Blast Ready To Kick Off 106th Allan Cup Against the Kenora Thistles

The moment Blast Nation has been waiting for has finally arrived. The Blast are set to kick off the 106^th Allan Cup this afternoon at 3:30 at JL Grightmire Arena in Dundas against the Kenora Thistles. This game will become a rematch of last year’s Renwick Cup against the same Kenora team that beat the Blast 2-0 in the best-of-three series. Both teams have gotten faster and stronger since this time last year. It sets the stage for an interesting game.

The Blast will open the tournament and then take part in the Tournament Opening Ceremonies just before the Dundas game tonight at 7:30. The Blast close out their Round Robin portion of the tournament on Wednesday against Terry Ryan and the Clarenville Caribous.

This is the Blast’s second Allan Cup appearance in franchise history. The last time they appeared in the tournament was when they hosted the 100^th Allan Cup in 2008 (and won it!). The City of Brantford in total has 3 Allan Cup Championships (1977 – Brantford Alexanders, 1987 – Brantford Motts Clamatos, 2008 – Brantford Blast). Another interesting fact about Peter Ham led Brantford franchises in the Allan Cup is that when he won in 1977, the Alexanders finished 4^th in their league and won, and in 2008 – the Blast finished 2^nd and won the Allan Cup. Back in 1978 the Brantford Alexanders finished first in their league and made it to the Allan Cup Final but lost. This season the Blast finished 3^rd in their league.

No roster updates have been provided to us, but Brett Leggat should start in goal for the Blast. The lineup more or less should be very similar to the one that beat the Dundas Real McCoy’s in Game Six of the Robertson Cup Final last Sunday. Updates on the lineup will be posted prior to the game this afternoon.

Kenora’s roster can be found here: http://bit.ly/1gvJqBp. The roster features former Blast (2008 Allan Cup winner) and Real McCoy’s defenceman Dan Pitre, as well as former Dundas player TJ Sakaluk.

Tickets are available with a limited quantity at the door (doors at 2:30) for $20 a person this afternoon. Get there early if you’re planning on coming out to make sure you get yours. If you can’t make the game, be sure to follow live via Twitter @BrantfordBlast or on Pointstreak at: http://bit.ly/1iial3Z

The journey is just beginning… GO BLAST GO!

Blast and Real McCoy’s Set to Faceoff in Final Weekend of Robertson Cup Finals

Heading into tonight’s crucial Game Five in Dundas (JL Grightmire Arena at 7:30), the Blast hope that the story of the series so far remains the same – the road team always wins. The series is currently tied 2-2, with only road wins coming for each team. The Blast will look to win on the road for the third time this series and for the fifth time in the playoffs. Following Game Five, the Blast will be back at home for their Home Finale of the 2013-2014 season for Game Six at 2:00 PM (Doors at 1:00 PM).

The Blast suffered a tough loss in Brantford on Sunday where Dundas won 5-1 and tied the series back up. In the process Brantford lost defenseman Ryan Tocher for a minimum of 4 games for spearing. Dundas also lost tough guy Adam Deeleuw for one game for slashing Kyle Spurr with :04 seconds left in the game on Sunday.  These suspensions could see long-time Blast defenseman Jeremy Bloomfield draw back into the lineup in Tocher’s place, while a player like Scott Stafford could replace Deeleuw for Dundas.

The series has been as close as one would have imagined. Along with being tied 2-2 through four games, the teams have been almost identical in every other statistical category. The Blast currently have outscored Dundas 17-16, for a total of 33 goals in the series (8.25 goals-per-game). The Blast have 108 PIM, while Dundas has 105, for a total of 213.

Even the Special Teams Situation has become very close. Dundas is striking on 20% of their man advantages (5 for 25), and killing off 83.3% of their penalty kills (20 for 24), while the Blast are firing at 16.7% on the power play (4 for 24) and 80% on the penalty kill (20 for 25).

Even the goaltending stats have been very, very similar. Blast goalie Brett Leggat has gone 2-2 with a 4.00 GAA, 117 saves and a .880 SV%, while Dundas goaltenders (Mike Mole and Darren Machesney) have combined for a 2-2 record, with a 4.25 GAA, 115 saves, and a .871 SV%. I repeat, VERY similar, it’s borderline crazy how closely matched these two teams have been.

Goaltenders are expected to be the same for Game Five as they were in Game Four in Brantford. Brett Leggat should start for the Blast, while Mike Mole will likely be seen between the pipes for the Real McCoy’s. On the Blast side of the roster, the roster will pretty much remain intact to Sunday afternoon’s game.  Ryan Healy – who is nursing a minor injury could draw back in and take part in his 200^th Blast game, but it will be a game time decision. It’s always hard to say about the Dundas roster.

