The 2015 calendar year was another wild 365 days for hockey in Michigan. What were some of the most memorable moments? The MiHockey staff has compiled the 15 most-viewed articles posted on our website this past year, letting our website analytics dictate what was the ‘most popular’ on MiHockeyNow.com this past year.
Check out our list – MiHockey’s Top 15 in ’15 – for a look back at the last year in hockey. It’s full of the best, and the worst, moments we have reported on and shared over the last 365 days.
Honorable mentions:
- Blashill: The league needs to protect its young stars
- Austin Alger named Mr. Hockey; High School Dream Team announced
- The Blashills: Proud hockey parents talk about Jeff’s new job
- Watch a 12-year-old Michigan native pull off the Jonathan Toews water bottle trick shot
- Dylan Larkin talks about signing with the Red Wings, first game with Griffins and leaving Ann Arbor
No. 15 – Hockey dad breaking pane of glass a reminder to keep things in check at the rink
On Jan. 22, we shared a video of a hockey dad shattering a pane of glass while yelling at individuals on the ice. The jarring video is a fantastic reminder to hockey players, parents, coaches and fans to keep things in perspective – that guy sure does look a total idiot, doesn’t he?
No. 14 – The last time the Detroit Red Wings missed the playoffs…
As the Red Wings’ playoff appearance streak continues to grow, so too does the dated references highlighting the last time they weren’t in the NHL postseason. Check out our list of things that illustrate just how long Hockeytown has had a playoff-bound team.
No. 13 – Petr Mrazek announces his pad design contest winner
Red Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek asked fans to help design his new set of Vaughn leg pads, and when he picked the winner, it was a popular post. Want to see what design No. 34 went with? Click on the link above.
No. 12 – USA Hockey runs NHL analytics tracking on Little Caesars 8U team to show benefits of cross-ice play
USA Hockey published a video in January of a test they ran at Joe Louis Arena with the help of the Little Caesars 8U team. The governing body for hockey used an NHL analytics team to chart things like puck-touches, physical contact, shots on goal and more, while USA Hockey experts watched the competition.
No. 11 – With draft season almost here, it’s time to get to know Michigan’s top ’99 birth-year players
As draft season approaches each spring, we talk with local scouts to compile a list of players to watch for the OHL, USHL and NAHL drafts. This year, it was time to profile Michigan’s ’99 birth-year class, and it was a top article on our site for some time.
No. 10 – Reports: Firebirds coaching staff fired after Sunday night win, team walks out
It’s a story that will be talked about for some time to come. On Nov. 8, news started to leak that the Flint Firebirds had fired their coaching staff following a team victory that night. After the firings, the Firebirds’ entire roster marched into management offices and turned in their jerseys, saying they would no longer play if their coaches were not reinstated.
No. 9 – PHOTOS: MiHockey’s 2015 High School Captains’ Shoot
Another one of our most popular features on our website each year is our captains’ photo shoot. We welcome as many of the high school hockey captains in the state who can make it to our metro Detroit shoot, and we use the photos both for a photo gallery on MiHockeyNow.com, as well as a cover feature for MiHockeyMag.
No. 8 – New look at the Red Wings’ arena in District Detroit’s Preview Center
On June 29, the Red Wings announced the District Detroit Preview Center, and released a video revealing a new look at their future home. In a series of announcements and new reveals for Hockeytown’s new cathedral, this article had the most clicks on our site.
No. 7 – Plymouth Whalers announce sale, move to Flint
The 2015 calendar year started with the announcement that the Plymouth Whalers would officially be sold and the OHL franchise would move to Flint. Peter Karmanos, Jr., owned and operated the Whalers for 25 seasons, and a new era began in Flint to start the 2015-16 season in September.
No. 6 – Forty high school hockey players selected for Minnesota showcase
The teams selected to represent Michigan at the CCM High School National Invitational Tournament in Minnesota was a hot topic in April. The tournament is annually comprised of the top high school hockey players in Michigan, Minnesota, Massachusetts, North Dakota and Wisconsin. It is a popular destination for scouts of junior, college and professional teams.
No. 5 – An inside look at the new USA Hockey Arena
One of the major hockey developments during the course of 2015 was USA Hockey’s acquisition of Compuware Arena in Plymouth. The building – renamed USA Hockey Arena – has been in the midst of major renovations, as USA Hockey moved their National Team Development Program from Ann Arbor to Plymouth in time for the 2015-16 season. USAH staff gave MiHockey an inside look at the construction plans before the renovations began.
No. 4 – New Jersey high school team tries to play two goalies at once
Anyone who has ever played in a hockey game has considered the idea of playing two goalies at once. A high school team in New Jersey actually tried it. Considering it checks in at No. 4 on our list, it was obviously a fascinating development for the hockey community.
No. 3 – 2015 high school all-state teams announced
It’s one of the most popular articles on MiHockeyNow.com each year – the annual list of players selected for high school all-state teams. Congrats to the exceptional group of young athletes once again.
No. 2 – Reports: Fatal shooting at the Taylor Sportsplex
A tragic moment that hit far too close to home for Michigan’s hockey community, as a mother and her daughter were shot by a family friend in the parking lot of the facility that plays host to MAHA’s AAA state playoffs on Dec. 3.
No. 1 – Alpena junior player’s exit accident going viral
Alpena Flyers defenseman Mitchell Skiba clotheslined himself while he was exiting the ice during a junior game last year, and the video, well, few hockey clips have made the rounds on TV and the Internet like this one did in January.
