Little makes big splash at Thrashers camp
Author: Jim Barber
Date: Sep 18, 2007

Bryan Little served notice recently he'll be heard from in Atlanta livery.
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Former Barrie Colts captain Bryan Little has been impressive so far at the training camp for the Atlanta Thrashers of the National Hockey League.

The 19-year-old first-round pick for the Thrashers in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft was the top scorer for Atlanta during the recent eight-team Prospect Evaluation Tournament, hosted by the Detroit Red Wings in Traverse City, Michigan last week.
The teams were divided into two groups of four, with Atlanta prospects playing in the eastern conference, along with top prospects from the New York Rangers, Red Wings, and Tampa Bay Lighting.

The western conference featured the best young players from the Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues.

In Atlanta’s opening game, Little, who was named captain of the team, scored twice in the third period to give the Thrashers a 3-2 come-from-behind win over the Wings. The goals came within six minutes of each other.

Against the Rangers in the second game of the mini-tournament, Little scored once in the third period to make the score 4-3 for New York, but Atlanta would surrender another tally to make the final 5-3.

Little then scored once again, and added an assist as the young Thrashers defeated their Southeast Division rivals, the Tampa Bay Lighting 6-4. Showing a knack for scoring important goals late in the game, a trait which he amply demonstrated over his tenure with the Barrie Colts, Little’s goal came with a little less that two minutes left in regulation time to give Atlanta 5-4 lead.

Little didn’t score in the fourth and final game of the tournament, but had two assists to give him seven points in total, as Atlanta defeated the Wild to win third place in the tournament.

His performance in the rookie tournament drew the attention of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper, which ran a story on the Cambridge native in its Sept. 12 edition.

“No doubt, it’s going to give him confidence,” Thrashers general manager Don Waddell told the paper. “He’s not going to make or not make out team this week, but this is going to give him confidence going into [the main] camp.”

Writer Craig Custance said Little looked to be “in great shape, and stronger than last season.”

“Last year I couldn’t score in this tournament, I was hitting some posts. This year, I feel a lot more confident,” Little was quoted as saying in the Journal-Constitution. “I feel like the work I did over the summer is starting to show up.”

Little is now participating in the Thrashers main training camp, and is expected to see action in a number of exhibition games.”

Little making a big noise
Rookie, 19, could help out at center ice

By CRAIG CUSTANCE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution       Published on: 09/12/07

Traverse City, Mich. — He scored on his first two shots of the NHL prospects tournament. He scored the game-winning goals in the Thrashers' first two victories of the tournament. Through three games, he had four goals.

Bryan Little's next trick? Making that hole at center on the Thrashers' roster disappear.

The Thrashers have been pleased with the play of their prospects during the annual tournament, especially the forwards, but Little has stood out the most. By far.

There probably was some eye-rolling from cynical fans when general manager Don Waddell suggested the 19-year-old Little could contribute at the NHL level out of training camp. Last summer, defenseman Braydon Coburn and forward Alex Bourret were touted as rookies on the verge of playing. Both are out of the organization.

But Little could bury those disappointments. If he is going to play in the NHL this season, his bid needed to start with a strong showing in Traverse City.

"No doubt. It's going to give him confidence," said Waddell after Monday's win over Tampa Bay. "He's not going to make or not make our team this week, but this is going to give him confidence going into camp."

And the praise isn't just coming from the Thrashers. An opposing scout sat in the stands Monday night and was impressed with the young center.

"He's going to be a good one," the scout said.

But will it be this year? The Thrashers are doing everything they can to accelerate the progress. It started with Little's late-season call-up to the Chicago Wolves during their AHL playoff run in the spring. He played in two games, enough to show him what he needs to work on.

He arrived in Traverse City in great shape and stronger than last season, when he scored 107 points in the OHL.
The Thrashers noticed the change, as did his teammates and opposing goalies.

"Last year I couldn't score in this tournament; I was hitting some posts. This year, I feel a lot more confident," Little said. "I feel like the work I did over the summer is starting to show up."

Little was named Thrashers' captain for the prospects tournament in a decision that surprised the forward. Dan Marr, the director of amateur scouting and player development, suggested the decision was also part of the plan to get Little in the right mind-set to earn a roster spot.

"If you want to compete for a job in the National Hockey League, it's fine to respect your teammates, but you have to beat somebody out of a job," Marr explained. "[Being a captain] is part of the mind-set that 'I belong.' "

Little isn't the only player who raised eyebrows at the tournament. Swedish defenseman Tobias Enstrom proved to be the steady player everyone expected.

Defenseman Grant Lewis got better with every shift. The Thrashers' 2007 third-round pick, Spencer Machacek, was a force in front of the net. Free agents Jordan Fox and Mike Hamilton both drew praise and likely a longer look.

But none has the potential to have as big an impact as Little, at such an area of need.

"We told him, 'You come to Atlanta and try to make the Atlanta Thrashers,' " Marr said. "Here's his opportunity. It started here."

Thrashers preparing to visit Hockeyville
By Chris Dawson
BayToday.ca
Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Thrashers forward Bryan Little will likely be a player to watch this Monday in Hockeyville. Photo by Chris Dawson.

This is the first of three special features which can be seen here on BayToday.ca as Sports Director Chris Dawson traveled to the NHL Prospects Tournament in Traverse City.

Don Waddell has a lot of decisions to make in the next few weeks.

For the past five days the Atlanta Thrashers G.M. has been watching his young prospects very closely as they took part in the 10th annual NHL Prospects tournament in Traverse City, Michigan.

The Thrashers finished up third overall in the 8-team tournament with a 3 and 1 record.

Waddell is taking a very long look at Thrashers forward Bryan Little. The Barrie Colts forward was the Thrashers top pick in the 2006 draft and finished second in scoring at the tournament with 4 goals and 3 assists in four games.

“I need to work hard at camp so I can prove that I can play at the next level,” said Little who was born in Edmonton but grew up in Cambridge, Ontario.

But the Thrashers will try to mix a little business with pleasure next week when they travel to North Bay for the Hockeyville game against the New York Islanders on September 17th.

“There is the business part of the sport that we have to watch out for but you also got to have some fun in this game,” said Waddell about playing in the 2007 Hockeyville game.

“When you have an opportunity to be a part of something like this that the city of North Bay I know is very excited about so -- to be able to be a part of that -- for the players that are playing in that game, I think it will be a very unique experience for them because we are used to playing in 20,000 seat arenas here a smaller venue I’ve been up there years ago a smaller venue with the people right on top of you this is going to be a great atmosphere for us and we are really looking forward to it.”

Little is likely to be one a handful of Thrashers prospects from the Traverse City rookie team that will make the journey to Hockeyville.

“I know they used to have an OHL team up there and they must love hockey to get that kind of game up there,” said Little, who played four seasons with the Barrie Colts.

“I hope to be (playing in the game) if I am it will be a great experience you know anytime you play in Canada no matter where it is its always a great atmosphere and I’m sure in North Bay they’ll get a great turnout it’ll be a good atmosphere especially for an NHL exhibition game.”

