Ex Vipers Defenceman Oliver Commits To Lake Superior State University:

Former Vernon Vipers defenceman Mitchell Oliver has committed to Lake Superior State University.

Oliver played this past season with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. The captain of the AV Bulldogs collected (12-goals-27-assists-39-points) in 54 games with the Bulldogs. Oliver started the 2017-18 season with the Alberta Junior Hockey League Bonnyville Pontiacs before being traded to Alberni Valley September 1st 2017.

Oliver split the 2016-17 season between the Vipers & Pontiacs. The Vipers traded Oliver to the Chilliwack Chiefs for forward Jesse Lansdell October 15th 2016. Oliver never played a game with Chilliwack was traded to Bonnyville the same day. 

Oliver played parts of three season's in Vernon (2014-2016) played in 117 games with the Vipers collecting (7-goals-32-assists-39-points).

Mitchell Oliver's Player Profile:

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=268063

This was posted on the Bulldogs website:

Mitch Oliver earns NCAA commitment from Lake Superior State for 2018/19 season

March 13, 2018

by jeffd

Recent News

ALBERNI VALLEY BULLDOGS’ CAPTAIN SECURES COLLEGE HOCKEY FUTURE WITH LAKERS

Port Alberni, BC – The Alberni Valley Bulldogs are thrilled to announce that 20-year old defenceman Mitch Oliver has committed to attend Lake Superior State University and suit up for the NCAA Division I Lakers for the 2018/19 season.

Oliver joined the Bulldogs prior to the start of the 2017/18 campaign in a trade with the AJHL’s Bonnyville Pontiacs and made an immediate impact both on and off the ice. He was one of the league’s top offensive defencemen, leading all blueliners in goals (12) and power-play goals (10) while finishing eighth in points (39). He began the season as one of the team’s three assistant captains and was named team captain in January following the trade of Ryan Steele to the West Kelowna Warriors.

“On behalf of the entire Bulldogs organization, I’d like to congratulate Mitch on earning a scholarship to play NCAA hockey,” says head coach Matt Hughes. “Mitch was a tremendous leader for our team over the past seven months, displaying great character at and away from the rink while giving his teammates someone to look up to, trust and respect. He was a key guy for us offensively with his powerful shot and his ability to move the puck, and he logged big minutes for us in all situations. We expect Mitch to be an impact player at the college level.”

Before coming to the Alberni Valley, Oliver spent two full seasons with the Vernon Vipers before joining the Pontiacs early in the 2016/17 season. His Junior A totals include 28 goals and 78 assists over 217 regular season games plus 11 points in 25 playoff contests.

“I’m very excited for the opportunity to play NCAA Division I hockey at a top-end school like Lake Superior State University,” says Oliver. “They have shown a lot of interest in me as a player and as a person and I can’t wait to be a part of the Lakers program. The university offers great academic options and after forming a strong relationship with the coaching staff it was clear that Lake Superior State was the right choice for me.”

“Playing in the Alberni Valley has helped me a tremendous amount on and off the ice and it continues to help me develop into the person I aspire to be. The Bulldogs’ culture has taught me what it takes to make the jump to the next level. I also truly believe that the BCHL is the top Junior A league in North America and I’m very fortunate to have played in it. I’d like to extend a big thank-you to my family for supporting me every step of the way, as well as the entire Bulldogs organization, my current and past coaches, and my teammates and friends for all their support. I’d also like to acknowledge our education advisor Tom McEvay for everything he has done to help prepare me academically.”

Oliver is the fourth player to commit to play NCAA hockey while a member of the Bulldogs this season. He joins Keaton Mastrodonato (Canisius College – 2019/20), Ryan Steele (Sacred Heart University – 2018/19)  and defenceman Sami Pharaon (Princeton University – 2018/19).

Red Wings Re-Sign Former Vernon Vikings Goaltender Holland:

The Detroit Red Wings have signed former Vernon Vikings goaltender Ken Holland to a two-year contract extension.

Back In February, according to Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos, If and when Seattle gets an NHL franchise Ken Holland was rumoured to be at the top of the list as the team's General Manager.

Holland is in his thirty third season with the Detroit Red Wings. Holland started as a scout with the 1985-86 Red Wings worked his way up to the team's General Manager/Ex. VP of hockey Operations.

Holland played one season in Vernon with the 1973-74 Vernon Vikings. Holland was drafted 188th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in Round 12 of the 1975 NHL draft. Holland played in just four games with the Hartford Whalers & Detroit Red Wings before retiring from hockey and joining the Red Wings as a scout.

