Our most-read articles from 2014
The 2014 calendar year is almost complete, which means it was time for us to take a look back through our archives and pull the Top 10 most-read articles from the last 365 days.
No. 10 – The story of one fan’s octopus throwing experience
On April 4, we shared the story of one fan’s octopus adventure at Joe Louis Arena. Nineteen-year-old Katie Sochiacki told MiHockey about how she brought an octopus through security at Joe Louis Arena, and what happened during and after her attempt to throw the eight-legged Hockeytown mascot onto the ice.
No. 9 – USA Hockey set to acquire Compuware Arena
The announcement that USA Hockey was in the process of acquiring Compuware Arena confirmed long-circulating rumors throughout the Michigan hockey audience, and signaled that the Plymouth Whalers’ stay in the Mitten may be coming to an end.
No. 8 – MAHA board approves changes to Tier I hockey
The big news from the MAHA summer meetings was that there will be big changes coming to the Tier I hockey scene in 2015-16. The rule changes approved put a limit on the number of Tier I organizations allowed within MAHA, and that 10U Tier I hockey will be available for players at that age.
No. 7 – 2013-14 High School All-State Teams
On March 10, we posted the high school hockey all-state team selections, with players across the state being recognized for their impressive 2013-14 seasons. Plus, don’t forget to take another look at our article on the Mr. Hockey and the Dream Team selections, either.
No. 6 – Renfrew announces a new kind of hockey tape
In one of the more surprising statistics of the 2014 calendar year, our article on a new kind of hockey tape from Renfrew checked in at No. 6. Renfrew’s new ‘Pro-Blade 503XT’ tape was designed to last longer on a tape blade and it featured serrated edges, so that you could rip it easier. Has anybody tried it?
No. 5 – With the OHL draft approaching, here’s a look at Michigan’s top ’98 birth-year players
They were the latest group of players to get to know, as the ’98 age-group entered their OHL and USHL draft season last April. Click on the link to see what OHL scout Kevin Hess had to say about some of the top youngsters in the ’98 birth year.
No. 4 – MAHA announces midget/high school split season pilot program
The start of the 2014-15 season brought with it something new for midget and high school hockey – a split season option. With a new MAHA pilot program, players could play on a Midget A or AA team from August until the start of high school hockey season. That way, players looking for ice time before their high school season began could still play travel hockey for the first part of the year. The split-season teams played playoff tournaments to decide who will get to reunite and compete in the traditional state tournament in March, as well.
No. 3 – MAHA grants Tier I status to eight associations
On Dec. 10, we posted the list of organizations approved for Tier I status for the 2015-16 season. With this being such a recent development, we still have more to come coverage-wise on the subject. In case you missed it, one of the associations approved for the upcoming year is a new program called West Michigan Elite Hockey, which is a collaboration effort between mid and west-Michigan associations.
No. 2 – Brandon Naurato: Are you a true hockey player?
Former Detroit Catholic Central and University of Michigan standout Brandon Naurato has been writing a column for MiHockey throughout 2014, and his “Are you a true hockey player?” piece caught some attention. Within the blog post, Naurato outlines what is truly necessary to have a successful hockey path – passion, a willingness to compete and a love for the game. It’s worth the read for all levels of hockey.
No. 1 – Grandville co-captain Ryan Fischer passes away before state semifinal game
Our most-read article of 2014 was also the most heart-breaking. Announcing the news that Grandville co-captain Ryan Fischer passed away on the morning of the Bulldogs’ state semifinal game against Detroit Catholic Central was something we wished we never had to share.