Doors in Dundas open at 6:30, with puck drop at 7:30 at JL Grightmire Arena in Dundas.

ICE CHIPS:  Fans looking to see the Blast compete in the Allan Cup beginning April 14^th are able to purchase Individual tickets (Cash ONLY). The Blast begin the Tournament with their two round robin games on Monday the 14^th at 3:30 against Kenora, and Wednesday the 16^th at 3:30 against Clarenville. Tickets for this round (and the Quarter Final round) will be $20/person. As the rounds progress the prices get slightly higher. If the Blast receive a bye to the Semi Finals (or win their Quarter Final to move on) the prices will be $25, and if they make it to the Finals it will be $30/person.

 

Blast To Close Out Regular Season Against Arch-Rivals Dundas Real McCoy’s

Preview

Tonight’s game will feature the Blast (16-6-0-1) visiting the Dundas Real McCoy’s (17-4-0-2) for the eighth and final game between the two teams this season. It’s also the regular season finale for both ACH Heavyweights. The Blast lead the season series 4-2-0-1 this season (9 points), while Dundas boasts a 3-2-0-2 record (8 points). Three of the seven games between the two teams have gone to a shootout, three others were 1-3 goal games, with the biggest victory going to Dundas in December, a 10-2 victory over the home Blast.

The game will be played at the JL Grightmire Arena on Market St in Dundas. Doors open at 6:30, with puck drop at 7:30. Be sure to follow live via Twitter @BrantfordBlast for live game updates.

Playoff Implications

With Dundas’ 7-3 win over Whitby last night in Whitby, the Blast are frozen at third place in the league. However, the Blast can play spoiler to the Real McCoy’s with a win in regulation tonight. A win combined with a Whitby win over Welland tomorrow night, would mean that Whitby would clinch first place in the league and would host Stoney Creek, while the Blast would face the Real McCoy’s who would have home ice advantage.

A Blast loss tonight would mean that Dundas would clinch first place in the league, and the Blast would play Whitby in the first round, where they would have home ice. Basically it’s the Blast’s time to become a spoiler for their Arch-Rivals and set up a first round date between the two teams. 

This year it’s a bit different to qualify for the Allan Cup. Since Dundas is the host and Kenora already has a spot in the 106^th Allan Cup, if any team makes it to the Final against Dundas, then they automatically qualify for the Championship, which will be played in Dundas April 14-19. Should Dundas get eliminated in the first round, the winner of the ACH Final and the Roberston Cup, would receive a berth into the Allan Cup.

 

Recent Games  

The Blast won their most recent game in Norwood 12-5 over the Vipers in their regular season home finale. Dundas won their last game last night in Whitby as mentioned 7-3.   

The Blast draw in at 3-2 in their last five games played and 6-4  in their last 10, while Dundas has a record of 3-1-0-1  in their last five games played and 6-2-0-2 in their last ten games played.

Players to Watch

Players to look out for on Dundas are their top scorer Scott Mifsud who is first in league scoring by 4 points over Brantford’s Joel Prpic with 47 points (18 goals, 29 assists) in 21 games. He also has 6 points in his last five games and 20 points in his last ten. Cam Watson and Joe Koudys are two other players to keep an eye on as they have 37 and 30 points this season respectively.

Players on the Blast who are riding their own hot streaks include Joel Prpic who has 43 points in 20 games, including 13 points in his last five games. A few other players who have been performing exceptionally lately are Chris Rebernik and Jon Jankus (9 points each in their last five games), and Chad Spurr and Brandon Dietrich (8 points each in their last five games played).

Players Leading the Way in the Season Series

Blast players currently leading the way in the season series against Dundas are Joel Prpic who has 6 points in his 5 games played against the Real McCoy’s, and Chris Leveille and Mark Taylor who each have 5 points so far.

The Real McCoy’s are lead by Scott Mifsud (9 points in 7 games) and Darryl Smith (7 points in 4 games).

Playoff Tentative Schedule

The playoffs are set for a soft date of Friday February 28^th. However, with the Blast most likely not having home ice advantage it may not be until the following week before they play a home playoff game. The finalized schedule will be posted all over social media as soon as it is made available to us. Stay tuned.  

Blast Head on a Roadtrip to Norwood to Take on the Vipers Tonight

Preview

Tonight’s game will feature the Blast (15-6-0-1) visiting the Norwood Vipers (2-19-0-1) for the fourth and final game between the two teams this season. The Blast lead the season series 3-0, off of 7-6, 6-4 and 16-2 victories over the team. This is the fourth and final time this season these two teams will faceoff against one another.

The game will be played at the Norwood Community Centre, with puck drop  at 6:30 PM. Be sure to follow live via Twitter @BrantfordBlast for live game updates.

Playoff Implications

With the Blast loss to Whitby on Friday night, they have to have a bit of luck on their side in order to get first place. A Blast win will put them one point behind Dundas for second place and two points behind Whitby for first place.  

