Elite Prospects Hockey

 When Patrick Kane's name was called at the NHL Awards announcing him as the 2007-08 Calder Trophy Winner, he was very excited, but directed most of his personal accomplishments towards the Blackhawks organization for believing in him and giving him a chance and his teammates, coaches, and his family, that is what good people with good character do. The numbers he put up in Chicago this past season 21 goals & 51 assists for 72 points) warrant his receiving the award as the NHL's Top Rookie. The impact that both Kane and Toews made on the Blackhawks was even more significant. The improvement this season with Kane and Toews enabled the Blackhawks to barely miss the playoffs and improve 17 points in the standings in 2007-08, look for even better things this upcoming season. Kane has heard the doubters over the years, in his Calder speech back at the United Center where he thanked his GM Dale Tallon for drafting him #1 Overall and giving him the opportunity, he said to his GM "5'9" 155, right Dale" referring to his smaller is size and weight to his NHL counterparts. "Patrick is a very confident person and during his formidable developmental years when he doubted himself, he always had his parents support and me there to push him to be the best" said his former Coach Don Harkins. "He has had some great support in his development since the time he left Buffalo to pursue his dream of playing in the NHL" added Harkins. "I think I helped turn him into a young man and compete harder, because he knew that I would accept nothing less, the US NTDP exposed him to good coaching, great players, competition and a strict off ice weight training program, the London Knights, well it is the London Knights, a real hockeytown where the Knights are #1 , they have a great organization, history, and Coach Dale Hunter played the heck out of him, and it has continued in Chicago with the Blackhawks" added Harkins. Harkins recently stopped by Kane's house in Buffalo to visit and his father Pat. Sr. said that in the last two games of the year Coach Savard put the A on Patrick's jersey and that is the first time in his entire career he has been a captain or assistant captain. That is quite an accomplishment and how far Patrick has grown into a leader as a person. "The funny thing about it was that my Grandpa saw the A on my Jersey while watching on tv and thought that the A meant I played in "All of the games" laughed Kane. Look for Kane and Toews to display their leadership qualities and ability in leading the Blackhawks into the 2008-09 season.

When former Ohio Junior Blue Jacket Forward Vinnie Bradley told his former GM Don Harkins he was going to Africa to work in a school where many of the children were orphaned by Aids and came from extremely poor families, the latter wasn't surprised. After all Harkins selected Vinnie to play for his Honeybaked 88 Team after spending a year commuting from Ann Arbor to Cleveland to play for the Barons 88 Team because Vinnie couldn't make a AAA Team in Detroit. "Vinnie had great speed and caught Harkins eye when Honeybaked played the Barons that year. "I offered him a spot to come play for the next year at Honeybaked and Bradley accepted. "Vinnie was a good hockey player, but even a greater person". When Harkins took a job the following season coaching the Indianapolis Checkers Midget Major Team, Vinnie followed Harkins to Indianapolis as a sign of loyalty to his former Coach. "That is just the type of kid he is, he comes from a great family" added Harkins."I always said that we are very fortunate as coaches get to use the sport of hockey to teach kids the game of hockey, but more importantly lessons about life". "Vinnie Bradley taught me to become a better person because of who he is" added Harkins. "This volunteer mission to Bagamoyo, Tanzania proves just that. Bradley has just completed his Freshman year at the University of Michigan after retiring from the Junior Bluejackets due to a shoulder injury that required surgery to repair. In Tanzania, Bradley worked at a school with 220 students and two teachers, that's right, two teachers. One class had between 50 and 60 kids depending on the day and the other class had 160 kids. "When I arrived we broke the large class up into two groups and I taught my own class of about 70 kids" explained Bradley. "We mostly taught basic math (1-10 in English and Swahili), the ABC's, danced, and sang". "I taught my kids the the "Victors" (Michigan fight song). Most of the kids were suffering from malnutrition, they were balding and had bloated tummies" explained Bradley. "It was very tough to be around these kids because they suffered so much, but that was all they had ever known" added Bradley. Bradley lived for 6 weeks in Bagamoyo which suffered greatly from aids, 7% of the population was suffering from aids, and many more from HIV. "I saw lions, zebras, rhinos, etc. (Everything). in general though the trip was awesome, but the best part of my experience was all of the incredible people that I met.

 Elite Prospects Alumni Pat Kane is one of two reasons the Chicago Blackhawks improved to 40-34-8 (Chicago was 31-42-9 last season) and missed the playoffs by only three points: the other is fellow rookie Jonathan Toews (Team Western Canada Elite Prospects Alumni). Kane edged out Washington Capitals Nicklas Backstrom to earn the Sporting News Rookie of the Year and is waiting until the NHL Awards later this month to find out if he will take NHL Rookie of the Year honors as well. Kane compiled 72 points (21 goals, 51 assists) this past season in Chicago. Elite Prospects Showcase Director Don Harkins talked with Kane recently about his rookie season. "Kaner just told me that he wants to improve on when things aren't going well to forget about them and move on quickly and not dwell on things to much" stated Harkins. "He said that he knows he is going to get 1 or 2 really good scoring chances per game and he wants to capitalize on those opportunities." "We just talked about normal stuff, he told me he bought a new car and that he was going to get his own place next year in Chicago (this past season he lived with Assistant GM Stan Bowman and his family), we talked about our Honeybaked 88 Reunion this Summer at one of our players parents lakehouse, and how one of Harkins's former players and Kane's teammate was going through a tough time in his hockey career and how we are both trying to help him through it". "I joked with him last time I was through Buffalo and stopped at his house I schooled him in a game of horse but he assured his former coach that this time it will be different as on days where the Hawks wouldn't skate at the United Center he would shoot around with the Bulls players, so he is ready for me" laughed Harkins. Despite his star status he is just Kaner to his old coach. "He sounds more mature, more grown up on the phone, but I know he stills looks 14" added Harkins.