What Hockey Means to Me

Joel Benson #3

"Hockey is a part of me. It has been since I was born, I don't know anything else."

Tim Davison #16

"Hockey means everything to me. I wouldn't know what to do without it in my life. It's a lifestyle."

Chris Dodero #25

"Hockey is a part of my life and means everything to me. I have loved it ever since I stepped on the ice for the first time and dedicated my life to it."

Thomas Ebbing #10

"Hockey to me is a lifestyle. Without it I would not be who I am today. It gives me something to stay active and out of trouble."

Daniel Fetzer #26

"Hockey is my life. Since I was born I've been around hockey, and its all I've ever known. It's a place I can go and get away from everything else. Hockey is my love and my life."

Christian Heil #11

"Hockey means everything to me. It's my entire life. I don't know what I would do without it."

Jeff Kubiak #18

"To me hockey is a passion and sport I couldn't live without. Whenever I am playing it I feel in place. It's a game I will always be a part of."

Daniel Kucerovy #12

"Hockey is everything to me. I do everything based around it. It's why I workout, why I eat what I eat, and it's my life."

Brian LeBlanc #14

"An opportunity to play a sport I love, to compete, and make friends after high school."

Mackenzie MacEachern #19

"Hockey is my life. I spend most, if not all my time, dedicated to hockey. I'd be lost without it."

Phil Marinaccio #9
"Hockey is a passion that drives me to be the best, make friendships off the ice, and be a winner. When you have such a strong passion for something, it brings out a new level of competiveness to not only do great but to be great. Having such a strong passion for hockey makes me want to be the best and nothing less."

Dan McNamara #27

"Hockey to me is a way of life. I've literally grown up in locker rooms since the time I could walk. I would be lost without it."

Chris Nell #31
"Hockey is a part of my life. It's made me the person I am today."

Christian Neumann #4

"Hockey is my life. I have dedicated 16 years of my life to the game. Countless hours in the summer; my senior year of high school; my life revolves around the sport. Without it my life would be hearding in a completely different direction."

Charlie O'Connor #21

"It's a lifestyle that you're born to love. Hockey is something that I can't let go."

Sam Piazza #6

"Hockey means a place to forget about everything else, bond with teammates, and win games with the boys."

Ray Pigozzi #23
"Hockey to me means hard work, dedication, and a life long committment to the game and sport you love and live for."

Patrick Polino #17

"Hockey means everything to me. Ever since I was little it has been my life and main focus. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't wake up and go to the rink everyday."

Alex Roos #28

"Hockey to me is everything. It's more than just a game, it's my life. It's what I think about 24 hours a day."

Alex Sakellaropoulous #1

"To me hockey is a passion that has been pasted down throughout my family. I play for my family and for the organization."

Jaccob Slavin #7

"Hockey to me means everything. It is basically my life and the only thing I can do every day and not get tired of it."

Ali Thomas #15

"Hockey means a way of life for me. I sleep, eat, and breathe hockey."

Joseph Widmar #8

"Hockey is all I know and want to know. It's the best thing in the world."

Johnny Wingels #5

"Hockey is more than a sport, it's a passion. It motivates me to work hard every day."

It's Time for Some STEEL TV!!

Happy Tuesday fans!! We hope that you are having a great day. Around here we are preparing for our opening weekend!

Today's video is a recap of the Fall Classic Games in Souix City, IA. Plus you will get to hear Coach McConnell's thoughts about the upcoming games this weekend!





Remember Steel fans there are 3 days until the season begins! Here is a quick reminder of the days and times the Steel will be playing this weekend:

Opening weekend games are:

Friday, September 28^th at 7:30pm

V.S. The Indiana Ice

   Autograph Session Following the Game!  

Saturday, September 29^th at 7:05pm

V.S. The Tri-City Storm

  Come Skate With the Steel Follwing the Game!   

 

If haven't ordered your tickets now by calling our box office at (630-) 594-1161 or

going online at http://tickets.chicagosteelhockeyteam.com.

Have a pucktastic day everyone!!  

You Know You're A Hockey Fan When...