The best the Blast could do would be to tie Whitby, but since the tie breaker is first the head to head results, it would come down to goals for, which the Blast are currently losing 136-111. It could very well become a battle for second place with Dundas. Only time will tell what happens.

Recent Games  

The Blast lost their most recent game against Whitby 4-3. Dundas won their last game against Welland  

The Blast draw in at 3-2 in their last five games played and 5-5 in their last 10, while Norwood has a record of 0-5  in their last five games played and 0-9-0-1 in their last 10 games played.  

Players to Watch

Players to look out for on Norwood are their top 3 scorers: #14 Darren Doherty (19  goals, 21 assists – 40 points in 21  games), #10  Murray Free (11  goals, 13 assists – 24 points in 18 games) and #23 defenceman Mike Madgett (6 goals, 17 assists – 23 points in 22 games). They have 10, 7 and 9 points in their last five games respectively.

Players on the Blast who are riding their own hot streaks include Joel Prpic who has 37 points in 19 games, and Cam Sault who has 17 points (5 goals, 12 assists) in 14 games since coming back from injury.

Players Leading the Way in the Season Series

Blast players currently leading the way in the season series against Norwood are Chad Spurr (6 goals, 4 assists – 10 points in 3 games), Joel Prpic (5 goals, 3 assists – 8 points in 3 games), Cam Sault (2 goals, 6 assists – 8 points in 3 games) and Jon Jankus (1 goal, 6 assists – 7 points in 3 games).

The Norwood players leading the way in the season series are Darren Doherty (7 points in 3 games), Mike Madgett (6 points in 3 games), and Chris Johnston (4 points in 3 games). 

Blast Beat the Welland Whalers 9-2 at the Whale Tank in Welland

Entering the make up game on Monday night against the Welland Whalers, the Blast knew this game was a must-win to keep pace in the tight playoff race and the hunt for first place. They stuck to their guns and pulled it off with a big 9-2 win over Welland.

The victory allowed the Blast to jump into first place with 31 points (1 ahead of Dundas and 2 ahead of Whitby) and clinched top three in the league as Stoney Creek can’t finish higher than the Blast.

The first period both teams came out flying with Welland dominating most of the play and scoring chances. The shots would be 19-18 at the end of the first for the Blast. The Blast however wouldn’t score until the final minute of play in the period as Chad Spurr scored his 15^th goal of the season, with assists to Joel Prpic and his brother Kyle Spurr.

The Blast would come out flying to start the second period. Ryan Healy scored only 41 seconds into the frame and the Blast didn’t look back from there. Mark Taylor, Joel Prpic (2), and Jon Jankus drew the goals in the second period for a 6-0 lead heading into the third period. Assists went to Tocher (2), Caister, Jankus, Williams, Dietrich, Healy and Rebernik in the period. The Blast outshot the Whalers 19-6 in the second frame as they completely dominated the play.

The third period would be more of an even affair. Curtis Campbell got Welland on the board only 45 seconds into the third. Prpic would then complete his hat trick for his team leading 17^th goal of the season at 5:50, with assists to Caister and Jankus. Tanner McGowan would make it 7-2 just over half way through the period at the 12:27 mark. Jeff Caister and Ryan Healy (2^nd of the night) would close out the scoring at 13:23 and 15:15 to put the Blast back up by seven goals for a 9-2 lead. The Blast would finish the game leading the shots 51-37. Anthony Marshall was incredible in goal making 35 saves for his 7^th win of the season.

The Three Stars of the game went to: 1. Joel Prpic (3 G 2A) 2. Anthony Marshall (35/37 ,946 SV%) 3. Ryan Healy (2 G 1A). The Blast are next in action this Friday night in Brantford for the Sandy O’Rafferty Pink the Rink Night against the Whitby Dunlops for another must-win game in the chase for first place. 

Blast Travel to the Whale Tank for Rematch Game Against the Welland Whalers

Preview

Tonight’s game will feature the Blast (14-5-0-1) travelling to face the Welland Whalers (4-11-3-1) for the fourth and final game between the two teams this season. The Blast lead the season series 3-0 off of 7-1, 5-2 and 5-0 wins against the Whalers.  This game will also see Bryan “HammerTime” Hamm return to action after a two game suspension made him miss the 2-1 SO win over Dundas and 5-2 loss to Whitby.

Playoff Implications

As of right now the Blast are tied for second place with Whitby with 29 points (Whitby has one game in hand), while Dundas is first with 30 points and Stoney Creek is 4^th with 24 points. Welland just recently got eliminated from playoff contention as the closest they could come to Stoney Creek is within two points if they won out and Stoney Creek lost their remaining games.