While Little isn’t a household name Waddell says there will be some well known faces wearing the Thrasher colours in Hockeyville.

“We go into training camp saying all our players have to play ‘X’ amount of games,” said Waddell noting the NHL pre-season schedule was shortened this year.

“So we are hoping that if everything goes well Ilya Kovalchuk will be playing in that game we want to play some of our best players here to not only showcase to those fans but they have to play games and it doesn’t matter if it’s in North Bay or Atlanta we are going to put a good product on the ice and we’ll be very competitive.”

Local flavour

According to North Bay hockey fans Don Waddell’s greatest transaction of all-time likely unfolded on draft day this summer.

On that day he sent a draft pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins for former North Bay Centennial Chris Thorburn.

The Sabres 2001 2nd round pick was put on waivers last year and picked up by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

After starting the season strong -- playing alongside Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby for a short time – Thorburn fell into the numbers game and appeared in 39 games with the Pens scoring 3 goals and adding 2 assists along with 69 penalty minutes.

“We were looking to add some size to our third or fourth line and add some grit,” Waddell said about Thorburn who signed a 2-year deal with the Thrashers this summer.

“I think he’ll be nervous especially with a new team, and thinking; ‘How are my new teammates going to take to this?’ They will have some fun with it, but to play in front of his home crowd is a great thing.“

 

Little looks good for Wolves
By Craig Custance | Monday, May 14, 2007, 04:01 PM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Plenty to talk about in today’s weekly edition of the Thrashers beat blog. First, my impressions of the Chicago Wolves. They cruised to a win, and advanced to the next round of the Calder Cup playoffs. But for Thrashers fans, that’s not important. The debut of newly signed Bryan Little was the news of the night.

He didn’t play much, and he was playing out of position, but the biggest thing was that he fit right in. Here’s a kid fresh out of junior, making his debut in the middle of the playoffs and he played like he’d been there all season. At one point he used his speed on a breakaway, drawing a penalty. From my perspective, I thought it could have been a penalty shot but he told me that he was told on the ice that he didn’t have enough control of the puck.

He was also a perfect 3-for-3 on faceoffs, which is one of his strengths. Chicago coach John Anderson said he was thrilled with Little’s performance and said he won’t hesitate to use him moving forward in the playoffs.

Expect to see a lot of him during the exhibition season and depending on who the Thrashers sign during the offseason, he may get a serious look during training camp to make the team.

I was also curious to get a look at Brett Sterling, who had a big year for the Wolves. He scored a goal against Iowa and played pretty good. He spends a lot of time around the net, where he scores a ton. The knock on him is his size, but Thrashers GM Don Waddell doesn’t see that being a big issue for Sterling at the next level. He’s 5-foot-8 and weighs around 180 pounds.

Quite honestly, I couldn’t tell if he was getting his chances because of his linemates (Krog and Haydar are pretty darn good AHL players) but, as Don points out, you don’t score 55 goals without being pretty talented.

There could be openings for as many as three young D-men next season, and the Wolves have strong candidates in Mark Popovic, Nathan Oystrick and Boris Valabik. Just from the one game, it’s obvious that Popovic is ready to play in the NHL. He’ll be with the Thrashers next season. I liked Oystrick’s game too. He’s physical player that should get a long long during training camp. Valabik is big, but I wonder if he’s still a year or two away. He took a couple bad penalties, something he said he’s working on. But the team loves his work ethic, and sees a lot of upside in his game.

As promised, Jordan LaVallee and Colin Stuart showed flashes. LaVallee scored against Iowa, and Stuart was the fastest guy out there. Both will get a shot in training camp.

Thrashers GM Don Waddell also made the trip to Chicago for Little’s debut. He returned from the World Championships in Moscow on Thursday and made it to Chicago in time for the series clincher.

His priority right now is signing young guys like Ondrej Pavelec, Tobias Enstrom and Chad Denny before June 1st or else they’re back in the draft. He also is working to bring Ilja Nikulin and Andrei Zubarev over from from Russia, but the fact that Russia and the NHL can’t come to an agreement on transfers is hurting the cause. Nikulin is making good money in Russia and may not be able to get out of that contract, which complicates things for the Thrashers. I’ll keep you posted on his situation as things develop.
After watching Enstrom in the World Championships, Waddell said the Swede is ready to play in the NHL.

 

Wolves Ink NHL First Round Pick
Chicago Wolves Release - Posted by: Staff on Apr 30, 2007 - 06:25 AM

04/30/07 - The Chicago Wolves have signed center BRYAN LITTLE, the Atlanta Thrashers' first-round pick (12th overall) in the 2006 National Hockey League draft, to an Amateur Tryout Contract (ATO).

The 19-year-old forward, who joins defenseman BORIS VALABIK as the second first-rounder on the Wolves current roster, ranked sixth in the Ontario Hockey League with 66 assists and shared sixth with 107 points in 57 games with the Barrie Colts. LITTLE paced the Colts with nine points (4G, 5A) in eight postseason contests before the squad was eliminated in the East DIvision Final.

The Edmonton, Alberta native helped Team Canada capture the Gold Medal at the 2007 World Junior Championships in January, notching two points (G, A) in six games to help the squad post a perfect 6-0-0 record in the tournament, which was held in Mora and Leksand, Sweden.

LITTLE, who was named the 2003-04 OHL Rookie of the Year, racked up 153 goals, 342 points and 228 penalty minutes in 247 career regular-season games with Barrie spanning four seasons (2003-2007). He notched career highs in goals (42), assists (67) and points (109) in 64 tilts in 2005-06.

 

Little to soar with Thrashers; All-time Colts scoring leader signs entry-level contract with Atlanta GENE PEREIRA Sports - Tuesday, April 24, 2007 @ 07:00

Signed and sealed, now Bryan Little hopes to deliver. The Barrie Colts captain and all-time scoring leader capped off what has been a remarkable year by signing a pro contract with the Atlanta Thrashers this weekend. With negotiations behind him, the Thrashers' first-round selection, 12th overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Little can now concentrate on what he loves doing best - playing hockey. "I kind of had a feeling it would come shortly after the season was over," Little, from his home in Cambridge, said of the negotiations. "I was talking with them right after the season was over, and finally it's done now." A deal between the Thrashers and Little could have possibly been completed earlier, but the NHL club didn't want to take the star centre's focus away from the OHL playoffs until the Colts were eliminated two weeks ago by the Sudbury Wolves. "I'm really excited now," Little said. "(Atlanta) kind of struggled during the playoffs in the first round. I was hoping they'd go far and maybe go down there and catch one of their games, but I know they're going to be a good team and I'm just happy to be part of the organization now." The last 12 months have been quite the wild ride for Little, starting with last June's NHL Entry Draft when his dream of being drafted into the NHL was realized.

Little then helped Canada capture the gold medal at the 2007 world junior championship in January, scoring a goal in the 4-2 gold-medal win over Russia. He notched two points (one goal, one assist) in six games to help Canada post a perfect 6-0-0 record in the tournament, which was held in Mora and Leksand, Sweden.

