a single AA developmental league?

A: It would be tough...I think our league has some rules and guidelines that help make our franchises successful…the same with the ECHL. Hockey-wise I think it’s all comparable but I think on the management side a lot of things would have to change in either direction and I don’t think that’s going to happen any time soon. But if it did happen, it would be neat to see how it would turn out.

Q: You played in the NAHL for the Texas Tornado. What are your thoughts on the recent growth in that league and the development of its players to make the jump to the next level?

A: It’s different hockey from the junior to the pro level. Very few players from that level make the transition right to pro without going to the college level first. It’s definitely good hockey, it’s exciting. I don’t know on a business side how it helps ownerships or how it hurts them to be honest, but it’s good. Its staying strong, especially in the South. We’ll see how Amarillo and Corpus can do in a different kind of hockey market. It’s good to see hockey staying strong one way or the other. Kids are getting developed, getting to see parts of the U.S. and North America since they put a NAHL team in B.C. there – Dawson’s Creek. I think it’s good; it’s good for hockey all around…colleges are always recruiting players and looking for the next big thing to come out of those leagues. I know they’re still moving kids on to D1 and D3 and kids are getting that opportunity to develop.

Q: Looking back on your experiences as a coach, from the successes and winning a championship in your first season to the challenges of the past season, what have you learned?

A: The first year I came in and it was a great opportunity. I felt it was my time to leave the game and get my experience at the coaching level. Working alongside Dan, I knew I was going to get the right experience. He’s a great mentor and he’s been showing me the ropes. Last year, we didn’t accomplish our goal of winning the championship but I don’t think it was a negative season. I felt it was a learning experience and you’ve got to take those experiences and learn from them whether good or bad, whatever happens. You take the experiences and you learn from them. It was a challenge that I accepted all year long and it was something that I knew we would come through - and we came up short of our goal. I think that as a coach, I’m going to be learning every day. If you’re not learning, you shouldn’t be coaching. It’s a great game and you can always learn new things. Just from my first year to my second, we got to implement some systems that definitely helped. Last season was a different experience but one that we’ll take the positives out of.

Q: Considering the challenges faced during the past season, the Brahmas still had a great run. I don't think anyone expected the boys to take the first two games in Odessa and who knows what would have happened if you had all of your players healthy...

A: Yeah, you know, the injuries – we don’t like to make excuses here because it’s just not the way we do it. It’s not the Brahmas’ style to make an excuse, but injuries definitely did affect us through the course of the season and in the playoffs. We brought in two great amateurs who played well for us but, given that, you’re playing two amateurs 15-20 minutes a game and it’s tough playing against a team like Odessa. They’ve got a ton of talent and they’ve got great coaches there. They had a lot of success during the regular season, so they had that confidence. After we took the two game lead, they came back. In Game Six, we had a lead going into the third…our guys battled hard and it’s tough when injuries do become a factor. That’s part of hockey and its part of the challenge in making adjustments. I thought it was a positive season. Still, I thought we could’ve had a little bit more to give.

Q: I know it's still early - we've got over three months left until opening night, but how excited are you about the coming season?

A: We’re definitely excited to re-establish our team – our identity this year. I know we’re looking to bring back a solid core group of guys that we’ve had here, but we’re also looking to make some changes. We’re excited for some of these recruits that we’ve got coming in. You know, these are the dog days. A lot of calling, a lot of, you know, trying to get players to our program. It’s tough but it's enjoyable because when you do get the guy you’re after, you’re excited. We’re ready to start as soon as possible because we’d like to see these guys in action. We’d like to see what they have to offer and help develop these players for the next level. Coaching hockey is the fun part in the regular season and the playoffs but these are the days where it’s a grind for coaches to get the players they want in, but once you do, you’re excited for the opportunity to see them play and show them off to the fans.

Photo Credit: Robert Keith

Look who's back!

Nathan Saunders returns to the Brahmas blue line

The Texas Brahmas announced today that fan favorite Nathan Saunders has signed on for the 2010-11 campaign. The 6'3", 228 pound defenseman from Charlottetown, PEI will join rookie Jim Burichin on the blue line for his sixth pro season.

Brahmas Head Coach Dan Wildfong is thrilled to have Saunders back on the roster.

“Bringing in a player like Nathan fills in the void we had last season with grit and heart. Those are characteristics that cannot be taught, so we are happy to get him back for next season,” Wildfong said.

Saunders returns to the Texas Brahmas following a stint with Riviere-du-Loup CIMT (LNAH) where he tallied 12 points (7 G, 5 A) and 97 penalty minutes in 36 games played last season. He joined the Clarenville Caribous, a senior AAA ice hockey team based in Clarenville, Newfoundland and Labrador (West Coast Senior Hockey League). After winning the 2010 WCSHL Championship, the Caribous took home their second straight Herder Memorial Trophy.

During the Brahmas' President’s Cup Championship season, Saunders tallied a (pro) career-high 15 points (4 G, 11 A) and 159 penalty minutes. He ended the season with a +15 rating. Playing in all 16 post-season contests, he added three assists and 44 penalty minutes.