With a win over the Whalers tonight, the Blast can jump into first place with 31 points, overtaking Dundas. The Real McCoy’s would have a game in hand, while Whitby would remain two points behind with two games in hand. Also with a win tonight, the Blast would guarantee themselves top 3 in the league.

Recent Games

The Blast who will be playing their 3^rd game in 4 nights are fresh off a 5-2 loss to the Dunlops in Whitby on Saturday night. The Whalers are fresh off their 4^th win of the season 10-7 on Saturday night against a short staffed Norwood Vipers team, who only had 9 skaters and 1 goaltender dressed.

The Blast draw in at 3-2 in their last five games played and 6-4 in their last 10, while Welland has a record of 2-2-1-0 in their last five games played and 3-6-1-0 in their last 10 games played.

Players to Watch

Players to look out for on Welland are leading scorer #11 Drew Minor who has 27 points (15 goals, 12 assists) in only 19 games so far this season, including 14 points in his last 5 games played. #18 Mike Marquis is the other Welland player to watch as he has 8 goals and 15 assists for 23 points in 18 games this season. Recent Welland player signing Jason Hill has been dynamite  for the Whalers with 14 points (3 goals, 11 assists) in only 5 games, 11 of which have come in his last three games played.

Players on the Blast who are riding their own hot streaks include Joel Prpic who has 32 points in 17 games this year, and has only failed to get a point in one game this season.  Prpic has 9 points in his last 5 games played. Chad Spurr and Jon Jankus have both been on fire lately with 8 points each in their last five games. Chad Spurr jumped into the team goal lead with Joel Prpic as they both have 14 goals.

Players Leading the Way in the Season Series

Blast players currently leading the way in the season series against Welland include Chad Spurr, Joel Prpic, Mark Taylor and Mike Ruberto who all have 5 points in 3 games against the Whalers. Leveille, Burgoyne, and Dietrich all have 4 points.

The Whalers player leading the way is Chris Downey who has 2 assists in 3 games and is currently the only Whaler player with more than one point against the Blast.

Chad Spurr #25 Player Profile

Position: RW (Shoots Right)

Birthdate: May 13, 1979 (34 years old)

Birthplace: Hamilton/Binbrook, Ontario

Height: 6’0” Weight: 190 lbs

Jersey Number: #25 – Captain of the Blast

1995/1996 – Hamilton Kilty B’s – OPJHL

Chad Spurr got his start off in the hockey scene in Junior A in the OPJHL with the Hamilton Kilty B’s as a 16 year old where he played with former Blast and Real McCoy’s C Paul Lawson and briefly with current Blast teammate Dave Russell. He played in 45 games in his rookie season, scoring 12 goals and adding 27 assists for 39 points in only 45 games, finishing 6^th in team scoring.

1996/1997-1999/2000 – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds – OHL/ Roanoke Express – ECHL

Autographed Chad Spurr card when he played with the Greyhounds in the OHL

Following a very successful rookie season in Junior A, Chad Spurr was drafted by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League. He would play his first season in the O in 1996/1997 where he would record 11 goals and 38 assists for 49 points in 61 games, good for 6^th in team scoring. The team he played on featured future NHL talent Joe Thornton, Richard Jackman and Nathan Perrott. The team would win their division and make it to the second round of the OHL playoffs before losing to Guelph. Chad had 2 points in 11 playoff games that spring.

Chad began his sophomore season in the OHL in 1997 and the team struggled as leading scorer Joe Thornton left for the NHL to play with the Boston Bruins. Despite their record of 20-36-7-3 on the season, Spurr had an increased offensive role on the team. He finished 4^th in team scoring with 20 goals and 34 assists for 54 points in 64 games.

In 1998/1999, he split the season between the Greyhounds and the Roanoke Express of the ECHL. He played the entire season with the Greyhounds and had a career high 72 points (27 goals, 45 assists) in 65 games. He added 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists) in 5 playoff games before the Greyhounds got eliminated.

After elimination Chad decided to get a brief taste of professional hockey as he signed with the now defunct Roanoke Express of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). He played in three games that season and scored two goals. He would end up playing in the playoffs for the Express as well that year, collecting 6 points in 12 games.

At the turn of the century Spurr headed back to the OHL with the Greyhounds for one last season in the O. He played in 61 games, scoring 18 goals and 39 assists for 57 points. The team went on a long playoff run to the Conference finals and Chad was a huge reason for this as he scored 7 goals and 12 assists for 19 points in 17 playoff games that spring.

This would close the chapter on the OHL portion of his career as he finished with 251 games played, scoring 76 goals and adding 156 assists for 232 points, adding 170 PIM. He also played in 45 OHL playoff games scoring 16 goals and adding 18 assists for 34 points.