Little, 19, tied for sixth in Ontario Hockey League scoring with 107 points (41 goals, 66 assists) in 57 games this season. The five-foot-10, 190-pound centre led Barrie to Eastern Conference and Central Division titles.

He wrapped up his OHL career with 342 points (153 goals, 189 assists) in 247 games over four seasons from 2003 to 2007, passing Daniel Tkaczuk for the club's all-time scoring lead.

"It went by so fast, too," Little said. "It doesn't seem like too long ago I was coming into training camp last summer. It's sad to see it end already. It's tough to see other teams still playing. Sudbury's still playing and it's tough watching that and sitting at home, but it has gone by fast.

"I've accomplished a lot this season, personally."

Little wasn't the only one happy with the signing of the three-year entry level contract, terms of which were not released.

On the Thrasher's website, executive vice president and general manager Don Waddell made it clear the NHL club wanted to get Little into its organization.

"Bryan is a talented player and a high-character individual who we are excited to add to our organization," Waddell said. "He's enjoyed a successful junior career, and represented Canada in several international competitions, and we look forward to his continued development at the professional level."

Little will follow a workout program over the summer and attend the Thrasher's summer conditioning camp in preparation for Atlanta's pre-season camp next September.

How well he plays at the NHL camp will most likely determine whether he will stick with the big club or go play with Atlanta's AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.

"Either way, it's going to be a big step to the next level," admitted Little, who has already started riding a bike and going for runs every day.

A third-round pick of the Colts in 2003, Little, a sure-fire first-rounder, fell in the OHL Priority Selection after a shoulder injury sidelined him almost all of his final Jr. 'B' season. Determined to prove himself from the get-go, the then 15-year-old blossomed almost immediately, winning OHL rookie of the year honours, and never looked back.

Now, trying to take the next step into pro hockey, the all-star centre knows he'll have to prove himself all over again.

"As a young guy coming in (to Barrie), I kind of got the opportunity to play. I didn't even know if I was going to play my first year, but I wanted to, and I ended up playing on the second line," Little said. "I got a real good chance to prove myself and I never looked back from then.

"Now, it's a whole new level. This is just one step in what I hope to be a career. I know I have to work hard now to prove myself all over again."

As for what he'll do with his new found wealth, Little plans to just put his money in the bank for now.

"It's kind of surreal," he said. "The most money I've ever had in my bank is not even $1,000. I'm probably not going to touch it for a bit, until I decide if I want to get a vehicle or what I want to do with it. But I'm definitely going to save a lot of it."

Thrashers Sign 2006 First-Round Pick Bryan Little

Atlanta, GA (April 20, 2007) -- The Atlanta Thrashers have signed forward Bryan Little, the team's first-round selection, 12th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell.

Little, 19, tied for sixth in the Ontario Hockey League with 107 points (41 goals, 66 assists) in 57 games with the Barrie Colts last season. The 5-10, 190-pound center led the club and finished 15th overall in goals, shared the league lead with 10 game-winning goals and tied for third in the OHL with a team-high six short-handed goals. He also led the Colts and ranked sixth in the league in assists, placed third on the squad with 13 power-play goals, and ranked second on the team and tied for 15th in the OHL with a plus-31 rating.

"Bryan is a talented player and a high-character individual who we are excited to add to our organization," said Waddell. "He's enjoyed a successful junior career and represented Canada in several international competitions, and we look forward to his continued development at the professional level."

The native of Edmonton, Alberta, topped the Colts with five assists and nine points, and ranked second with four goals in eight post-season games this season. In the 2006-07 OHL Coaches Poll, Little was selected as the hardest worker, the player with the best shot and the best on faceoffs for the Eastern Conference. In that annual poll, Little was also chosen second in the playmaker category, and was third in both the hardest-shot and most dangerous in the goal area categories.

Little helped Canada capture the gold medal at the 2007 World Junior Championships, scoring a goal in the 4-2 win over Russia in the championship game on Jan. 5, 2007. He notched two points (one goal, one assist) in six games to help Canada post a perfect 6-0-0 record in the tournament, which was held in Mora and Leksand, Sweden.

Little wrapped up his OHL career with 342 points (153 goals, 189 assists) in 247 games over four seasons from 2003-07. Little, who grew up in Cambridge, Ontario, set OHL career highs with 42 goals, 67 assists and 109 points and matched his career best with 64 games in 2005-06, sharing sixth in the league in points, tying for 11th in goals and ranking seventh in assists. He finished with more than 50 points, including consecutive 100-plus point campaigns, and scored over 30 goals in all four of his OHL seasons.

 

Little still has some business to take care of
By Aaron Bell

By all accounts, Barrie Colts captain Bryan Little has enjoyed a spectacular career in the Ontario Hockey League.

He won the league’s rookie of the year award in 2004, helped Canada win the gold medal at the World Juniors in January and earlier this month he became the Colts’ all-time leading scorer.

Despite all of that success, Little is looking for more in his final few weeks in the OHL. He helped the Colts get to the Eastern Conference finals last spring before losing to the eventual league champion Peterborough Petes. This year, Little and the Colts want to take the next step.

“Coming into this year, I didn’t know how we were going to be, rebuilding or we weren’t going to be as good as last year,” Little told the Barrie Examiner. “But everything, the trades we made, the younger guys stepping up and playing good, it all combined, and we had a really good season.”

The Colts put together a 48-19-0-1 record and claimed first place in the Eastern Conference several weeks ago.

“It’s (winning the conference) been a goal of ours since the start of the season and coming into this year,” Little said. “We’ve been on top all year, and we never had to really battle and come back. It’s just something I’ll always remember and be proud of, finishing first. But the season’s over with. It’s playoffs now.”

The Colts open their first round playoff series against the Brampton Battalion at home on Saturday.

The Belleville Bulls won the East Division crown and open the playoffs against the Ottawa 67’s on Monday.

In the Western Conference, the London Knights won the OHL’s regular season title for an unprecedented fourth straight season. They are looking to make their third straight trip to the OHL finals, but need to contend with the Owen Sound Attack in the first round.

The Knights have relied on a group of young players, including league scoring leader Patrick Kane, Sam Gagner and goaltender Steve Mason, who piled up 45 wins after coming into the season with just 12 games of OHL experience. He also had the experience of playing in four playoff games last year, including two in the final against the Petes.

“The games are a little more intense in the playoffs,” Mason told the London Free Press this week. “When you get into the final, it’s good for the confidence because I played fairly well there. It will help me with the added pressure in the playoffs. Sure, I’ve only played a little bit (in the postseason) but playing 62 games in the regular season gives you a lot of confidence to go out in the playoffs and do a good job.”

Other key Western Conference match-ups include the Guelph Storm against the Plymouth Whalers, who won eight of their last 10 games to close to within one point of the Knights, and the Kitchener Rangers against the Sarnia Sting.

Sensational rookie Steve Stamkos has helped Sarnia get back into the playoffs for the first time in three years. They are looking to get past the first round for the first time since 1997.