• The first thing you think of when hearing a city's name is their hockey team.
• You know every word to the movie "Miracle."
• In your free time you look up motivational hockey speeches on YouTube.
• The three words you use to describe what you do in life is: eat, sleep, hockey.
• You count down the days from when the season ends until the season begins.
• You're favorite song is "We Will Rock You."
• You spend the remainder of your paycheck on the NHL network.
• Your sports bar knows you by name during hockey season.
• You've been to every ice arena in the state.
• Weather doesn't keep you from missing a game.
• You use hockey tape to wrap gifts.
• Hockey is your life and the rest is just details.
• The first thing you ask your date is, 'are you a hockey fan?'
• You get nervous in overtime or a shootout.
• You find another league to watch during a lockout.
• Hockey lingo becomes common in your everyday life.
• You've stayed up all night to watch your team play.
• You plan vacations or events around your team's hockey schedule.
• You are only interested in reading hockey books.
• Your Christmas and Birthday list only consists of hockey appearal.
• Hockey is mentioned every night around the dinner table.
• You tell people you grew up in the ice rink.
• Your closet has more jerseys than normal clothes.
• Your blood pressure is high after a game.
• You don't know what to watch when hockey season is over.
• You are oblivious to your surroundings when you are watching a hockey game at home.

If you have your own answer please share it with us!

We'd love to hear your answers on how you know you're a hockey fan!

It's Time for some STEEL TV!

Good Morning Steel Fans!! We hope that you are having a wonderful Thursday morning. Today is another segment of Steel TV!

On Tuesday, the coaches and players packed up their bags and hockey gear and headed out to the Fall Classic Games, in Souix City, IA. Before leaving for the games, we were able to get a quick interview with Assistant Coach, Kelly Gee, talking about the team's hopes for the Fall Classic Games. Not only will you get to hear the thoughts of Coach Gee, but you will also be able to get an inside look as the players prepare to leave for a weekend away.

To update everyone on the games thus far, the Chicago Steel played yesterday at 2pm against the Omaha Lancers. Jeff Kubiak’s two goals yesterday afternoon were not enough to lift the Chicago Steel past the Omaha Lancers, as the Lancers scored two power play goals in the third period to earn a 3-2 victory over the Steel..

Kubiak's first goal came 34 seconds into the first period on assists from Mackenzie MacEachern and Joel Benson. Omaha recieved goals from Philip Zielonka, Dominic Sacco, and Matt Hansen to build a 3-1 advantage with just under eight minutes remaing in the game. Sacco and Hansen's goal came on the power play at the 3:17 and 12:13 mark. Kubiak added his second goal in the third with one minute, 37 seconds remaining on the power play. Charlie O'Connor and Tobias Ruelykke provided the assist. Alex Sakellaropoulous made 34 saves for the Stee in the loss.

The Steel will play again today 1pm against the Fargo Force. Tomorrow, Friday, the Steel will be playing the Waterloo Black Hawks at 9:30am.

Well fans, we hope you have a great rest of your Thursday, and remember OPENING WEEKEND is only 8 DAYS away!! Don't forget to buy your Steel tickets!!

Lock In With The Steel

Well hockey fans, today is Day 3 of the NHL lockout. From the looks of it, it doesn't seem like they are going to be settling anytime soon. According to Alex Ovechkin, "If the league (NHL) continues to insist on their (demands), then it will take a full year. That's because we are not going to cave in," Ovechkin said, according to the Sovetsky Sport, a Russian daily newspaper (ESPN).

So hockey lovers, how are you going to get your fix of hockey this year? You know that you are not going to be able to stay away from the game for an entire year. What's the answer? It's quite simple...The Chicago Steel!

  

The Steel are not a high school hockey team, but an elite program that recruits and develops some of the world’s best 16-20 year old hockey players.  As a member of the United States Hockey League, the nation’s only Tier I junior hockey league, the Steel have earned a reputation for producing NHL prospects. This season, the Steel boast two 2012 NHL Entry Draft picks in Mackenzie MacEachern (67th overall to St. Louis) and Jaccob Slavin (120th overall to Carolina).  

Since we know that people need hockey, we have designed a ticket package just for you! How much you ask? How about $40 for everything listed below?!