After this Junior career, Chad headed out East briefly to play in one season of University hockey with the University of PEI. He played in 24 games and lead the team in every major category with 16 goals, 25 assists, 41 points and 101 PIM.

Following that season Chad left the University and began his 6 year professional hockey career. He signed with the Indianapolis Ice of the Central Hockey League. He only played in 7 regular season games that season and he scored 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists) and went pointless in 3 playoff games.

2001/2002 – Charlotte Checkers – ECHL

The next season in 2001, Chad would get his first full season of pro hockey under his belt. He signed with the Charlotte Checkers (now in the AHL) of the East Coast Hockey League where he was teammates with current Blast teammate Brandon Dietrich. Chad was the only player to play in all 72 games and he scored 10 goals and 21 assists for 31 points in his rookie season of pro hockey as a 22 year old. He added a single assist in 5 playoff games that spring as the Checkers had a first round exit.

2002/2003-2003/2004 – Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs – CHL

Chad Spurr with the Mudbugs

In the 2002/2003 season Chad headed back to the CHL to play for the now defunct Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs. He scored 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) in 47 games with the team in his first year with the team.

The second year Chad played with the Mudbugs he scored a career high 31 goals and added 39 assists for a professional personal high 70 points, finishing second in team scoring. The Mudbugs went on a long playoff run that season but would lose in the CHL finals. Chad scored 13 points (6 goals, 7 assists) in 17 playoff games that spring.

2004/2005 – Pee Dee Pride – ECHL

The following year, he headed back to the league that provided him with his first taste of prop hockey back in 1998 as he signed with Pee Dee Pride of the ECHL. He only played in 40 games but managed to finish 5^th in team scoring with 38 points (11 goals, 27 assists).

That concluded the ECHL portion of Chad’s career, he finished with 23 goals and 31 assists for 54 points in 115 games.

2005/2006 – Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs – CHL

The 2005/2006 season would end up being Spurr’s last in professional hockey as he would retire at the conclusion. He went out with class, as he finished with 60 points (21 goals, 39 assists) in 61 games and added 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists) in 15 games in the playoffs, as the Mudbugs again lost in the Championship Finals. He would retire at the conclusion of the season to come back home to Ontario, where he would start up his own business.

2006/2007 – Present – Brantford Blast – MLH/ACH

 

Chad Spurr and Blast Owner Peter Ham in 2010 after a one year leave of absence from the league

Chad Spurr signed with the Blast after retiring from professional hockey. He started in the 2006/2007 season, where he had 37 points (21 goals, 16 assists) in 27 games.

The next season he was an instrumental part of the Blast’s Allan Cup Championship team, scoring 17 goals and assisting on 22 others for 39 points in 24 games. He added 7 points in 5 games in the Allan Cup, none bigger than his OT winner in the semi finals against Dundas to propel the Blast to the Finals against Bentley where they would go on to win 3-1 and capture the 100^th Allan Cup Championship.

In total, Chad has been with the Blast for 7 seasons dating to today and he has become the second leading scorer in goals, assists and points with 115 goals, 139 assists and 254 points behind only Tyler Pelton

His season by season stats from 2008/2009 until the present day are as follows:

2008/2009 – 9 GP – 2G,8A- 10 Pts – 2 PIM

2010/2011 – 23 GP – 23G, 25A – 48 Pts – 46 PIM

2011/2012- 25 GP- 22G, 31A – 53 Pts – 24 PIM

2012-2013- 21 GP – 17G, 30A- 47 Pts – 36 PIM

2013-2014 (so far) – 18 GP – 13G, 7A- 20 Pts – 34 PIM

Blast Host Dundas Real McCoy’s for 11th Annual Tim Horton’s Night

Preview

Tonight’s game will feature the Blast (13-4-0-1) against the Dundas Real McCoy’s (14-3-0-1) in the sixth matchup between these two teams. The season series is tied with each team collecting 7 points and 3-2-0-1 records. The game will be played at the Civic Centre with doors opening at 6:30 and puck drop at 7:30 PM.

Theme

The game is the 11^th Annual Tim Horton’s Night and will include a whole bunch of events/giveaways. All fans will receive a free set of Tim Horton’s bam-bams. There will also be a chance to win 1 of 75 $5 Tim’s Cards, 1 of 2 $50 Tim’s cards, and the top prize of a Tim Horton’s Tassimo gift pack. At the first intermission the Blast will help celebrate Timbits hockey with a 10 minute showcase of two local area Brantford Timbits teams.

Recent Games  

The Blast are fresh off their biggest win, a 16-2 win over Norwood last Friday night. Dundas had their last game with Whitby postponed but their last actual game was a 4-3 SO victory over Whitby at home the night before.  

The Blast draw in at 3-2 in their last five games played and 5-4-0-1 in their last 10, while Dundas has a record of 3-1-0-1  in their last five games played and 8-1-0-1 in their last 10 games.