“A lot of people are saying this year is going to be the same, that we don't stand a chance against Kitchener,” Sting coach Dave McQueen told The Record. “Pressure to me is an opportunity. This is a totally different group of guys than were here 10 years ago, four years ago, three years ago. We want to try and go as far as we can and give the city something to look forward to and cheer about.”

 

Colts close out season on high
Romp over Petes caps remarkable season with seven-game win streak

By Gene Pereira
Sports - Monday, March 19, 2007 Updated @ 10:43:26 PM

The Barrie Colts may have been the ones sporting the special St. Patrick’s Day jerseys, but it was the Peterborough Petes who were the ones left feeling green.

Finishing off what has been an impressive run to the Eastern Conference and Central Division titles, the Colts closed out the 2006-07 regular season schedule with a 9-1 pasting of the Peterborough Petes Saturday night in front of a soldout Barrie Molson Centre crowd of 4,187.

The meaningless win capped off what has been an outstanding season for the Colts (48-19-0-1), who will open their first-round playoff series against the Brampton Battalion next Saturday at the Barrie Molson Centre.

Barrie stormed out to a 7-1-0-1 start this season and never looked back, leading both the conference and division standings practically from start to finish.

“This off-season, I would have never thought we’d be able to clinch a conference title with three games to go,” said winger Hunter Tremblay, who was honoured in a special half-hour pre-game ceremony along with fellow overagers Andrew Marshall and Nicolas Plastino, captain Bryan Little and former Colts general manager and director of player-personnel Mike McCann.

“We’re proud of our team. We came right out of the gate at the start of the season and never looked back. We were first place the whole time.

“This year, we’ve had a lot of accomplishments. Bryan was at the world juniors and all the records. Plastino and Marshall and I are moving on after this year, so it was kind of emotional night tonight. But it was good.”

“Coming into this year, I didn’t know how we were going to be, rebuilding or we weren’t going to be as good as last year,” Little said. “But everything, the trades we made, the younger guys stepping up and playing good, it all combined, and we had a really good season.”

“It’s (winning the conference) been a goal of ours since the start of the season and coming into this year,” Little added. “We’ve been on top all year, and we never had to really battle and come back. It’s just something I’ll always remember and be proud of, finishing first.

“But the season’s over with. It’s playoffs now.”

After jumping out to a big lead atop the conference and division, the Colts seemed to hit a bit of a wall after Christmas, playing just above .500 hockey. That allowed the rival Mississauga IceDogs to get as close as three points late in the season. But the Colts never panicked and iced their third conference title, and first since 1999-2000, with an impressive seven-game win streak to close out the schedule.

“It’s a very long season, and it’s tough to stay mentally sharp all the time, but we did pull it together,” Colts general manager and assistant coach Greg Carrigan said of his team who only lost back-to-back games three times and never lost three straight this season. “It’s a long season. You’re going to have your ups and downs, but the downs were kept to a minimum.

“I think we had one multi-game losing streak all season. Over the 68 games, we had really good consistency.”

“You’re going to have your ups and downs. Every one does,” Tremblay said. “But we’re happy to finish on a high note and, hopefully, we can carry that into the playoffs.”

The season also included some key personal achievements. Tremblay became the first player in franchise history to play five seasons in Barrie, head coach Marty Williamson and rookie forward Stefan Della Rovere led the Ontario Under-17 team to its first gold medal since 1991 at this year’s Canada Winter Games, and Andrew Perugini, in his first year carrying the load, set the franchise record for wins by a goalie in a season with 40.

“Even myself, I didn’t know if he could be the No. 1 guy, and he’s proven a lot of people wrong, including myself,” Tremblay said of Perugini. “He’s been the backbone of our team. He’s been there every game and we appreciate that. He’s a big part of our success.”

Attack spoil Little’s big night
Colts’ captain scores record-setting goal

By Gene Pereira
Sports - Friday, February 23, 2007 Updated @ 11:26:17 PM

Bryan Little may have made Colts history, but the Barrie captain was in no mood to celebrate.

Little, who came into last night tied with former captain Daniel Tkaczuk atop the team’s all-time scoring list, scored twice to set the new record, but a dismal effort by Barrie in a 5-2 loss to the Owen Sound Attack at the Barrie Molson Centre was first and foremost on the captain’s mind after the game.

“I would have much rather had it come on a winning night. I would have been able to enjoy it a little more,” said Little, who scored his 146th and 147th career goals to move past Tkaczuk.

“The main focus for me isn’t about that right now. It’s about trying to get the team playing the way we were.”

Trevor Lewis scored twice and added an assist, and Wayne Simmonds had a goal and two assists to give the Attack (28-26-3-3) back-to-back wins over the Eastern Conference leading Colts (40-18-0-1).

Owen Sound, which also got markers from Bobby Ryan and Anthony Soboczynski, beat Barrie 5-1 at home on Wednesday night.

Dominated physically, outshot and outplayed right from the drop of the puck for a second-straight night, the struggling Colts look nothing like the team that raced out to a commanding lead atop the Central Division and Eastern Conference standings.

A lead that remains at five points over the hard-charging Mississauga IceDogs, who have won seven straight and now hold three games in hand.

While Barrie has an impressive 21-9 record on the road, the last thing they want to do is blow that home-ice advantage throughout the conference playoffs they had worked so hard for through the first two-thirds of this season.

“We know they’re (Mississauga) a hot team right now,” said Little, who along with his teammates watched the Brampton Battalion march past them in the final month to win the Central title last year. “Anybody who played with us last year knows every point is very important. We don’t want it to happen again, to lose the division and conference. (Home ice) means quite a bit come playoff time.”

The Colts appear like a team that is waiting for the playoffs, and are just cruising.

“The only people we have to blame for the situation we’re in right now is ourselves,” said Colts assistant coach/general manger Gregg Carrigan.

The Colts were outplayed in every aspect. They were outshot 45-27, lost most of the battles along the boards, and were dominated physically by an Owen Sound team that had all the room they wanted, especially cutting to the net, at times, almost at will.

“If anybody watched the game Wednesday night and last night, they would say that (Owen Sound) wanted it more,” said Little, riding a stationary bike after the loss. “They outworked us, pretty much, both games, so we can’t blame anyone else but ourselves. We have to come out better than that.”

Little certainly did his part, scoring a beauty short-handed marker to tie things at 1-1 at 11:04 of the first period to break Tkaczuk’s goal-scoring record. The Colts captain then gave Barrie a lead it didn’t deserve early in the second period, when he won the draw, pounced on the puck, shot and then fired in his own rebound past Anthony Guadagnolo.

Little even dropped the gloves with Derek Brochu and delivered a TKO, much to the delight of the crowd.

 

Big-hearted Barrie return for Little
Author: Kristine MacDougall Jan 08, 2007

Barrie Colts captain Bryan Little received more than just the accolades and feverish applause of Colts fans at the Barrie Molson Centre. Courtesy of Jamie Massie, right, and Georgian Pontiac, he also received the use of a new Pontiac Solstice car for the rest of the season as a reward for his efforts at the World Junior Hockey Championship. The gift was on behalf of the team and its fans, the City of Barrie and the staff of the dealershipBarrie Colts captain Bryan Little returned home this weekend to a hero’s welcome.

