Real Numbers have at last arrived on the Sound Tigers’ helmets for practice (left out that Sebastian Aho is now 28 both here and up in the Show). What had been low numbers the past couple of years have drifted even lower this year: No one over 40, where last year it got as high as Yanick Turcotte in 51 (with Kristers Gudlevskis higher after arriving with 70 on his helmet). Interesting that Chris Bourque winds up in 7: Michael Dal Colle will keep 17, the number Bourque has worn in every AHL stop since his first full pro year with Hershey, 2005-06. It might not have been Bourque’s first choice, but at least it’ll be cool to see him in the first number his dad wore, before the Bruins retired it for Phil Esposito. (When he debuted in Portland at the end of 2004-05 after his one year at BU, Bourque wore 15. Brian Willsie was in 17.)
An addition to the lettered leadership group: Brent Thompson said that Kyle Burroughs will join Ben Holmstrom and serve as co-captains this season. “I’m excited about it,” Thompson said. “It’s an opportunity for a younger guy that has great leadership qualities to learn and have some responsibility, to learn from Ben and have that responsibility put on him. As far as how he approaches his day-to-day habits, he’s outstanding.”
Seth Helgeson and Steve Bernier remain alternates, and Thompson said they will go game-to-game on which player will actually wear the ‘C’.
“It’s just, you know what, a nice accolade to have,” Burroughs said. “It’s not going to change a lot who I am, what I do. I’m leaning on Holmer, who’s been captain everywhere he went, the perfect person for me to learn from, even the past few years, watching him, how leads by example, how he is in room.”
No sign of Jan Kovar. ECHL transactions tipped off that Mike Cornell and David Quenneville were sent to Worcester the other day. So there were 15 forwards, eight defensemen and two goalies on this morning. Still no Ivan Kosorenkov (upper). Matt Gaudreau remains out. Matt Lorito and John Stevens, too.
The Big Club named Anders Lee its captain this morning before their season opens tonight in Raleigh.
Speaking of numbers, them goalie numbers, though.
A pretty awesome story on former Sound Tigers executive Todd Boe, and how his life was saved after a sudden cardiac arrest this summer.
Was bummed, driving down to Law yesterday, to see that the Country Store in Milford was closed. Little deli, seemingly out of place in the middle of a residential/park neighborhood. It was close enough to where I grew up that there were days, before my license, I’d take the longish walk and get the National* on a summer morning. If I recall, it has closed once or twice in the past; hopefully it comes back yet again.
And RIP, Randy Waybright, Dave Anderson, Peggy Sue Gerron Rackham and Geoff Emerick.
*-Kids, you can’t even comprehend.