It's NHL Training Camp Time, Puckheads: Alaska Connections Aplenty

NHL main training camps, not those rookie-camp appetizers, open around North America this weekend, and there are more than three dozen Alaska connections who are geared up for the job hunt.

Some of them are no-brainers, of course -- we have a sneaking suspicion Scotty Gomez will manage to crack the lineup of his new club, the Montreal Canadiens.

By Alaska-connected, we mean players who are either from here, played for UAA or UAF, or played for the ECHL Alaska Aces. Some folks have multiple connections -- Gomez is from Anchorage and played for the Aces during the NHL lockout in 2004-05. Goaltender John DeCaro, who will attend Nashville's camp, played at UAA and, albeit briefly, for the Aces.

Anyhow, there are Alaska connections on 20 of the 30 NHL clubs. (Pretty sure, we managed to track down all the connections, but holler if you see one we missed -- some clubs still don't have what you would call outstanding Web presence).

Total number of Alaska connections: 39. UAA connections: 9. UAF connections: 7. Aces connections: 17 (if you include Gomez and DeCaro). Connections with NHL experience: 17. Alaskans with NHL experience: 7.

Here's the list, by club, with the player's name, position and (in parentheses) Alaska connection. An asterisk next to the name denotes NHL experience:

Atlanta Thrashers: Joey Crabb*, W (Anchorage).

Boston Bruins: Jeff Penner, D (UAF); Kevin Regan, G (Aces).

Buffalo Sabres: Jean-Philippe Lamoureux, G (Aces).

Calgary Flames: Curtis Glencross*, W (UAA); Kyle Greentree*, W (UAF).

Carolina Hurricanes: Zack FitzGerald*, D (Aces).

Chicago Blackhawks: Jordan Hendry*, D (UAF).

Detroit Red Wings: Jordan Pearce, G (Anchorage).

Edmonton Oilers: Chris Minard*, W (Aces); Charles Linglet, W (Aces); Kelly Czuy, W (UAF); Ryan MacMurchy, W (Aces).

Florida Panthers: Luke Beaverson, D (UAA); Chris Beckford-Tseu*, G (Aces).

Montreal Canadiens: Scott Gomez*, C (Anchorage, Aces); Chad Anderson, D (UAA); Eric Neilson, W (Aces).

Nashville Predators: John DeCaro, G (UAA, Aces).

New Jersey Devils: Tyler Eckford, D (UAF).

New York Islanders: Nathan Lawson, G (UAA); Nate Thompson*, C (Anchorage).

New York Rangers: Paul Crowder, C (UAA); Brandon Dubinsky*, C (Anchorage); Chad Johnson, G (UAF); Aaron Voros*, W (UAF).

Ottawa Senators: Chris Holt*, G (Aces); Mat Robinson, D (UAA).

Philadelphia Flyers: Matt Carle*, D (Anchorage).

Pittsburgh Penguins: Tim Wallace*, W (Anchorage).

St. Louis Blues: Ty Conklin*, G (Anchorage); T.J. Fast, D (Aces); D.J. King*, W (Aces); Ryan Reaves, W (Aces); Julian Talbot, C/W (Aces); Ryan Turek, D (Aces); Alexander Hellstrom, D (Aces).

Vancouver Canucks: Eric Walsky, W (Anchorage, UAA).

Washington Capitals: Jay Beagle*, C (UAA).