Ken Holland's Player Profile:

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=42056

This was posted on the Red Wings website:

Red Wings extend executive vice president and general manager Ken Holland

NHL's Second-Longest Tenured General Manager Returns for 22nd Season

by Kyle Kujawa / DetroitRedWings.com

April 7th, 2018

DETROIT - Detroit Red Wings Governor Christopher Ilitch today announced that executive vice president and general manager Ken Holland has been signed to a two-year contract extension. 

Currently the second-longest tenured general manager in the National Hockey League, Holland has won three Stanley Cups (1998, 2002, 2008) as Red Wings general manager and was Detroit's assistant general manager for a fourth championship in 1997. Under his watch, the Red Wings have won four Presidents' Trophies, captured 10 division championships, won five regular-season conference titles and reached at least 100 regular-season points a league-high 13 times in the last 17 seasons. The Red Wings have also won 893 regular-season games and 119 playoff games since Holland assumed general manager duties in July 1997, topping the NHL in both categories during that span.

The Red Wings also made the playoffs in each of Holland's first 19 seasons at the helm, comprising the majority of a run of 25-straight seasons in which the team qualified for the postseason from 1990-2016 - the third-longest streak in NHL history. With a focus on developing a consistently competitive franchise through scouting, drafting and developing from within, Holland led a staff that selected 10 players at the 2017 NHL Entry Draft and currently holds an NHL-high 11 selections for the upcoming 2018 NHL Entry Draft, including up to seven over the first three rounds. Additionally, the Red Wings currently hold 10 picks for the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

"Ken Holland is a highly accomplished and well-respected general manager who played an integral role in bringing four Stanley Cup championships to Detroit," said Ilitch. "Ken has a passion for scouting and is an astute talent evaluator. He has done a tremendous job over the last few seasons acquiring high draft picks and creating a tremendous opportunity to supplement our current roster and core of young players with additional high-end prospects. He has my support and that of our owner, Marian Ilitch, and we are completely aligned on our strategy for building a Stanley Cup contender."

Holland, 62, is currently in his 35th season overall with the Red Wings. After concluding his playing career in 1985, the last two seasons of which were spent in Detroit's organization as a goaltender, Holland began working for the Red Wings as a western Canada scout (1985-89), followed by five seasons as the team's director of amateur scouting (1989-94) and three years as assistant general manager (1994-97).

During his time as a scout, including in his role as the director of amateur scouting, Holland was involved in or oversaw the drafts that netted Red Wings mainstays including Nicklas Lidstrom, Sergei Fedorov, Vladimir Konstantinov, Slava Kozlov, Darren McCarty and Chris Osgood, who all played integral roles on Detroit's championship teams over the next two decades. As general manager, Holland signed homegrown talent such as Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Niklas Kronwall and Johan Franzen to long-term contracts to help sustain the Red Wings' success and winning culture. Over the past several seasons, the Red Wings have welcomed a new wave of young talent assembled through recent drafts to take on larger roles with the team, including Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha, who lead the team in points and goals, respectively, as well as Andreas Athanasiou and rookies Tyler Bertuzzi and Martin Frk, who each earned full-time roles with the team after helping the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins capture their second Calder Cup championship in five seasons in 2017.

Holland, who was named the NHL's GM of the Decade (2000-09) by SportsIllustrated.com, also has extensive experience working with Hockey Canada, including two stints as an associate director at the Winter Olympic Games in 2010 (Vancouver) and 2014 (Sochi), where Canada won back-to-back gold medals.

Vipers Alumni Gare Returning To Wolves For Fourth Season:

Former Vernon Vipers forward Lanny Gare will be returning for a fourth season next year with the Ver Selb Wolves.  The VER Selb (Association for figure skating and roller sports) is a DIY Hockey team in Germany that Experts for leisure shipping. The team is also known under the name yourself wolves. After a first foundation in 1953. 

Gare has spent the past three seasons with the Wolves. In 44 games this season, Gare picked up (28-goals-33-assists-61-points).

After four years with the University of New Hampshire Gare played the next three seasons with five different teams in the UHL, AHL & ECHL before playing the past eleven seasons in Germany & Denmark.

