USA Hockey reports highest membership levels ever among female players
Last week, we shared analysis on the 20 percent increase in USA Hockey player memberships over last season. This week, we are looking into the numbers reported on female memberships to evaluate the growth (or decline) of female participation in USA Hockey. Before the...
Understanding the market for future NHL Draft picks
Having built a base trade value chart using only intra-season trades, my next project was to look at trades involving picks from multiple years to determine how teams value future draft picks in trades. In other words, analyze the time value effect on draft pick...
USA Hockey membership up 20 percent
For the 2021-22 season, USA Hockey player membership has increased 20 percent nationwide over the 2020-21 season. According to the recently released numbers from USA Hockey, there were 93,603 player memberships added over the 2021-22 season increasing the total to...
Sound Of Hockey Podcast Ep. 191 – Championship Blues
For Seattle hockey fans, things haven't gone their way recently. The Seattle Thunderbirds are now down 3-1 in the WHL Championship Series after losing two straight at home this week to the Edmonton Oil Kings, and Kraken goalie Chris Driedger tore his ACL playing in...
Oil Kings hand Thunderbirds heartbreaking Game 4 loss in WHL Championship Series
KENT – The Seattle Thunderbirds were three and a half seconds away from a chance of tying their best-of-seven WHL Championship Series against the Edmonton Oil Kings Wednesday night at the accesso ShoWare Center at two games apiece. The game was tied at 2-2 and one...
Thunderbirds lose Game 3 4-0, Sebastian Cossa earns fourth playoff shutout
KENT – In front of a sold-out accesso ShoWare Center, Edmonton Oil Kings goalie Sebastian Cossa tamed the crowd and made 21 saves in a 4-0 win against the Seattle Thunderbirds to take a 2-1 series lead in the WHL Championship Series. Former Thunderbird defenseman...
Examining the value of NHL Draft picks
Heading into the July, 2022 NHL Entry Draft, the Seattle Kraken have twelve draft picks, including a high first-round pick (No. 4 overall) and four second-round picks. This stockpile of picks, and the trades that acquired them, prompted me to revisit a longstanding...
Sound Of Hockey Podcast Ep. 190 – No Hot Beverages
This is a very listener-centric episode of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, as John, Andy, and Darren spend a significant portion of the show interacting with Mailbag questions and five-star reviews. Hilarity ensues, as does some thoughtful debate. Meanwhile, the...
Seattle Thunderbirds have leaned on goalie Thomas Milic to reach WHL Championship Series
When the Seattle Thunderbirds drafted goalie Thomas Milic in the second round of the 2018 Western Hockey League Draft they were hoping they had acquired a big-game goalie, the type of player that didn’t wilt or hide from important games. As they prepare to play the...
Winners and losers- revisiting the Kraken trade deadline deals with hindsight
At the NHL Trade Deadline, the Sound Of Hockey panel provided instant reactions to Seattle’s trades. And earlier in the playoffs, Darren Brown updated the progress of the departed Kraken. But with the playoff runs of all of the Kraken’s trade partners now at a close...