 

 

 

Players to Watch

The players to watch on the Blast include Joel Prpic who is now tied for 3^rd in league scoring, he has 30 points in 15 games this season, including 10 in his last 5 games played, Chad Spurr and Jon Jankus are two others to look out for as they had 6 and 7 points respectively last Friday against Norwood.

Players to look out for on the Real McCoy’s are the usual tandem that has caused havoc for teams all season long, Scott Mifsud (1^st in the ACH) who has 15 goals and 26 assists for 41 points, including 14 points in his last 5 games, Cam Watson – who has a league leading 18 goals, and 17 assists for 35 points and 13 points in his last 5 games, and Joe Koudys – with 10 goals and 17 assists for 27 points (6 points in last 5 games).

Players Leading the Way in the Season Series

Blast players currently leading the way in the season series against Dundas include Joel Prpic, Chis Leveille and Mark Taylor, all who have 5 points in the 6 games series so far. These three always seem to turn it up when the Blast’s arch rivals are in town.

The Real McCoy’s are lead by two thirds of their top line, including Scott Mifsud who has 9 points playing in all 6 games, Darryl Smith – who has 7 points in only 3 games played against the Blast and the other member of the top line Cam Watson who has 5 points in 5 games against the Blast this season. 

Mike Burgoyne #22 Player Profile

Position: D (Shoots Left)

Birthdate: Dec 28, 1980 (33 years old)

Birthplace: Hamilton, Ontario

Height: 6’2” Weight: 210 lbs

Jersey Number: #22

 

1997/1998-1999/2000 – Hamilton Kilty B’s – OPJHL

Mike “Burger” Burgoyne got his hockey playing career started off as a 16 year old in the same league as many other Blast players, he first played in the OPJHL which was Junior A hockey. He played for a team called the Hamilton Kilty B’s (now known as the Hamilton Red Wings). He played 29 games in his rookie season and scored 1 goal and added 4 helps for 5 points. One of his teammates was current Blast defenseman Dave Russell, who was 17 years old at the time.

In his sophomore season, Burgoyne got more ice time and he capitalized on it. He finished with a personal Junior hockey best 18 goals and added 27 assists for 45 points in only 47 games, as he became one of the team and league’s best offensively minded defensemen. He finished third in team scoring.

After a very solid second season, Burgoyne came back as an 18 year old for his final season of Junior hockey. He played in 30 games and added 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points.

He closed out the Junior days of his hockey career with 106 games played, scoring 29 goals, and assisting on 45 others for a total of 74 points. He also received 83 PIM over the three seasons in the OPJHL.

2002/2003-2003/2004 – Brantford Blast – OHA Sr A

After two seasons off from competitive hockey following his junior career, Burgoyne decided to come and play for the Blast in OHA Sr A as a 21 year old. The blue liner finished 5th in team scoring in their inaugural season with 9 goals and 15 assists in 30 games for 24 points.

In the 2003/2004 season Burgoyne came back to play his sophomore season with the Blast, who were now coached by Paris native and former NHLer Jay Wells. Burgoyne finished 1st among Blast defensemen and 6th overall in points with 11 goals and 27 assists for 38 points in only 27 games, showing he could be a real offensive threat once again.

2003/2004-2004/2005 – Quad City Mallards/Motor City Mechanics/Rockford IceHogs – UHL

After a very strong season with the Blast, Burgoyne decided to briefly go play professional hockey following the Blast season. He signed with the Quad City Mallards of the United Hockey League (UHL), and suited up in his first two pro hockey games, going pointless and collecting 6 minutes in penalties.

In 2004, Burgoyne was brought back by the Mallards. He played in 17 games, failing to receive a point, and added 28 PIM.

Burgoyne was then traded mid-season to the Motor City Mechanics, and this is where he started to show he could be effective in professional hockey. He played in 30 games for the Mechanics and scored 5 goals and 9 assists for 14 points. Despite only playing in 30 games, Burgoyne was still 5th in Mechanics defensemen scoring. This team was very rich in NHL talent, due to the lockout that year. It included a 42 year old Chris Chelios, Darien Hatcher, Sean Avery, and Bryan Smolinski.

Despite showing some offensive flair, Burgoyne was again on the move before the trade deadline, as he was traded to the Rockford IceHogs, where he would play the final 4 games of the season, failing to receive a point.

2005/2006 – Motor City Mechanics – UHL

After being traded away from the Mechanics the previous season, Burgoyne signed back with the Detroit based team the following season in 2005. He played on a team featuring former Blast player and brother of The Great One, Brent Gretzky, and current Blast teammate Greg Bullock. He finished 2nd in defensemen scoring on the Mechanics behind current Real McCoy’s defenseman Matt Smith, and 7th overall with 14 goals and 24 assists for 38 points in 76 games, adding 76 PIM.