Canada won its third straight gold medal at the 2007 IIHF World Junior Championships in Sweden.

The Canadians defeated Russia 4-2 for the third time in as many years on goals from Andrew Cogliano, Jonathan Toews, Brad Marchand and Little.

Prior to the game Saturday, Barrie, the team and the city, honoured Little in a ceremony with a presentation and a video tribute to mark the gold medal win by Team Canada.

“It makes it that much better because I didn’t get to experience it last year,” said Little, a late cut from last year’s team said Saturday of winning the gold medal. “It was so intense this year - with the (semifinal) game against the States and going into the shootout.”

Little, who was placed on a line with James Neal and Sam Gagner, was pleased with his contribution to the team despite missed opportunities.

“I had some chances the whole tournament but I couldn’t find the net,” he said. “I really wanted a goal in the tournament, fortunately, it came in the last game and it was an important game, so it felt extra good.”

Little credits the camaraderie and hard work amongst his teammates for Team Canada’s success in this year’s championship.

“Our defence, forwards and goaltending… all played an awesome tournament,” he said.

“I think it helped that we had experience. I think it also helped that the team came together so fast. We were together for about a month and we started playing together pretty fast, so we got off to a good start and I think everyone got to know each other pretty good.”

With the immense pressure on the junior team, Little said the players were more determined to play their best and bring home the top prize.

“There was so much pressure put on the Canadians. If you don’t win gold, it’s a disappointment and we were taking it that way, too. We didn’t want anything but the gold medal.”

There was also another reason for Canada’s success.

“We were that much more motivated because Canada hasn’t won on European soil in 10 years. Everyone wanted it that bad and (coach Craig) Hartsburg made sure everyone was focused.”

Prior to the game Saturday night, Little paid a visit to the Colts dressing room where he was met with welcoming applause from his teammates.

“(We’re) very, very excited,” said forward Vladimir Nikiforov at Little’s return home. “We’ve missed him. We’re all happy for Lits (Little) winning gold. I saw him and gave him a hug. It’s good to have him back.”

Coach Marty Williamson agreed. “It’s fantastic. It’s a great thing he’s done and it’s a life experience he’ll never forget.”

Little on top of the world
Bill Doucet, Cambridge (Jan 9, 2007)

There was no one happier to see teammate Marc Staal get a late game penalty than Bryan Little. With time ticking down in Canada's 4-2 win over Russia in the gold medal game of the world junior hockey championships on Friday, Little figured that the 10-minute misconduct that came with his questionable headchecking minor at 13:23 of the third period would keep him from celebrating on the bench with his teammates as time expired.

It did, until Staal's tripping infraction gave him some company.

"When he came in I was laughing," the Cambridge native said while enjoying the post-game meal of hamburgers and pizza in the skybox of Sweden's Ejendals Arena.

"I said to him that I was hoping that they didn't score so at least we could go out together for the celebration."

And Little had more to cheer about than winning the country's third consecutive gold medal, and the first on European soil since 1997. On a first-period power play, the Atlanta Thrashers' first-round pick had a rebound dribbling around his skates, but he kicked it up to his stick and swept a backhand past Russian goalie Semen Varlamov to give Canada a 2-0 lead.

It was Little's first regulation time goal in the tournament. He scored in the semifinal shootout against the U.S.

"I think that memory is going to stay with me the rest of my life," he said about the goal.

"I wasn't getting a lot of ice time and then I started getting some powerplay time against the U.S. But I didn't put any pressure on myself. I just went out and had fun and went out to do my job."

Little described his shootout goal as a confidence booster, one that also helped alleviate some of the criticism directed at the Canadian forwards for the lack of goal production in the tournament.

No one was more shocked than Little that he was chosen to shoot in the tiebreaker, since he had pretty well been relegated to the fourth line for most of the tournament.

"I was a bit surprised. But I was pretty nervous, shooting for a chance to go on to the gold medal game. All I was thinking about was what I was going to do

when I came in. It was a great feeling when it went in," he said.

Then, Little was chosen to shoot again in sudden death but was pokechecked by U.S. goalie Jeff Frazee when he chose to deke.

"I couldn't watch after that. If (Patrick) Kane would have scored, we would have been playing for the bronze medal," he said.

When it comes to his experience in Sweden, Little was quick to point to the rabid Canadian fans in attendance at the games, which turned out to be the sixth player on the ice for the team.

It was awesome," he said.

"You didn't see another team there with the fan support we had for all the games. They were so loud and it made us play at a different level."

Little said that after his return to Canada on Saturday afternoon, he was going to take a couple days off, including missing Sunday's tilt between his Barrie Colts and the Ottawa 67s.

He wasn't planning on getting much sleep on the weekend, with an early morning flight out of Sweden and the adrenaline of a gold medal win pumping through his veins.

"This is just unbelievable," Little said.

"I've never experienced anything this huge. Even when we won the under-18 (tournament), it never came close to this."

Little plays a big role in gold medal win
By Aaron Bell

It was easily the biggest goal in Bryan Little’s hockey career.

The Barrie Colts’ captain was one of four Canadian scorers in the gold medal game at the World Junior Championships in Sweden last week, helping Canada to a 4-2 win over Russia. The win gave his nation its third straight gold medal.

“This is probably the biggest thing in my hockey career so far,” said Little who also won Under-18 and Under-17 gold medals in 2004. “It was unreal.”

For Little, the tournament was a constant adjustment. He is used to being a key performer with the Colts and playing 30-plus minutes a game. In Sweden, Little started the tournament as the 13th forward but worked his way into a bigger role as the games became more important.

“I found the more the tournament went on, the more ice time I got,” said Little, who picked up an assist in Steve Downie’s goal in a 3-0 win over Slovakia in the preliminary round. “There were a couple of games where I didn’t play a lot. It’s something that I had to get used to – especially playing the win sometimes as well.”

Little, a natural centre, is the Colts’ leading scorer with 24 goals and 62 points in 30 games, but he was willing to do whatever head coach Craig Hartsburg needed for the team. Little just continued to work hard and took advantage of the playing time that he got.

“Playing for Team Canada, you kind of accept any role you’re given,” Little said. “I was given (the role) of just going out and working hard. I guess my big goal came in the gold medal game.”

Little helped the Canadians win the semi-final game over the U.S.A. in a shootout. He was Canada’s second shooter and buried his chance, helping extend the shootout. He had another chance to end the game, but was turned aside by U.S goaltender Jeffrey Frazee. Canada finally won the shootout and a berth in the gold medal game on Jonathan Toews’ third shootout.

“I think the game against the U.S. was more exciting than the gold medal game,” Little said. “Of course, it felt better to win the gold medal but the game against the States was just so tight. Everyone was so nervous.

“Winning those last two games were huge for us.”