Outside of his other defensive skills, Saunders served as the de facto enforcer, a role that served notice to other teams - Don't Mess With Texas!

"I like being known as a guy who is always going to be there to stick up for his teammates and don’t get me wrong, I have no problem fighting," Saunders said in a March, 2009 interview with The Insider. "I enjoy it sometimes. It’s not something I want to do day in and day out, but I’m always going to stick up for my teammates. I don’t mind being labeled as that because I can always say no or yes to guys. You get chased around a little more being called a fighter, but I’ve got no problem saying no to guys if I don’t feel like fighting. So, it works out well for me."

The 25-year-old began his hockey career with the Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL). In four seasons (2001-02 to 2004-05), Saunders tallied 87 points (14 G, 73 A) and 794 penalty minutes in 261 games played. He was named to Team QMJHL for the RE/MAX Canada/Russia Challenge in 2003. He was team captain for the 2004-05 season.

Saunders played in 20 games with the Portland Pirates (AHL) in the 2005-06 season. He missed a significant amount of time out with a shoulder injury but returned to play nine games in the post-season.The following year was split between the Pirates and the Augusta Lynx (ECHL). He also split the 2007-08 season between the Providence Bruins (AHL) and the Johnstown Chiefs (ECHL).

He began the 2008-09 campaign in the ECHL, playing four games with the Stockton Thunder and six games with the Charlotte Checkers before joining the Brahmas on December 22nd.

There's no doubt, the addition of Saunders to the 2010-11 roster will create a huge buzz among Brahmas fans. The signing is also the first of several "sizable" additions to the team for the coming season. I'll have more on this when I publish interviews with Fonger and Ronnie Vogel, but for those who wanted some bigger players - you're going to get them this year.

Photo Credit: Robert Keith

Jaeger signs with EIHL Champions

Brahmas mainstay will play in the UK next season

A huge loss for the Texas Brahmas is a tremendous gain for the Coventry Blaze. Head Coach Paul Thompson confirmed today that he has completed the signing of Brett Jaeger to fill the void created by (Blaze goalie) Peter Hirsch’s decision not to return to the team. Hirsch, who led the team to the 2009-10 Elite League Championship decided not to return and will instead take up a post with the Danish national ice hockey federation.

The decision by Jaeger was no doubt a difficult one, but ultimately what he thought was best for his future. Although the British pound hasn't done so well against the dollar lately, the Elite League pays better than the Central Hockey League and also offers the possibility to move up to higher levels of play.

"I’m very excited about the opportunity to play hockey overseas and with the chance for that to be representing the Coventry Blaze in the United Kingdom,” Jaeger said. “I’ve heard nothing but great things about both the team and the organization."

“This will be my first experience in the UK and I’m looking forward to helping the Blaze continue with its strong hockey tradition in the Elite League. I’m thrilled that I’m going to be playing in front of the enthusiastic and great fans the team has in Coventry and I’m expecting nothing less than our team having great success.”

Thompson declared himself equally pleased that Jaeger will be joining up with the Blaze.

“We’ve been very fortunate in Coventry to have had three outstanding championship winning goalies in Lehman, Koenig and Hirsch and I really believe that Brett has all the skills and ability to join that Elite group."

“Whether he’s been playing junior, in the East Coast League or with Texas in the CHL, his stats have been outstanding and he’s been a key player for every team he’s played for. He’s an athletic goalie and handles the puck exceptionally well but most importantly, he knows how to win.

“It takes a special kind of goalie to handle the pressure of looking to win every night and chasing championships so having signed a goalie who not only handles it, but thrives on it, is great news for our organization.”

After joining the Brahmas for the 2007-08 season, Jaeger made 104 regular season starts for the team, posting an impressive save percentage of 91.9% and goals against average of 2.52 per game over three seasons. In playoff action, his stats improved further to a 92.6% save percentage and 2.45 goals against average in 32 post season games. During his time with the Brahmas he also collected a string of CHL Goalie of the Week and Month honors.

The highlight of Jaeger’s professional career came in the 2008-09 season when his outstanding net minding led the Brahmas to the CHL title – with Jaeger posting career best figures of 2.2 goals against and a 93% save percentage in 16 play off games.

Photo Credit: Robert Keith

Back in (purple and) Black

Off-season, what off-season?

OK, vacation's over. Too much going on in Brahma Land and elsewhere.

So Amarillo and Corpus are gone and NAHL teams will "fill the void" in those markets. So be it. How pro hockey lasted for so long in either city is a mystery to me. Still, one hates to see a team (or teams) fold - mainly because of the fans. I mean the small core of true fans. Not the ones who went to a game because they got free tickets at work or the ones who manage to get to a game once or twice a season. I mean the real fans, the season ticket holders. The people who drop $400 on a game-used sweater. The ones who support the team during the good and mostly the bad.