He closed out the UHL portion of his career to move on to play in the CHL the following year. He finished with 129 games played, scoring 19 goals and adding 33 assists for 52 points and 117 PIM.

2006/2007-2007/2008 – Oklahoma City Blazers – CHL

It was during his time in the CHL that Burgoyne really broke out offensively in professional hockey. In his first season in the Central Hockey League (CHL) with the now defunct Oklahoma City Blazers, Burgoyne had career highs in goals, assists and points, finishing with 21 goals, 40 assists and 61 points in only 64 games. He added 76 PIM. He also added 8 points (2 goals, 6 assists) in a long playoff run of 14 games that post-season.

When the 2007/2008 season came around he was back with the Blazers and continued his offensive pace, scoring 17 goals and 38 assists for 55 points, and adding a career high 88 PIM.

2008/2009 – Belfast Giants – EIHL

 

Burgoyne (right) celebrates with a teammate after scoring a big goal for the Giants

In 2008, Burgoyne made the trek overseas to Ireland where he signed with the Belfast Giants of the British Elite Ice Hockey League. It’s the same team that Theo Fleury had played for only 3 seasons prior.  He fit in right away, on route to being the offensive leader for Giants defensemen and finishing 8th overall in team scoring with 10 goals and 30 assists for 40 points in 55 games. He went pointless in 2 playoff games that spring.

2009/2010 – Victoria Salmon Kings – ECHL/ Missouri Mavericks – CHL

Following one season abroad in Ireland, Burgoyne headed back to North America the following season in 2009. He started off the year in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) with the Victoria Salmon Kings in which would be the highest level of pro he had played. He only played 6 games, scoring 1 goal and added 3 assists for 4 points before heading back down to the CHL.

After a brief spot in the ECHL, he headed back to the CHL with the Missouri Mavericks, where he played with current Dundas Real McCoy’s C Jordan Foreman. Burgoyne finished 5th in team scoring that season despite only playing 41 games. He scored 10 goals and added 22 assists for 32 points.

This concluded the CHL portion of Mike’s career, as he finished with 169 games played, scoring 48 goals and adding 100 assists for 148 points, and 199 PIM.

2010/2011 – The Hague HYS – Netherlands

 

Burgoyne battles for the puck with the Dutch team The Hague HYS in 2011

Burgoyne once again headed overseas in 2011 to play in the Netherlands based league for The Hague HYS. He was a very effective player on the team, scoring 12 goals and 33 assists for 45 points in only 38 games, adding 77 PIM. He helped the team win the National Dutch Championship that spring and retired from professional hockey to come back home to Ontario.

2011/2012 – Present – Brantford Blast – ACH

After retiring from professional hockey, Burgoyne came back to the place he started his career after Junior hockey, as he signed a player card with the Brantford Blast, who were now in a league called Allan Cup Hockey (ACH). He scored 7 goals and added 12 assists in 19 games in his first year back with the Blast, as he won the ACH League’s Best Defensemen Award.

In 2012/2013, Burgoyne became a player/coach for the Blast, a role he still carries today. He finished with 29 points (7 goals, 22 assists) in 22 games, on route to his second consecutive ACH Top Defensemen Award. He added 13 points (4 goals, 9 assists) in 9 games in the Blast’s playoff run which ended in a Robertson Cup Championship.

That brings us to the current season, where Burgoyne has 16 points (3 goals, 13 assists) in 16 games so far and has propelled himself into 1st all time in all major categories with Blast defensemen. He also ranks 6th overall in games played with 114, 5th overall with points with 126, 8th overall for goals with 37, 5th overall with assists with 89 and 6th overall in penalty minutes with 142. 

Jeff Caister #21 Player Profile

Position: D (Shoots Left)

Birthdate: Jan 17, 1985 (29 years old)

Birthplace: Mississauga, Ontario

Height: 6’2” Weight: 220 lbs

Jersey Number: #23

2002/2003 – Mississauga Chargers – OPJHL

Jeff Caister got his start in the hockey world as a 17 year old in the Junior A hockey in the OPJHL. It would be very brief, as he only played 1 game that season as a defenseman, going pointless. This season current Blast teammate Chris Rebernik also played for the Chargers as a 16 year old, but only played a minimal amount of games too, suiting up in 10.

2003/2004-2005/2006 – Milton Icehawks – OPJHL

 

Caister with the Milton Icehawks of the OPJHL

It would be the next season where Jeff would be able to let his skills shine as an 18 year old rookie, this time playing with the Milton Icehawks in the OPJHL. He became known as quite the offensive defenseman during this season as he finished 5th in team points with 5 goals, and added 29 assists for 34 points in only 49 games a rookie D-Man.

