Hunwick on an NHL Bench Tonight
Well I have an inside informant who just received a text which said that Shawn Hunwick will be dressed and on the Columbus Blue Jackets bench tonight. Apparently a goalie went down and he is going to be dressed as the backup versus the Wings tonight.
Feel free to neg me mercilessly because you doubt my source, but just remember to come back and heap praise upon me for breaking the news!
March 28th, 2012 at 12:12 PM ^
Considering Glendening, Pateryn, and Kevin Porter have all tweeted as much, doubt you'll be negged. Congrats to Hunwick!
March 28th, 2012 at 12:14 PM ^
March 28th, 2012 at 12:24 PM ^
That's truly amazing for Hunwick, and something people probably didn't expect to see. Congrats to him.
Edit: He's bigger than Darren Pang, but I believe he'd still be the third smallest goalie in NHL history (love me some Darren Pang, though, he coached a few tournament/all-star teams I was on when I was young, great guy).
March 28th, 2012 at 12:42 PM ^
I still have a picture of myself at age 8 next to the Panger. Being an undersized goalie myself, he was my idol. At that point, I was sure life could never get better.
March 28th, 2012 at 12:56 PM ^
and knows the game well. I was in the same club organization as his son (who was not undersized, nor a goalie, at least at the time) who was the same age as me, so I got to see him quite a bit. Especially at a young age, it's something else to be on the ice with a guy who's been there, which given your post is how you probaby felt as well.
at 5'10 well in a way I never really understood how that was considered small because he's close to about 6'. With skates on I'm sure he equals a height of around 6'1 or 6'2. However Ozzy was small in weight too at around 178 he's basically my size just shorter.
I couldn't be happier for Hunwick. I'm only an hour or so outside of Columbus so I might make the otherwise unbearable trek to C-bus to catch the game tonight.
When she was a kid, the wife and her family used to be minor league hockey bums. They had season tickets when Pang played at Saginaw (or maybe Flint?). For some reason he was known as "Spanky" Pang back then--Panger is just more TV friendly, I guess. After a game on his birthday, the in-laws presented Pang with a birthday card, so he signed his goalie stick and gave it to my wife. I've never met him, but he seems to always have been a classy guy.
March 28th, 2012 at 12:19 PM ^
Is he the 2nd or 3rd goalie?
He's #2 tonight. Teams only dress 2 goalies. After, it all depends on CBJ injury situation. Appears that he'll know more tomorrow. Here's to Sanford? getting pulled
March 28th, 2012 at 12:21 PM ^
Love him and hope he finishes the season strong with them. But let's hope his professional career starts tomorrow. The Wings are hot and once the starter gets pulled, it would be a steep hill to climb for his first NHL action. But it's good that JMFJ is there for support as another Wolverine in buckeye land.
March 28th, 2012 at 12:28 PM ^
Curious that this would happen with Columbus currently carrying 3 goalies on their active roster (Mason, Sanford, York) and having their ECHL team sorta close in Chicago (cursory glance shows they are in the midst of a home stand and have a game tonight) - must have been one hell of a practice this morning. The AHL team is pretty fair for a quick call up (Springfield, MA), and since they already pulled York from the ECHL team a few weeks ago, I guess it shouldn't be too surprising.
If it's true, here's to hoping that the starter gets shellacked and Hunwick comes in and looks good.
and Mason got hit in the head at this morning's skate.
Hunwick signed an amateur tryout contract which is essentially nothing more than a 1-day deal.
March 28th, 2012 at 12:27 PM ^
Imagine the wings drop 5 or 6 and they put the kid in? amazing
March 28th, 2012 at 12:30 PM ^
How is this possible when he was just playing for UM last week?
March 28th, 2012 at 12:34 PM ^
Haglin did the same thing last year. Played in the national championship game played the next week for the Rangers AHL team
March 28th, 2012 at 12:37 PM ^
His collegiate eligibility is up, and he's free to sign a contract as an undrafted free agent with whomever he wants to now. Columbus needed a fill-in goalie as an emergency back-up of sorts, and the rest is history.
March 28th, 2012 at 12:44 PM ^
Exactly this. Apparently he was considering signing with some team in Europe when he gets a call saying the Blue Jackets needed him.
And it seems as though Columbus has an actual interest in him (as opposed to just needing a warm body for a backup) so here is hoping that he can prove himself and get a "real" contract down the line.
March 28th, 2012 at 12:47 PM ^
Very interesting. Now that he's apparently signed a contract with Columbus, would he still be eligible for the draft (assuming he even wanted to enter it)?