Gare played two years with the Vipers (1997-1999). In 117 games with the Vipers Gare collected (67-goals-107-assists-174-points) & still holds the Vipers record for most points in a single season with 111 pts during the 1998-99 season. Gare & the 1998-99 Vernon Vipers were elected into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame July 2016. Gares father Ernie Gare played two seasons in Vernon (1970-1972) with the Vernon Essos was also head coach for three seasons (1986-1989) with the Vernon Lakers.

Lanny Gare's Player Profile:

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=12618

This was posted on the Wolves website:

39year-old "burns" on his fourth season with the wolves

March 2 2018

On the 5th September, 2018 he celebrates his 40sten birthday. To deal itself time for many of his hockey colleagues at this age bit by bit with the thoughts to hang the ice skates on the nail.

With Landon, briefly Lanny, done, this is not (luckily) the case.

In stopping the likeable wolf forward thinks by no means. Why also. Since 2006 in Germany with some associations under the contract standing attackers who changed in 2015 to the wolves belongs week after week to the achievement bearers in the team and wants to attack as one of the corner pillars in the wolves-storm center also in the coming season again "proverbially" fully.

Lanny done has extended accordingly prematurely by another year in the Wolf's construction.

The lion becomes Wolf

Once in Vernon / British Columbia (Canada) born showing pro, changed in 2015 from the Frankfurt lions from the DEL2 to the same wolves in the second division. From the bank metropolis Frankfurt in the contemplative upper franc after Same – Lanny done has never regretted this step with his family up to the today's time one second.

„ I am very happy here in Same, with the wolves there is not enough nothing. We have many top players in the team, in addition, I estimate a great coach, in the Same very passionate and expert fans. Briefly around. I feel fine in Same simply

so the done whom feels at home meanwhile very much and also has won many new friends beside the ice surface.

Luck clutch, leader and gate hunter in a person

Appealed on his age and whether he has already done thought with regard to a possible career end to himself, a determined NO comes.

I believe a player white when he with the hockey is ready. Then you are mental and physically tired! In this point I have not come yet.

Done estimate the sportsman and person Lanny coach Henry Thom, as well as the wolf board of directors, in person of Thomas Manzei. Wolf number two Manzei sums up it:

Lanny was and is a luck clutch for us. He is as fit as a fiddle, an absolute leader, leads the way always and now shows for 3 years continuously achievements on very much, very much to high level. The competition envies us him for many years.

With done it is as well as proverbially with the wine. The older, the better. 27 gates and 33 presentations in 42 plays are prominent top values – there the young generation can watch only without envy if the technically fitted old hand puts his accents in the wolf offensive.

"Long-term solution" upper franc not impossible

In spite of a valid working paper for the next winter, the focus of done lies first of all on the still running round and the shortly beginning Playoffs. The Canadian with German passport plans a lot, credits his team with something, leaned in his motto:

„ Give to 100% every play and become a Play out of vision champion or master. “

Whether after the season 2018/2019 then really end is as a player, Lanny completely leaves open, topically he wastes about that no thoughts. Still can already become herausgehört that family person Lanny done is not declined together with his wife Johanna, if his guest performance – whether as a player or later in another function – still some years continued in upper franc.

My woman has a job, my both children go here to the kindergarten, absolutely possibly that we also remain after my active career in Same

so Lanny done grinning.

We are glad Lanny done furthermore with the number 18 to see accumulating for our wolves.

Panthers Re-Sign Ex Vernon Viper Forward Collins:

The ERC Ingolstadt (Eishockey-und-Rollschuh club) have re-signed former Vernon Vipers forward Mike Collins. 

The ERC Ingolstadt (Eishockey-und-Rollschuh club) is a German professional ice hockey club that plays in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). Commonly known as the Panthers. In 52 games this season with the Panthers Collins collected (17-goals-18-assists-35-points).

Collins finished his first season with the Panthers after playing the previous two seasons with the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) Krefeld Pinguine (Krefeld Penguins). The Pinguine is an ice hockey team in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga hockey league. Their home is in Krefeld, North-Rhine-Westphalia, Germany at the König Palast.

After four years at Merrimack College Collins turned pro in early March 2014.  Collins signed a Professional Try Out (PTO) contract with the American Hockey League (AHL) Providence Bruins on March 11th 2014. Collins went pointless in four games with the Bruins was released on March 27th 2014.  On the same day Collins signed his second pro contract with the AHL Iowa Wild before being released after going pointless in six games. Collins headed to Germany where he played the 2014-15 season with the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) Kassel Huskies. The Huskies are a professional ice hockey team based in Kassel, Hesse, Germany that play in the Deutsche Eishockey

Liga Hockey League.