In his sophomore season in 2004/2005 with the Icehawks, Casiter’s value continued to increase as an effective offensive force on the blueline. He finished 4th in team scoring with a career high 11 goals, and 39 assists for 50 points in 49 games. He also played on the same team as two young phenoms, a 13 year old John Tavares, and a 15 year old Sam Gagner.

The next season in 2005/2006 would be Caister’s last in Junior hockey. He once again played for the Icehawks and would go on to record his personal career best in points this season. The 20 year old scored 11 goals and added a career best 47 assists for 58 points in only 49 games, once again finishing 4th in team scoring. He also played with current Philadelphia Flyers forward Matt Read, who lead the team in scoring.

Caister concluded his OPJHL career with 142 points (27 goals, 115 assists) in 148 games (0.96 points-per-game), adding 166 PIM.

2006/2007-2007/2008 – Wayne State University Warriors – NCAA Division I

After closing out his Junior career, Caister headed across the border to Detroit, Michigan to play for the Wayne State University Warriors, who played in the College Hockey America (CHA) Conference. Caister had an effective freshmen year with the Warriors, finishing 8th in team scoring with 2 goals and 14 assists in 35 games. His play earned him a spot on the All-CHA Rookie Team.

In his sophomore season and final year with the Warriors before the ice hockey program was terminated, Caister improved even more. He scored 3 goals and chipped in 28 assists for 31 points in only 38 games. He served as an Assistant Captain this season. His play also earned him a spot on the CHA First All Star-Team.

2008/2009-2009/2010 – St Lawrence University Saints – NCAA Division I/South Carolina Stingrays – ECHL

Caister with St. Lawerence University

After Wayne State University shut down their men’s ice hockey program, Caister would head to Canton, NY to play for the St. Lawerence University Saints in NCAA Division I ice hockey. He played in 37 games his first year with the Saints and got 9 points (2 goals, 7 assists), playing on the same team as current Chicago Blackhawk Brandon Bollig. The team would lose in their Conference Semi Finals and fail to make the NCAA Frozen Four Tournament.

In 2009/2010, Caister began his final season in the NCAA before turning pro briefly following the college hockey season. He finished 9th in team scoring with 6 goals and 12 assists for 18 points in 42 games.  That concluded Caister’s College hockey days as he finished with 152 games played in the NCAA, scoring 13 goals and adding 61 assists for 74 points (0.49 points-per-game). He would earn the Terry Slater Perseverance Award this season for dedication to the sport of ice hockey.

After the college hockey season that year in 2010, Caister signed on with the South Carolina Stingrays of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) to get his first taste of professional ice hockey. He would only play 4 games in the regular season, failing to receive a point. He added 5 games in the playoffs, and received his first professional hockey points, collecting 2 assists for the Stingrays that spring.

2010/2011 – South Carolina Stingrays/Victoria Salmon Kings – ECHL

Caister with the Stingrays (top) and the Salmon Kings (bottom) of the ECHL in his first full season of pro hockey

Caister started the 2010/2011 season with the Stingrays again, but would only play in 8 games, failing to receive a point, before being traded to the now defunct Victoria Salmon Kings (affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks) for future considerations. He would play 46 games with the Salmon Kings and score 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists). The team would get swept in the Conference Finals, and fold after the conclusion of the season. Caister added 8 points (4 goals, 4 assists) in 12 playoff games that spring.

2011/2012 – Greenville Road Warriors – ECHL

 

Caister with the Road Warriors in 2011

The next season in 2011 after the Stingrays folded, Caister would move on to play for the Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL. He scored 3 goals and 23 assists for 26 points in 69 games with the team, in which would be his final season in North American pro hockey. He added 1 assist in 3 playoff games.

He closed out the ECHL chapter of his career with 47 points (13 goals, 34 assists) in 127 games, adding 101 PIM. He also added 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists) in 20 playoff games.

2012/2013 – Fife Flyers – EIHL

 

Caister with the Fife Flyers in 2012, as he suited up in his final season of professional hockey before retiring

Caister would end up heading overseas to Scotland to play for the oldest hockey team in the United Kingdom, as he signed with the Fife Flyers of the Britain Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL). Caister went out with a bang before retiring that spring, scoring a professional career high 31 points (3 goals, 28 assists) in 55 games, also adding a career high 132 PIM. He went pointless in 2 playoff games, and retired from pro hockey as a Fife Flyer that spring.

2013/2014 – Brantford Blast – ACH

 

Jeff Caister with the Brantford Blast of the ACH in 2013

Upon retiring Caister moved back home to Ontario to begin working. He ended up signing a player card with the Brantford Blast to play in the Allan Cup Hockey League (ACH). Caister has been an effective two-way defenseman so far in his time spent with the Blast, as he has scored 1 goal and added 8 assists for 9 points in 16 games in a Blast uniform.