Posted on Posted in Alumni News

FORMER ECHL MVP ADDED TO SOLAR BEARS ROSTER

Orlando, FL – The Orlando Solar Bears announced today that they have agreed to terms with forward Kevin Baker.

player-bakerBaker (6’1”, 192 lbs.) brings proven goal-scoring ability to the Solar Bears. The Kingston, Ontario, native was a member of the Stockton Thunder last season and led his team in goals (27) and points (56) while finishing fourth in assists (29). He posted 39 points in 39 games in Italy two seasons ago, and spent both 2008-09 and 2009-10 as a member of the Florida Everblades. During the 2008-09 season, Baker led the ECHL with 57 goals and 102 points while being named the league’s MVP and was selected as an ECHL First Team All-Star.

His ECHL experience includes stops in Florida, Texas, and Johnstown, totaling 168 goals, 185 assists, and 353 points in 317 games played. Along with his First-Team All-Star selection in 2008-09, Baker was chosen as a First-Team All-Star in 2006-07 when he picked up 81 points (35 goals, 45 assists) in 62 games with the Texas Wildcatters.    Read more »

Posted on Posted in Team Stories

Randell Among 5 Axemen Recruits

story courtesy of hockeyscene.com

WOLFVILLE, NS, August 13, 2012 – Only losing three players to graduation from last year’s roster, the Acadia University Axemen hockey team are pleased to announce commitments by two Ontario Hockey League seniors, two Quebec Major Junior Hockey League players and one Western Hockey League defenceman.

“Overall we are extremely excited with our recruiting class”, said 11 year veteran head coach Darren Burns. “We felt we needed to improve offensively as well as adding to our overall grit and physical play which with these additions we feel we have accomplished”.

After five seasons with the Halifax Mooseheads, Twillingate, N.L. native Travis Randell joins the neighbouring Axemen. A forward who has also been tested as a defenceman is noted as an intelligent player.Read more »

Posted on Posted in Alumni News

UPEI PANTHERS LOSE ASSISTANT TO NOTRE DAME

Story courtesy of hockeyscene.com CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI, July 20, 2012

Kris MacdonaldMidget and junior hockey programs are accustomed to losing top players to the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Saskatchewan and it’s Hounds and Argos hockey teams. Now a university men’s hockey team has lost a coach to the hockey factory.
University of Prince Edward Island Panthers assistant coach Kris MacDonald has accepted an offer to work with the midget hockey teams and teach at the co-educational, Catholic, college preparatory boarding school for students in Grades 9-12.Read more »

Posted on Posted in Alumni News
PaulMcFarlandJuly 19, 2012 (WOLFVILLE, N.S.) – Former Axemen hockey player Paul McFarland was appointed as an assistant coach for the OHL’s Oshawa Generals on Wednesday.McFarland, who will work under newly appointed head coach DJ Smith, left a previous profession in accountancy to complete an Education degree at Canisius College in Buffalo, NY, before landing the coaching position with the Generals.While at Acadia from 2007 to 2010, McFarland captained the Axemen for three of his four seasons. His experience at Acadia has guided his aspirations to enter field coaching of Canadian hockey.

“Acadia has given me so much, and is a big part of who I am today. I am forever grateful for the leadership opportunities and responsibility Coach Darren Burns gave me being at Acadia. The skills I was able to develop will hopefully make me a better coach”.Read more »

Posted on Posted in Team Stories

story courtesy of chronicleherald.ca

Darren_Burns_05Hockey coach Darren Burns and football coach Jeff Cummins will remain at the helm of their Acadia University teams.

The university on Thursday announced contract extensions for Burns and Cummins, the longest-serving coaches on the Wolfville campus.

Burns, who played for the Axemen from 1990 to 1995, is heading into his 12th year behind the bench. Cummins, the former CFLer starting his 10th campaign, joined the program as an assistant and took over the reins when longtime head coach Sonny Wolfe retired in 2003.

Posted on Posted in Team Stories

Former Islanders great treats dinner guests to stories and music

story courtesy of acadiau.ca 15/06/2012 4:17 pm

trottier_celebrity_dinner

Hall of Famer Brian Trottier

WOLFVILLE, NS – For the 15th consecutive year, the Axemen Hockey Celebrity Dinner, presented by local barristers Boyne Clarke, drew the attention of the Annapolis Valley sporting fan with this year’s headliner NHL hockey Hall of Famer Brian Trottier.

With over 400 in attendance, Trottier grabbed the attention of a appreciative crowd with his stories of past glory with the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins along with a request by emcee and local CTV news anchor Paul Hollingsworth to play a little guitar for those in attendance. Trottier, known for his musical talent, did not disappoint all with a rendition of Johnny Cash’s I walk the Line.Read more »

Posted on Posted in Team Stories
story courtesy of tsn.ca March 21, 2012FREDERICTON — Acadia centre Andrew Clark was named the top player in Canadian university men’s hockey Wednesday.

andrew_clark_actionThe native of Brandon, Man., became the third player in school history to claim the Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy.

Other CIS award winners announced during the All-Canadian Gala were McGill’s Marc-Andre Dorion as the top defenceman, Alberta’s Real Cyr as top the goaltender, Western forward Zach Harnden as the rookie of the year and Saskatchewan forward Kyle Ross as the most sportsmanlike player.

Moncton’s Serge Bourgeois earned top coaching honours and UNB’s Kyle Bailey won the Dr. Randy Gregg Award recognizing his excellence in hockey, academics and community involvement.Read more »

Posted on Posted in Alumni News

Dayton, Ohio – The Dayton Gems professional hockey team is excited to announce the return of Tim Hartung and the addition of goaltender Kristofer Westblom for the upcoming 2011-2012 Central Hockey League season.

Rejoining the Gems for his third season in a Dayton uniform, Hartung, a 27 year old native of St. Paul, Minnesota, adds utility to the club, spending parts of last season at both defensive and offensive positions. Notching 28 points in his 35 regular season appearances last season; he was also instrumental in the team’s first playoff appearance, earning a point in three postseason games against Rapid City. Gems head coach Brian Gratz offered praise on his comprehensive abilities on the ice, noting “playing both forward and defense for us last season, along with his exceptional play on the blueline, will allow Tim to pose a true duel threat on both ends of the ice this season.”Read more »

Posted on Posted in Team Stories

BY JOHN DECOSTE

Kings County Advertiser/Register

Acadia hockey head coach Darren Burns confirmed earlier this month he has commitments for next season and beyond from four new recruits, including a goaltender.

Burns has nine departing players to replace, including both of last season’s goalies: Kristofer Westblom, who will attend the Philadelphia Flyers’ conditioning camp, and Michael Chiasson.

Burns says he feels he has one of his goalies of the future confirmed in Evan Mosher, a native of Conception Bay, Newfoundland, who was a second-team QMJHL all-star this past season with the P.E.I. Rocket. “We’ve had such strong goaltending the past three or four years, and we feel Evan will help maintain that tradition.Read more »

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Celebrity dinner a hit with local residents

Published on July 1, 2011

Lyle Carter
http://www.trurodaily.com

Local residents who attended Thursday’s annual Acadia Axemen Celebrity Hockey Dinner in Wolfville didn’t come away disappointed.

“What young hockey player wouldn’t enjoy being in the company of and getting to talk to former NHL greats,” said Ben Lynds, 15. “Marcel Dionne, who played with Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings, is fifth among all-time NHL scorers and Dennis Hull had some great years with Chicago Black Hawks.”Read more »