Collins played two season's in Vernon (2008-2010) In 119 regular season games with the Vipers Collins recorded (55-goals-71-assists-126-points). 

Mike Collins Player Profile:

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=38014

This was posted on the Panthers website:

Professionals // Friday, 12/01/2018

ERC holds Mike Collins

The ERC Ingolstadt holds forward Mike Collins. Both sides agreed on a contract till 2020. Sports manager ERC Larry Mitchell says: „ Mike is an honest worker who can, however, also scoren. He is at the best hockey age and hungry on success. “

Mitchell piloted Collins in last summer of the league rival field Kre Penguins to the Danube. Looked at the beginning still with scepticism, the 27-year-old American swung himself up fast to one of the public darlings. „ Mike plays with heart for the team, not least also in unternumber situations “, says Mitchell. „ He wants to win always and is recognized in the team. Mike has exactly fulfilled my expectations. “

„ In the beginning I had rather a defensive role, but the persons responsible gave me the trust to play also in a more offensive row. I have shown that I am also in good hands there “, says Collins. Topically the forward states his team even in the Scorerwertung. In 40 parts he hit 12 times, he prepared 15 other ERC gates.

The likeable forward who got engaged in November to his Alexandra says: „ I would like to thank at this point for the great support of our fans. Ingolstadt is a great hockey location with a good team. We had difficult phases in this season, but now we are on the move in the right direction. I am glad about two other years with the ERC Ingolstadt. “

Former Vernon Esso Williams Charged With Sexual Assault:

Former Vernon Essos forward Dave "Tiger" Williams has been charged by military police with sexual assault

Williams played one season in Vernon (1970-71) with the Essos. Williams was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in Round 2 31st overall in the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft. Williams would play fourteen seasons in the NHL with five different teams (Toronto, Vancouver, Detroit, Los Angeles & Hartford). Williams was inducted into the Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame in July 2015.    

Dave "Tiger" Williams Player Profile:

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=52429

This was posted on the CBC website:

Tiger Williams charged with sexual assault during military flight

Former hockey great has been a regular player in celebrity ball hockey games with troops overseas

Murray Brewster · CBC News ·

Posted: Feb 09, 2018

Former NHL star Dave (Tiger) Williams has been charged by military police with sexual assault in connection with an incident that took place aboard an air force flight.

National Defence released a brief statement Friday, saying Williams was taking part in a morale visit to the Canadian contingent in Latvia just before Christmas.

An incident took place on a CC-150 passenger jet overnight flight to Riga between Dec. 2 and 3. The alleged victim was another passenger, who reported the incident while they were en route.

Williams is facing one count of sexual assault under the Criminal Code and one count of common assault. Officials at the Department of National Defence say the case will be handed over to a civilian Crown prosecutor in Ottawa for consideration.

The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service would not release any information about the alleged victim.

The charges against Williams come at a time when the military has been cracking down on sexual assault and misconduct among its own members.

"Every allegation of sexual assault is taken seriously by the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service," said Lt.-Col. Kevin Cadman, the commanding officer of the investigation service, in a statement. 

"In all cases, no matter who the accused is, we strive to restore the dignity of victims by fully investigating their complaints, gathering evidence, reconstructing events, and if warranted, laying appropriate charges."

National Defence would not comment on whether Williams was allowed to continue with the show tour after the allegations were made.

"The matter is about to go before the courts and, as such, I can't provide any additional information beyond what was communicated by CFNIS," spokesman Dan Lebouthillier.

However, a defence source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the former hockey enforcer was not removed from the schedule and returned with the troupe in mid-December.

Williams, 64, played in the NHL from 1974 to 1988 for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and Hartford Whalers.

Military police were the lead in this instance because they have jurisdiction over all defence establishments, including aircraft.

Williams has been a regular on military morale tours, travelling to Afghanistan to play celebrity ball hockey games against troops when they were deployed.

He took part in 14 such overseas excursions.

These kinds of celebrity morale-building trips are a feature of overseas deployments in many Western militaries.

Williams was scheduled to play in an All-Star Celebrity Classic in Regina on Feb. 17 as part of a contingent of 41 former NHL players.

"He actually pulled out of the game two and a half weeks ago," said Phil Andrews, director of communications for the Regina Pats. He didn't say why.

Andrews said the company that had booked Williams' appearance just gave word to the Pats that he would no longer be in attendance.