UMass at the IIHF

[LS71]

Watching Latvia vs Slovakia….Latvia is up 4-1, 17 minutes left in the 3rd.

Dans Locmelis scored and he’s leading Latvia with 4 goals in this tournament. Their unis are maroon…almost like watching a UMass game!

I haven’t heard the announcers say anything about him being from UMass, just that he played at Providence in the AHL.

[TruBluMaroon]

Watching Latvia vs Slovakia….Latvia is up 4-1, 17 minutes left in the 3rd.

Dans Locmelis scored and he’s leading Latvia with 4 goals in this tournament. Their unis are maroon…almost like watching a UMass game!

I haven’t heard the announcers say anything about him being from UMass, just that he played at Providence in the AHL.

The headline lead in today’s Boston Globe Sports Hockey Notes by Kevin Paul DuPont.

[69MG]

I'll put this here instead of starting another thread. We just got back from a group tour to Ireland Thursday night. Paul Fenton and his wife were on the trip with us. He played for BU and spent about 10 years in the NHL with 7 different teams and a few years in the AHL. After his playing career, he had several front office jobs, including a short stint as the General Manager of the Minnesota Wild.

He has been with Florida for a few years now as "Senior Advisor to the General Manager" and won a Stanley Cup last year. You hockey fans will remember his son, PJ, played for UMass from 2004-2008. Because of the UMass connection we had some really good conversations.

He is the most down to earth, nice human being you will find. He brought his Stanley Cup Ring with him and it is enormous. Anyhow, his job now is advising the GM on trades and drafting. PJ is a scout for Florida and he was scouting the other Eastern Division teams as possible opponents for Florida in the playoffs.

A couple of quick stories. He told me how Florida got Marchand for next to nothing. The Bruins wanted to dump him for salary cap/age reasons. Marchand had a clause in his contract that allowed him to choose teams he would play for. He wanted only Florida because they won the cup last year. Essentially, the Bruins had no leverage. There was a lot of back and forth and the paperwork got faxed to the league office with 9 seconds left in the trading deadline.

Early in Paul's front office carer, he was scouting high school, prep school and college players as potential draftees. He was at Avon Old Farms scouting Quick and a BU coach was there. Paul loved Quick and tried to convince the BU coach to make him an offer. The BU coach didn't like Quick's style and good for us!

There are lots more, but that's more typing than I care to do.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Nice story, 69MG! A refreshing read, here.

[doubledribble]

I'll put this here instead of starting another thread. We just got back from a group tour to Ireland Thursday night. Paul Fenton and his wife were on the trip with us. He played for BU and spent about 10 years in the NHL with 7 different teams and a few years in the AHL. After his playing career, he had several front office jobs, including a short stint as the General Manager of the Minnesota Wild.

He has been with Florida for a few years now as "Senior Advisor to the General Manager" and won a Stanley Cup last year. You hockey fans will remember his son, PJ, played for UMass from 2004-2008. Because of the UMass connection we had some really good conversations.

He is the most down to earth, nice human being you will find. He brought his Stanley Cup Ring with him and it is enormous. Anyhow, his job now is advising the GM on trades and drafting. PJ is a scout for Florida and he was scouting the other Eastern Division teams as possible opponents for Florida in the playoffs.

A couple of quick stories. He told me how Florida got Marchand for next to nothing. The Bruins wanted to dump him for salary cap/age reasons. Marchand had a clause in his contract that allowed him to choose teams he would play for. He wanted only Florida because they won the cup last year. Essentially, the Bruins had no leverage. There was a lot of back and forth and the paperwork got faxed to the league office with 9 seconds left in the trading deadline.

Early in Paul's front office carer, he was scouting high school, prep school and college players as potential draftees. He was at Avon Old Farms scouting Quick and a BU coach was there. Paul loved Quick and tried to convince the BU coach to make him an offer. The BU coach didn't like Quick's style and good for us!

There are lots more, but that's more typing than I care to do.

I know of Paul and saw his PJ play during his UMass years.
What was Paul doing in Ireland during Florida’s playoff run.

Ps. Luv Marchy. Sorry to see him leave Bruins !