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September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
On Friday, Buffalo Sabres superstar Jack Eichel visited Buffalo based and world renowned Roswell Park Cancer Institute to launch his new "Shine Gold" clothing line.
You can see Eichel rocking the gear in the below photo. It features a silhouette of the Boston Sniper celebrating a goal that he had scored.
Eichel's likeness is emblazoned on t-shirts and hats in support of Roswell Park and Carly's Club to help benefit pediatric cancer and research.
Eichel spent the summer training and skating at home in Boston. He has been in Buffalo all week skating informally with his Sabres teammates.
He will attend Team North America training camp next week and will represent the Sabres when the Young Stars take on the rest of the best of the rest at the World Cup of Hockey in Toronto beginning on September 16.
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Jeff Carter's loss is Corey Perry's gain.
Carter withdrew Friday from the World Cup of Hockey with a lower-body injury.
No stranger to high stakes international hockey play, Perry will replace Carter in the Team Canada forward ranks.
Perry led Canada to gold at the 2016 IIHF world hockey championships in May.
The gold medal made Perry one of eight active players to win Olympic gold, a world title and a Stanley Cup.
"I know Jeff wanted to play and represent Canada, and his decision to step aside as they continue to monitor his injury speaks to his character and willingness to put Team Canada's success above all else," said Canada general manager Doug Armstrong. "We look forward to seeing him back on the ice when the NHL season resumes."
Canada, the defending World Cup champion, opens training camp Monday in Ottawa.
The World Cup opens September 17 in Toronto.
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This gif shows the force of impact when Andersen's D-man slammed into him. It's a rported upper body injury.
The Leafs would be wise to fly Andersen back to Toronto so that their team Orthopedic doctors can do their own evaluation of the injury.
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Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen has been injured in an IIHF 2018 Olympic qualifying game.
Andersen, Denmark's starting goalie, was injured and then pulled from the game versus Slovenia on Friday.
Andersen left the ice with just over four minutes remaining in Slovenia's 3-0 win. Aivis Kalnins tweeted that Andersen was involved in a smash up with his own defenseman, and was also tweeted by my Twitter follower Ryan Aronica.
The Maple Leafs traded 1st and 2nd round draft choice to Anaheim for Andersen who was RFA. The Leafs signed Andersen to a five-year, $25 million mega contract. Andersen is Toronto's starter now that Jonathon Bernier is an Anaheim Duck.
Now you know why NHL GMs and owners are not fans if having their differenc making players represent their countries in IIHF international tourneys. Injuries happen when you least expect them.
Perhaps this is this reason why Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray has not signed RFA D monster Rasmus Ristolainen yet. Murray will re-sign his future #1 D-man once the World Cup Of Hockey draws to a conclusion later this month.
Andersen is being counted on to be a part of Team Europe for the upcoming World Cup of Hockey, which begins September 17 in Toronto. World Cup training camps for that tournament open next week.
Andersen posted a 2.30 GAA and .919 SV% in 37 starts for the Ducks last season.
A third-round pick by Anaheim in 2012, Andersen has started more than 50 games just once in his first three NHL seasons.
Jhonas Enroth was signed last week by the Leafs to back up Andersen.
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The New York Rangers are about to promote one of their former captains to aloft role in the team's front office.
Chris Drury is New York's new AGM according to ESPN.com Boston.
Hmmmm. Drury played a leadership role in recruiting Jimmy Vesey to Gotham. Nice bonus check for helping the Rangers fight off Buffalo to land the big UFA prize in former Harvard captain and UFA Jimmy Vesey.
Coincidentally, Drury and Vesey share the same agent.
The 40-year-old Drury played four years with the Rangers between 2007 and 2011.
Drury played 892 games with Colorado, Calgary, Buffalo and New York. He scored 255 goals and 615 points throughout his career.
The Rangers named Drury their director of player development in 2015.
“I’m pretty excited to have Chris come back to the Rangers,” GM Jeff Gorton said after Drury was named director of player development one year ago.
“It was an opportunity to bring someone into the organization, a former Ranger, that can add so much.”
“We’re trying to add people in some key positions that have had different experiences … that can give us a fresh look. It’s pretty obvious what he can do and how energetic he was for an opportunity to come back with the Rangers and work here.”
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