The Lockout Ticket Package

4 tickets

4 sodas

4 hot dogs

4 autographed pucks by NHL Prospects,

Jaccob Slavin and Mackenzie MacEachern

Free Parking

  

Not only do we have a new ticket package, but we also have changed our season tickets and flex packs options. If you were a Blackhawks and Chicago Express season ticket holders for the 2011-12 season, you can also purchase discounted Steel season tickets and flex plans simply by showing us your 2011-12 season ticket invoice. For $150, you can cheer on the Steel at all 32 home games and for $60 you get 12 undated ticket vouchers and can select the games that work best for you.

All you have to do now is order your tickets by calling the box office at (630-) 594-1161 or order online at http://tickets.chicagosteelhockeyteam.com.

Cited Article

"Alex Ovechkin Talks Lockout, KHL." ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures, 18 Sept. 2012. Web. 18 Sept. 2012. <http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/8393660/washington-capitals-alexander-ovechkin-says-lockout-take-full-year>.

Let's Recap

Yesterday, the Steel had an intrasqad scrimmage at the Darien Sportsplex to support the Chicago Hawks. Fans were excited to be back at the rink, watching their favorite team get ready for the season, which will officially start in two weeks! The atmosphere at the rink was light and energetic.

  

Both teams came out ready to work hard and have fun. Alex Sakellaropoulos was in net for the Red team, and Chris Nell was in the net for the White team. By the end of the first period the score was 5-1, with Red over powering White. From the looks of it, fans thought that Red would dominate the game.

After intermission, White came out determined to make a comeback. At the beginning of the second, Red was firing away and scored two goals making the score 7-1. Towards the end of the second, White finally found their momentum. Within minutes they were able to score five goals. It was impressive to see these guys finally put their mind to something and attempt to make an epic comeback. Although White put up a good fight, by the end of the game the score was 7-6, with Red being victorious.

After the game, fans were able to skate with the players. Fans couldn't wait for the players to get out of the locker room after the game. From the looks of it, they were ready to pounce on the first player they saw. Luckily, all of the players were able to get out of the locker rooms without being tackled.

At least 100 kids were out on the ice with the Steel players. Kids were excited to get their favorite players' autographs, and the players were excited to interact with their fans.

Out of all the kids that were there, Johnny Wingels had the biggest fan of all. After the game, a mom came up to Johnny with her 4 year old son, and asked Wingels if he would skate a lap with her son. Being the person, Wingels is, he was happy to skate with the little guy. As they were skating, the mom was saying that the entire game her son kept saying all he wanted to do was skate with Johnny. Once the "Skate with the Steel" was over, Wingels biggest fan, waited for him and got his autograph. This little fan had his day made by meeting his Chicago Steel hockey hero.

Overall it was a great day for players and fans, and I think all would agree opening weekend cannot come soon enough!

True Dedication

When you mention the word hockey, the first thing people usually think of is a person without teeth. The second thing usually mentioned is that it's a rough sport. Even though the players have pads on to protect them, you still have opponents skating at you, or hitting you, with full force. Plus, unlike football, you fall on ice, not grass. It's understandable that people believe this to be a sport with a lot of injuries.

Yes, injuries happen, what sport doesn't have them? They all do. You can hurt yourself running, throwing a ball, landing the wrong way, etc. You don't have to be on a team for this to happen, it can happen in your own backyard. Once the injury occurs, it would be easy for to give it up, surrender, let the injury dictate if you will continue.

For any hockey fan, more specifically Blackhawk fans, we can all remember game four of the 2010 Western Conference Finals. Duncan Keith was on defense and he ended up taking a puck to the mouth. He lost seven teeth that night. Minutes after the injury, Keith was right back on the ice helping his team win the sweep.  

Now the Steel hasn't had anyone take a puck to face yet or lose any teeth, which is always a good sign, however we have had a player take a stick to the face. During practice on Tuesday, Charlie O'Connor took a stick to the face.

On Wednesday, O'Connor was cleared by our athletic trainer, and he took the ice with his team. The team had one more practice before they left today to play a couple pre-season games in Indiana.

O'Connor showed what it truly means to be dedicated not only to his team, but to the game of hockey. He didn't give up and he was ready to work hard the following day. Hockey players get hurt and have injuries. The one difference is that these guys know they were born to play hockey, it's in their blood, and nothing is going to stop them.

