Jaromir Blagr: The Hockey Blog

So long, Sivak, and other news

Looks like you in the Cowbell Crew are unlikely to be looking at sniper Peter Sivak in the upcoming season.

Sivak, who helped the Alaska Aces to the ECHL's Kelly Cup in June, has signed an AHL-ECHL deal with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL, according to eliteprospects.com

Bridgeport Sound's head coach is Brent Thompson, who guided the Aces to the Kelly Cup in 2011. Bridgeport's ECHL affiliate is Stockton.

Sivak racked 31-52--83 totals in 67 games last season, when he was first-team All-ECHL, and he led the league in plus-minus at +49. He played in all situations. Plus, he's a very sweet man.

In other news, man, things are blowing up in the Central Hockey League. The Arizona Sundogs and Denver Cutthroats have both announced they will not play the upcoming season. The St. Charles Chill folded early in the offseason. The CHL now has just seven teams.

Also, former UAA center Paul Crowder has signed with the ECHL's Fort Wayne Komets. He spent much of last season with the Cincinnati Cyclones -- 16-32--48 totals in 64 games -- but was not with them when the Aces beat them in the Finals.

And Anchorage's Jordan Smelker was drafted in the 10th round this week by the Boston Blades of the Canadian Women's Hockey League. Smelker in four seasons at Rensselaer bagged 34-52--86 totals in 136 career games.

Doyle Woody

Doyle Woody covered hockey and other sports for the Anchorage Daily News for 34 years.

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