 

Littles Big Day
Barrie Colts captain Bryan Little wins coveted spot on Team Canada

By IAN SHANTZ
Sports - Saturday, December 16, 2006 Updated @ 11:42:16 PM

The Little family’s holiday tradition has just been altered. For as many years as John Little can remember, his family has spent its Christmas break together huddled around the television set, watching the world junior hockey championship unfold.

This year, however, the Cambridge crew will follow through with the tradition under modified circumstances.

The Little family learned their son, Bryan, 19, has earned a supporting role in what is considered one of Canada’s favourite holiday traditions.

The captain of the Barrie Colts was one of 22 budding stars selected yesterday by Hockey Canada to represent the nation at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s world junior event.

“Part of our family tradition throughout the years over the holidays was always to sit down as a family and watch the world juniors,” Little’s dad explained, soon after learning his oldest son had survived the final cut and will suit up for Team Canada at the celebrated tournament, to be held Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Sweden.

“So, now we’ll get to watch him on TV. It’s kind of neat, because he grew up watching this tournament.

“He never missed it.”

Little won’t miss it this year either, and the first-round draft pick of the Atlanta Thrashers is glad to be part of the tournament the way he had envisioned.

After attending last year’s junior selection camp and being left off the roster, the all-star centre will finally be fulfilling his red and white dream.

“I’ve been watching the world junior championship every Christmas and Boxing Day on TV for as long as I can remember,” Little said from Calgary, where Team Canada was leaving a five-day selection camp behind yesterday to head for exhibition games in Finland.

“It was tough after being cut last year, having to watch it on TV, but it does make it that much sweeter to make it this year.”

Normally not one to show emotion off the ice, Little was clearly ecstatic to be representing his country on the international stage.

“I’ve been dreaming about this for a long time. I’m just so excited right now,” he said. As soon as I heard the news, I was just excited to get over there and win a gold medal.

“It’s a dream-come-true. The whole world will be watching, so it’s pretty big, and I’m just really excited about it.”

Little spent a sleepless night Thursday wondering about his fate with the team. But any doubts he had were laid to rest early yesterday morning.

“If you get that call at 7:30 (a.m.), Hockey Canada takes you into their office and sends you packing. I didn’t get a call, and they came and knocked on my door at 8:30 (a.m.). That’s when I knew I made the team. It was a relief.”

Little’s family might have been more relieved to hear the news, than he was.

“I swear we (including his wife Brenda) were more nervous than he was. I know how devastated he’d be if he was cut,” John said. “He doesn’t say much and doesn’t share much about his feelings, but I knew how excited he was and how much this meant to him.”

Little’s kin in Cambridge weren’t the only ones celebrating.

Reached on the team bus crossing the border for a game last night in Erie, Pa., Colts head coach Marty Williamson was delighted for the player who has become a household name in this city during his three-plus years here.

“He wanted this really badly, so we’re all really happy for him,” Williamson said.

“The whole organization has been really proud of him since Day One. Now he has a chance to win a gold medal with Team Canada.”

In Sweden, Little knows expectations are high for Canada to win its third junior hockey crown in as many years. He also understands the weight he and the rest of the team carry on their shoulders heading into the tournament.

But Little’s hardly a stranger to being in the spotlight. He said he’ll simply shrug off the extra attention, focusing instead on helping his team succeed.

“I think everyone expects Canada to win gold. And everyone’s pretty confident going in,” he said. “I’m just going to play my game and help out where I can.”

Juggling the many demands of the tournament with the mental strain of being away over Christmas is something he’s willing to live with, as well.

“It’s going to be pretty hard, my first Christmas without my family around, but it’s a sacrifice I think everyone is willing to make.”

It’ll all come out in the wash if the team succeeds, he added.

“This is a huge honour.”

Little at home on the road
By Aaron Bell

It doesn’t take long for Bryan Little to explain why he thinks the Barrie Colts are tied for first place in the OHL standings a third of the way through the season.

“We’ve been pretty good on the road this year,” the Colts’ captain said. “I think the main thing is that we want it more.”

Little scored three times in Barrie’s 7-5 win in Oshawa on November 17 to push their record to 9-2-0-0 on the road. Their .818 winning percentage away from home is tops in the OHL.

“We take every game on the road as a challenge for us,” Little said. “We’ve been working really hard and clicking well on the road this year so far.”

Not that the Colts have been pushovers at home. They have an impressive 8-3-0-1 record at the Barrie Molson Centre, but their road record has been the key to a tie with the Saginaw Spirit for first place in the OHL heading into this weekend.

Little’s consistency at home and on the road has been a key to the Colts success so far this season. He is on pace for a 60-goal season and has been equally effective at home and on the road. He has 11 goals in 11 games at home and 10 goals in 11 games on the road and has at least one point in each of the Colts’ past six away games.

Little was a first round pick of the Atlanta Thrashers in June and said that his first professional training camp has helped him have a great start to the season.

“It was an intense camp,” said Little, who was named OHL player of the week last week for the second time this season. “I learned a lot about what it takes to play in the NHL. The pace is a lot faster and the guys are bigger and stronger. It’s a whole new level up there and it makes me want to work harder to go back.”

The fourth-year veteran is hoping for another road trip this Christmas. He was invited to the National Junior Team’s Summer Evaluation camp and is likely to represent Canada when they travel to Sweden in a quest for a third straight gold medal.

“Ever since I was a kid I always wanted to play in it,” said Little, who helped Canada win the gold medal at the 2004 World Junior Cup in the Czech Republic. “Last year I went through reality and saw I actually had a shot at making it and being one of the last cuts gave me a lot of motivation to come this year with a real purpose to make the team.”

 

Little could be NHL bound
(Nov 1, 2006)

Nine athletes have been nominated for Cambridge Athlete of the Year and a winner will be named on Nov. 11 at the Cambridge Holiday Inn.

The nominees are Carmen Douma-Hussar, Bryce Davison, Andrew Hurd, Amanda Overland, Nathan Brannen, Whitney McClintock, Aisha Gerber, Bryan Little and Lindsay Carson. The Times will be profiling each nominee prior to the awards ceremony.

Bryan Little
Hockey

Ever since Bryan Little made the jump to the Ontario Hockey League look easy back in 2003, it has been obvious that he has a bright future in hockey.

But major validation came in June when he was drafted in the first round of the National Hockey League's entry draft.

The Altanta Thrashers selected Little 12th overall, no surprise considering he was expected to be among the top 15 selections.

Little led the OHL Barrie Colts in scoring with 42 goals and 67 assists in 64 regular-season games, taking the team scoring crown by a 32-point margin. His outstanding play continued in the playoffs where he had 23 points in 14 games. He finished seventh in league regular-season scoring.

He was the league's top rookie in the 2003-2004 season when he joined the Colts as a 15-year-old after a season with the Junior B Cambridge Winter Hawks.

Little finished that first season with 58 points in 64 games, followed up with 68 points in 62 games the following season. He then enjoyed a breakout season to secure his ranking heading into the 2006 draft.