From Then Till Now

Hey Steel fans! Hope you are having a great afternoon! We found some time in our busy day to see how the players are progressing since the beginning of practices.

The players are skating hard and trying to improve their individual skills to establish a strong foundation as a team. They have started to learn how each teammate responds on the ice so that they are able to know where they will be when it’s game time.

Observing the players off the ice, there has already been a bond that has been formed, which you can see when the boys are on the ice. A large part of being on a team are the relationships and trust in your teammates. In the short time since they have been together, the players have become a support system to one another, encouraging each other to be the best they can be during practices on and off the ice and during workouts. 

Besides working on skills, the boys have also been practicing a variety of different drills, with a majority of them focusing on passing the puck and breaking out of their defensive zone. Sakellaropolous and Nell look strong in the net, sliding and diving to stop shots from players. The forwards and defensemen have been working on a variety of lines to ensure that all the players are ready to work with anyone who they might be put on the ice with. 

We were able to catch Coach McConnell as he was coming off the ice to ask him what he feels  is his team’s main focus these next few days leading up to the pre-season games later this week…

“Going into this weekend, we want to see what we can bring against the opponent. We’ve spent just over a week and a half playing against each other…our focus is to see what our effort level is going to be and where we stand as of now.” – Coach Scott McConnell

Coaches and players all look to be anticipating an exciting season. Attitudes are positive and energy is high. This team looks determined to reach a goal, that goal initially being the playoffs and then the Clarks Cup.

 

Good Luck to the Chicago Steel this Thursday and Friday as they travel to Indiana to play two preseason games! Bring home a couple wins boys!

It's Time for Some STEEL TV!

Happy Monday Fans and Welcome to Steel TV!

To give you a closer glimps into the Steel Organization, we have created a new segment called "Steel TV." Each week we will have a new video posted, which will allow you to see more behind-the-scenes things here at the Steel.

In today's video, we have an interview with Coach McConnell, sharing his views on the upcoming
2012-2013 season.

If you have any questions for Coach McConnell, let us know and we will get the answers for you! Remember no question is too small.  

Have a pucktastic day everyone!

Who Says You Have To Wait!

Happy Thursday Steel Fans! Today we come bringing you exiting news!You don't have to wait until September 28th (Season Opener) to see the Steel play. The Chicago Steel will have an Intrasquad Game on Sunday, September 16th at 4pm. The game will be held at the Darien Sportsplex, in Darien IL.

What can make this even sweeter you ask? How about everyone who attends the game gets in FREE!! You read that correct, the game is free to the entire public. This is a great opportunity for hockey fans of all ages to come out and watch the Steel as they prepare for their fall classic and season opener.

Not only that, but the Steel will also be raising money, by selling Chuck-A-Pucks, for the Hawks Hockey Program.

To top the day off, after the game, fans will be able to skate with their favorite Steel players. Can you think of a better way to spend your day hockey fans? We can't!

We would like to send a quick shoutout, and say 'Thank You' to Tom and Eddie's for making this game possible!

See you at the game everyone!!

The Boys Are BACK!

This past weekend the players reported to the Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville, IL.  As of today, we can officially say practices have begun, and the season will soon begin!

Players looked excited to be back on the ice and reunited with their teammates.  For a lot of the boys, this summer was a time to workout, hang with friends, enjoy the sun, and work.  Now it's time for the players to get back to their passion, playing hockey.

From observing the practice, the boys look ready to work hard, compete, and maybe even take a puck to the face if they have to.  Through the years, the Chicago Steel have been known for having players who show heart and passion for the game of hockey.  This year seems no different.  These boys have already begun to put everything they have into practices, and are determined to make this season memorable not only for themselves, but for the fans as well.

Everyone at the Steel is excited to have the boys back!  To us, having the boys at the rink means the hockey season is upon us.  Some of our favorite parts of the season include: watching the team evolve and grow as the season goes on, interacting with all of you, our fans, and watching the enthusiasm of the players on the ice, as well as, the fans in the stands.

 

As the staff and players get ready for the season, our question to you is: What are you most looking forward to this season?