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A 16 year old QMJHL Jordan Boyd, prospect died while training on ice.
“It’s very odd this would happen,” he said, adding there has only been one other training camp death in the league’s 30-year history.
“It was horrifying news this morning. When you find out he was just 16 years old, that I think is the most tragic part.”
He said the young man’s father was watching the workout when his son collapsed. The family declined comment through the team.
The 5-foot-11 forward is described by a former president of his minor hockey club in Halifax as a gifted player who had a bright future in the game.
Paul MacIsaac, past president of the Bedford Blues, said Boyd had improved his offensive skills during his bantam season in 2011-12.
“He was an excellent hockey player. He had quite a potential career and life in front of him,” MacIsaac said in a telephone interview.
The debate lives on Roy or Brodeur?
The case for Roy: The ultra-confident Roy had an amazing career. Three Conn Smythes, five Jenningses and three Vezinas. Oh, and four Stanley Cups. He was one of the most competitive goalies -- actually, athletes, period -- to walk the earth. Plus, he was a bit crazier than the average goalie, which is saying something -- it wasn't out of the realm of possibility for him to skate the length of the ice and throw down with the opposing goalie or the opposing goalie or the opposing goalie. His fire and cockiness rubbed people the wrong way -- who tells his coach, during a game, that he wants to be traded? -- but it got into the heads of opponents and helped contribute to his intimidation factor. The fact that he could wink at a stone-faced opponent made it all the more infuriating. He had a low goals-against average at a time when averages were higher than today; he posted shutouts in an offensive time; and he racked up the wins, hitting 40 three times before he retired and 35 wins in his last season, all in an era without shootouts. If ever a goalie could have been considered a team's emotional captain and de facto leader, it was Roy.
Will Butcher is impressing the right people.
Of the 44 players that participated in the weeklong USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, N.Y., Avalanche prospect Will Butcher was one of the most impressive to take the ice.
The defenseman from Madison, Wis., finished the Aug. 3-10 camp with two goals and four assists in five exhibition games against Sweden, Finland and Canada. His six points led the Americans in scoring and was tied for the second most at the camp.
Butcher's best game came right before roster cuts while with the USA Blue Team (The United States fielded two teams for the first three days of the camp). He picked up points in all three of the Blue Team's goals in the Aug. 5 game against Sweden, as he scored twice and also picked up an assist.
"I felt good towards the second half of the game, it was clicking for me," Butcher said to NHL.com after the contest. "I could see the plays being made in front of me. I think that was kind of how it went today. Hopefully it keeps going that way for the rest of camp -- if I'm lucky to stay."