Always wanted to get up to the Panhandle to see a Gorillas game but never made it. Too late now. Amarillo was at its best when the Brahmas (Fort Worth style) were at their worst. Once Wildfong's Brahmas hit the ice, the Gorillas downhill slide began.

I always enjoyed watching the IceRays play. Couldn't help but be happy (sort of) to see them finally solve the Brahmas this past season. I still think they were one of the most underrated teams in the league last season.

One of the biggest casualties of the Corpus thing may be Greg Rajan's blog. I don't know about you but I was on that thing every day. It's like the Drudge Report of the CHL and I hope it remains in some form or another. We've already lost Joy Lindsay's Laredo Bucks blog due to her (escape) leaving the Laredo Morning Times. Sad stuff - she was a fantastic blogger.

The whole Arizona Sundogs thing has been interesting. Not sure what the real story was on the relationship between the CHL and Consolidated Sports Holdings, but I get the feeling that Consolidated was happy to be out of there. They are putting the new NAHL team in Amarillo and recently purchased the league's Texas Tornado.

Looks like a new ownership group will be announced soon. I'm thinking it's going to be the Fain family - commercial real estate developers in Prescott Valley. They own and operate Tim's Toyota Center with Global Entertainment in a joint venture. I could be wrong, but they are the likely candidates.

The biggest story of the last few weeks has obviously been the integration of the IHL into the CHL. So now we have 18 teams - a CHL high if I'm not mistaken. This is going to be really interesting. Lots of rumors going around on this one but no matter what happens in the end, the coming season should be really different and I think, really good. We should have the conference alignment and schedule in the next couple of weeks. Watch for a very interesting schedule.

A side note on this whole affair. If you look at the map, the "new" CHL will have a tremendous footprint in the Central United States. Now overlay a map of ECHL cities on the East and West Coasts and you have the makings of a nationwide AA hockey league. In my opinion, something that needs to be, eventually. Just a thought.

Then there's the Brahmas. First let me say (and I say it all the time) that there's nothing worse than being an insider who can't tell you what he knows (or thinks he knows). But I have an understanding with Fonger and the team and they will announce new players when they deem it to be the right time. I didn't know about Burichin, but he looks like a solid kid.

If the moves I believe Fonger is making come to fruition, we may see a very different team this season - at every position. I'm going to go ahead and let this slip. For those of you who wanted "size" last season, you're going to get it this season.

I knew about Jaeger's departure several days before it was announced. Can't say I'm too happy about how it went down, but there it is. Jaegs gave a lot to the Brahmas organization and he will always be remembered fondly. Now what? With Jaeger and Palmer out, we suddenly have a void to fill in net. Hey - Larry Sterling is available now that Port Huron is gone. How'd you like to see that?

Stay tuned. More player signings will be announced soon.

Side-note: Most of you probably don't know but I've had some health problems that have kept me down for a couple of months but I'm back in (purple and) black and should have some regular posting starting up again very soon.

Photo Credit: Walter Tenery

Brahmas sign rookie defenseman

Niagra University’s Burichin second signing for 2010-11 season

The Texas Brahmas announced the signing of defenseman Jim Burichin to the 2010-11 roster today. Burichin, 24, played NCAA hockey for Niagra University in Lewiston, New York.

"I'm very excited about the opportunity to play for the Brahmas," Burichin said. "Being able to play professional hockey is a dream come true for me. I am very fortunate to have played for Niagara, which helped me build a foundation in order to take my game to the next level."


The Strongsville, Ohio native will join the Brahmas after playing 97 games on the blue line for the Purple Eagles, scoring three goals, 10 assists and 13 points. While he didn't put up big numbers, Burichin's strong work ethic and leadership abilities helped to solidify a blue line which advanced to the College Hockey America Championship game in 2008 and 2010, with the Purple Eagles taking home the 2008 title.

"I pride myself on playing good defense," Burichin said. "I'm the kind of player who is going to grind it out in the corners of the zone, block shots and make big hits. I'm not too worried about getting points. I want to get the puck out to the forwards and let them take care of the scoring."

Burichin led the team in blocked shots (38) during his senior year, a niche he realized in the middle of his junior year. He was rewarded with additional playing time after he stepped in front of opponents’ shots.

“That’s one of the parts of the game that people don’t know about, but those are the kinds of things I make my game around. I’ve got to get in and do the gritty stuff that doesn’t get much glory.”

Brahmas head coach Dan Wildfong is confident Burichin will make an impact with his re-tooled defensive corps.

"We will look to Jim to fill in the role as a steady defenseman. His reputation will keep him held accountable to be able to play at this level in addition to being a physical presence on the blue line," Wildfong said.


Burichin is known as a hard-worker who “punches the clock every day,” according to Niagra head coach Dave Burkholder.

“I am so pleased for Jim, as he embarks on the next phase in life," Burkholder said. "He had a good career at Niagara and his best season on the ice was this past year. He will be a great addition to the Brahmas on and off the ice."

Photo Credits: Niagra University