You don't get the option to opt in or out of the draft (at one point you could defer a year, like Montoya did, if you were an NCAA prospect); if your birthday falls such that you're eligible for the draft, a team can take you. If you were never drafted, once your NCAA eligibility is over you are considered a free agent*. Guys like Hagelin were drafted and simply signed with the team that owned their NHL rights. Since Hunwick more or less came out of nowhere, and because he's seen as "too small," he was never selected in an entry draft.
* If you've played in any North American league (CHL, NCAA, USHL, etc.) for at least one season while draft eligibile, and are older than 21, you are no longer allowed to be drafted and are instead an undrafted free agent.
March 28th, 2012 at 12:50 PM ^
has the 26th and 44th goalies in Goals Against average (out of 45), and Mason, the top goalie, is #44, Hunwick has an opportunity to be a step up vs. either Mason or Sanford. Team is also 2nd worst in NHL in goals against (Tampa Bay is worst). Truly a position of need. Mason had a great rookie season, but it's been downhill ever since.
Management, though, is where the changes are really needed.....
March 28th, 2012 at 12:53 PM ^
I think he already has the credits to graduate, if he hasn't already...since it's like his 24th season in net for us. Love the kid, will always be treated like the underdog, whether he deserves to be or not. He's always overcome expectations. Best of luck to him and I hope he keeps chugging along:
March 28th, 2012 at 12:56 PM ^
he wears his winged helmet and maize and blue goalie pads!!!
Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie
If Mason is out longer, Hunwick could be signed to an NHL contract for the balance of this season. Decision on that tomorrow.
https://twitter.com/#!/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/185050848374702082
One weekend he's working his ass off playing college hockey for free, and the next he receives a $25k check to sit on the bench in the NHL.
Hopefully he gets signed for the remainder of the year which would include a game against his brother in Colorado
Didn't we just beat them 7-2? So this is actually possible that he sees time. Wow, why couldn't we save that beating for tonight?
Seriously, though. This shows that there is justice in the world. If the greatest goalie we've ever had didn't get to do what he loved for a living, even if brief and/or without a real contract, then I would be upset. Same goes for Denard's eventual NFL fate.
It's great for Hunwick. I don't think you need to worry about Denard.
That's fantastic news. Talk about a kid that deserves it. Too bad it didn't happen the other night so he'd have been in the Joe and maybe given a little ovation.
What great news!
I'd be curious to see his practices, even though noone on columbus can score other than Rick Nash
Congrats, HUNNNNNNNNNNY!
I hope we get some good pictures of Shawn during warm ups. Accoring to AA.com, no one on the current roster wears #31 so Hunwick is going to take it.
Shawn, please come to the Chicago Express so I can see you play! Good for you, I was hoping it would be the Chicago Wolves but this works, too.
Good for him, he will get himself a nice pay day as well, even if he's only up there a few days.
that Ovechkin money is just around the corner, right?
Haha, I would love nothing more. I'm guessing he already has someone, though. Also, as of right now if I were to sign a college player I would have to share him with the guy at my company who handles the NCAA guys, which would really piss me off. Once I graduate and get official certification....then I'll get him the Ovechkin deal.
JL- "Shawn, I'm gonna get you that $123,000,000.01 extension on that amateur tryout, but you have to wait until I graduate."
SH- "So I get...?"
JL- "Rookie deal until then, and I'll get you all the Taco Bell and Harvard coeds you can handle whenever you come up to Boston."
SH- "Decisions, decisions..."
Sounds like a good deal to me, although I would settle for just the Taco Bell and coeds for my nonexistant goalie skills.
I don't think you get any money for an ATO beyond expenses. Of course, if they sign him for the rest of the year, he will be paid.
For an ATO, you are right, the pay is about $200 a day. However, the claim has been that Hunwick will actually dress and be on the bench in uniform, in which case they would have to pay him based on the league minimum salary. Since NHL pay is based on a 180 day scale, Hunwick will be getting a few grand, at the very least, as long as he dresses.
Congrats to Hunwick. Sure would love to see him in a Lightning jersey one day.
We need a goalie. Badly.....
Being a great goalie doesn't hurt either. And Berenson's blessing (AnnArbor.com.)
“Columbus called us today and told us that one of their goalies got hurt this morning. They asked if Hunwick was available," Michigan coach Red Berenson said in a statement released by the university. "I called Hunwick and he said he was available and so he’s on his way down there. I’ll be watching on TV. He obviously has my blessing.”
Unfortunately the Columbus defense is so bad that even Patrick Roy would look bad in goal for them. Here's hoping Shawn enjoys the view from the bench.
This is great for Hunny! Wow, I bet Red is really proud for the kid too! All of Meeecigan should be proud!
Go Blue!
it could not happen to a better guy...congratulations Hunwick!!! hopefully they give tiny jesus not only a contract for the end of the year, but also at least a minor league deal for next year