The Colts captain led the team last season in game-winning goals (nine), plus/minus (+26) and shorthanded goals (three). His leadership and obvious offensive skills led to his being a high selection in the NHL draft, despite lacking size at five feet, 10 inches tall.

Also enhancing his ranking is that NHL rule changes have opened up the game for smaller players who possess abundant skill.
Little was not eligible to play on the Thrashers' AHL affiliate this season because he had not yet turned 19 and was returned recently to the Colts to continue his development.

He returned to the OHL in spectacular fashion, recording two goals and three assists in his first game

 

Little a big part of Thrashers' future
By Shane Malloy | NHL.com Correspondent
Aug. 29, 2006

Do not let Bryan Little's name nor his size give you the wrong impression.

His skill and determination greatly outweigh the obvious connotations of his last name.

Considering the Atlanta Thrashers took him 12th overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, it is obvious that Little has the ability to develop into a potential star.

The talented 5-foot-10, 195-pound center was born in Edmonton, but grew up in Cambridge, Ontario and has been a godsend to the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League.

It was no surprise that the three-year OHL veteran dominated the competition with 42 goals and 67 assists in only 64 games last year. Yet, his improvement on the defensive side of the puck, as well as his 99 penalty minutes really opened some eyes.

On top of that, Little was the only 18-year-old, draft-eligible prospect in the top 10 in scoring in the entire OHL.

The last three seasons have been a whirlwind for Little, who benefited from a positive experience in Barrie.

"I didn't know a lot about Barrie when I was drafted, but when I got here I thought I was pretty lucky," he said. "It's a great organization and they treat the players with respect. I think it's really great here. It's been a lot of fun, Barrie's a great city. I really enjoy playing there.
"The last few years have flown by. It doesn't seem like long ago that I was in my first year and now my third. I'm just enjoying myself."
About the only disappointment for Little last season was not making the Canadian squad for the 2006 World Junior Championships. Yet, Little has an excellent chance at making the squad this season.

"That camp was really exciting for me just because I grew up watching the World Juniors every Christmas just like everyone else," Little said. "To be at that camp with that group of players is an honor. It was a real competitive camp and I think your play in the first couple months of the season will determine who is invited to the December camp. I'm just trying to play every game to my best and get an invite to the main camp."

Throughout last season Little tried to minimize distractions and focus on hockey. The end result was he even surprised himself with his offensive output.

"I thought my season went really well and I surprised myself on how many points I had on top of having a pretty successful playoff as well," said Little, who attributes his development and production mostly to the extra year he has played in the OHL due to his late birthday. "I think it certainly helps anytime you can play the extra year. It gives you time to work on your entire game and it made a big difference between my second and third year in the OHL."

Bryan Little posted 42 goals and 67 assists in only 64 games last year for the OHL's Barrie Colts.

As for the Entry Draft, Little employed the same approach that resulted in his solid season, namely blocking out distractions.

"During the season you try not to pay attention to the rankings since they can change every month, but at the end of season you have time to stop and take a look out of curiosity," he said. "But on draft day, we all know anything can happen.

"There were a lot of ranking that had me going from sixth to 16th, so I tried not to let it bother me. But it felt like things were dragging on and it was a relief when my name was called."

Little said thinking about some of the signals his friends wanted him to send while he was on the draft stage made him laugh and kept things a little more relaxed.

"My friends are great and really supportive," he said. "They all wanted me give them a signal on stage when I was picked, but there were too many and I would end up looking like a crazy traffic cop or a first-base coach."

Considering the hectic environment on draft day, Little laughed when he was asked about his biography and his desire to have dinner with singer Jessica Simpson.

"Well, I guess we will have to see about that," Little chuckled when asked if he would make good on his desire when he cracks the Atlanta roster.

The 2005-06 season was both exciting and productive for Little. He led his team to the Eastern Conference final and proved that he can produce in the playoffs.

Little is a solid two-way player who will need a little seasoning to make the jump to the next level, especially with the emphasis on skills as opposed to size in the new NHL.

Little has already proven he has a lethal shot on the power play and above-average skill in the face-off circle.

In the end, it will be his perseverance and willingness to compete that could make him into a potential NHL star.

 

Odds Maker
2006 first-round pick Bryan Little has a chance to be the next big thing at center in Atlanta
By Jon Cooper

Go ahead and tell Bryan Little how the odds are against his reaching the NHL this season.

The 18-year-old native of Cambridge, Ont., was selected by Atlanta in the first round (12th overall) of the 2006 Draft after starring the past three seasons for the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League. He's prepared for the high expectations that await him, as well as the inevitable criticism of his shortcomings, fittingly beginning with his lack of size.

He's also prepared to shoot them down as he always has.

"I've always been a small player and I'm always going to be small," said the 5-10, 190-pound center, who was rated the seventh-best North American skater by NHL Central Scouting heading into the Draft. "I'm kind of used to being asked, 'Can I do it at the next level?' I've always got to prove people wrong and I guess in this case it's going to have to be the same thing."

A two-time OHL All-Star, Little was an instant hit at Barrie, becoming the franchise's first 16-year-old to reach the 30-goal plateau. He added 24 assists and was named OHL Rookie of the Year. The 34 goals and 24 assists would turn out to be low-water marks for Little. He topped out during the 2005-06 season, tallying 42 goals and 67 assists. In three seasons at Barrie, Little totaled 112 goals and 123 assists for 235 points in 190 regular-season games.

He also earned a reputation as a clutch player by scoring 10 goals and six assists in 16 playoff games for the Colts.

"I love being on the ice when it's a big time and when there's a lot of pressure," said Little, the captain his final two seasons with the Colts, who called Joe Sakic and Steve Yzerman his two biggest NHL influences. "I've always been that way. I've always been the go-to guy so I've always taken pride in being the go-to guy and being the pressure player."

During his final season at Barrie he also showed he wouldn't take getting pushed around, recording a career-high 99 penalty minutes - he totaled 52 his first two seasons.

"The rule changes had something to do with that - I think everyone's penalty minutes went up - but I thought I played a little bit more aggressively," he said. "In the past I've had guys kind of stick up for me. I got in a few fights this year just sticking up for myself. I don't get away from the scrums. I stay in them. So that's kind of why the penalty minutes were up."

Sticking up for himself helped Little earn respect from opposing players. His all-around play earned him the respect of OHL coaches, who after the '05-06 season voted Little the league's hardest worker, best playmaker, best faceoff man and most dangerous player around the goal.

"Hardest worker meant the most," said Little. "If I don't feel I've worked very hard I usually don't play my best. When I'm playing my best I usually work hardest. That's the kind of thing I try and do every game is to work hard and my chances come from that."

Little certainly worked hard at the Thrashers' Prospect Development Camp held in mid-July at IceForum in Duluth. He didn't need a lot of ice time to impress Thrashers instructors.

"Most evident is his skill level." said scout Mark Dobson, who assisted at the camp at which no NHL head or assistant coaches were present. "His skill level is real good. You just notice little things like when he handles the puck, we kind of say it's like he has glue on his stick, the puck stays on his stick and his head is up. When the puck is around the net he knows what to do with it. He knows how to pass it. He has really good hands."

Little, who turns 19 on Nov. 12, feels he took a giant step forward at the camp and has his sights set on the real deal in September.

"This is kind of like the first process, being drafted, coming here and getting to see what it takes to be a professional hockey player," he said. "The next camp is probably going to be a little more intense and it's closer to the season, so it's going to be the next step and I'm looking forward to it."

The Prospect Development Camp didn't leave Little much time for off-ice activities aside from keeping his PlayStation chops sharp (he admits his team of choice since Draft day has been the Thrashers), although it did present an opportunity to tour Philips Arena. While he realizes that there is still a lot of work to be done before he can make plays for the real-life Thrashers at Philips, the possibility of skating with the big team excites him.

"I know they have some really skilled forwards and some of the most exciting scorers with [Ilya] Kovalchuk and [Marian] Hossa," he said. "I've always liked to watch those guys in the past."

He also watched during the off-season as centers Marc Savard and Stefan departed Atlanta, leaving veterans Bobby Holik, newly acquired Steve Rucchin and four-year pro Niko Kapanen (who came over in the Stefan trade) as the team's three established centers. Sophomore Jim Slater, who played wing at the end of last season, is also a natural center and the team has added some depth at the position, including Glen Metropolit and Jason Krog, not to mention prospects like Karl Stewart and Derek MacKenzie. Obviously, the position is far from open, but Little is not afraid to think big and throw his hat in the ring.

"It gives me more motivation to try and make the team quicker," he said. "You see that they have holes up the middle so that makes me work harder in the summer and makes me want to make the team faster. It gives me motivation to work out harder off the ice and be a better player."

 

Red 2 - White 3
Junior Development Camp
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
18:00 MT
Calgary, AB
Father David Bauer Arena
GREAT FAN SUPPORT FOR FIRST INTERSQUAD GAME

CALGARY – The first National Junior Development Camp intrasquad game took place at Father David Bauer Arena in Calgary on Wednesday night, with Team White winning 3-2 over Team Red.

The two youngest goalies got the nod in net for both teams as Jonathan Bernier (Laval, QC/Lewiston, QMJHL) started for Team Red and Carey Price (Anahim Lake, BC/Tri-City, WHL) was between the pipes for Team White.

The game got off to a blistering start as both teams looked to take control of the first game in the three-game series.

Team White’s Brad Marchand (Hammonds Plains, NS/Moncton, QMJHL) opened the scoring five minutes into the game with a great individual effort splitting the Team Red defensemen and getting a shot off that was initially stopped by Bernier, but trickled between his legs as he was searching for the puck.

Andrew Cogliano (Woodbridge, ON/Michigan, WCHA) increased Team White’s lead to 2-0 at the half way mark of the first period when a miscue behind the Team Red net sent a bouncing puck on to Cogliano’s stick, and he made no mistake, burying the puck into an empty net with Bernier caught out of position.

At the half way mark of the second period, Team White forward Bryan Little (Cambridge, ON/ Barrie, OHL) was hauled down and awarded a penalty shot. Little tried to go between the netminder’s legs but Price was up to the challenge and left the game with a 2-0 lead for Team White.

Both teams replaced their goaltenders with 8:02 remaining in the second period. Team Red’s Bernier finished with 11 saves, while allowing two goals. Team White’s Price made 13 saves, allowing no goals. Tyler Plante (Brandon, MB/Brandon, WHL) took over for Team Red, and Jean-Philippe Levasseur (Victoriaville, QC/ Rouyn-Noranda, QMJHL) took over for Team White.

Kenndal McArdle (Burnaby, BC/Moose Jaw, WHL) got Team Red on the board with four minutes remaining in the second, pushing a Claude Giroux pass behind Levasseur to get Team Red to within one.

Team Red had a two man advantage late in the second period looking to tie things up, but Levasseur was up to the task as he turned aside numerous Team Red scoring chances. Team White led 2 -1 heading into the final period.

A minute and a half in to the third, Team Red defensemen Patrick McNeill (Strathroy, ON/Saginaw, OHL) banged home a rebound after jumping up into the play to knot things up at 2-2.

Team White regained their one goal lead two minutes later on the power play when Chris Stewart (Scarborough, ON/Kingston, OHL) took a rebound and slid the puck in to the open side of the net as Tyler Plante was on the opposite side of the net after making the initial save.

Stewart’s goal held up as the winner as Team White took game one 3-2 in an intense battle that went right down to the wire. Levasseur made 13 saves in 28 minutes while allowing two goals, and Tyler Plante made 10 saves while allowing one goal in net for Team Red.

Thrashers 2006 Prospects Development Camp review
Written by Holly Gunning on 07/14/2006

The Atlanta Thrashers held their annual Prospects Development Camp July 7-13. Twenty-seven players participated in the camp. Below is a review of the skaters who took part.

Forwards
Former first-rounder Alex Bourret had a good camp, what you’d expect from a prospect who will challenge for an NHL job this fall. He showed he can find the net with little space to shoot at, and did a lot of little things very well. He has good acceleration, but still needs to work on endurance. Bourret was a player who others could and should have measured themselves against.

Riley Holzapfel’s To Do List:
1. Put in good showing at first Thrashers camp: check!
2. Teach new organization, including teammates, how to pronounce last name: still working on.

Asked who he was rooming with at camp, Bryan Little said “Riley…I forget his last name” and then leaned forward to have a look at the nameplate on Holzapfel’s locker. He gave the name a whirl, but demonstrated that Riley still has work to do here.
The youngest player in camp, you wouldn’t have known it by watching him. With good speed and skill, Holzapfel looks like a very promising second round pick. He has some moves and was not afraid to give them a try against his elders this week. He will return to Moose Jaw this season.

Bryan Little impressed a lot of people in the OHL last year, but did not stand out at camp. Only rarely did he show flashes of the talent that got him drafted in the first round this year. But camp is not games, and Little’s comments on the camp support a theory that he is simply not a good practice player.

He said the camp was going “pretty good. It’s hard to really compare yourself to others because it’s practice. Yesterday we only had a 25-minute scrimmage. But I feel pretty good.

“I don’t feel out of shape or anything so that’s good. I’ve been skating twice a week so I’ve been on the ice, but I think everyone’s legs are pretty stiff being on the ice so much. You’re not used to it.”

Little’s stiff legs may not have effected him as much as others. He did poorly in short-range timed trials, yet “climbed the mountain,” a lengthy skating drill, in under 45 seconds. He also said he felt more comfortable as the week went on.

“Yeah, I’d say the first day, the first time around the ice it was really fast-paced and I think everyone was a little nervous, but the longer you stay here and the more you get to know everyone, the more confident you feel on the ice.”

A chance to meet and get to know the staff was important. “They do a good job of making you feel at home here,” he said.

Little was struck hard in the right cheek by a deflected puck on Monday, but downplayed the injury the next day.

“I got a puck in the face yesterday sitting on the bench. It stung a bit, and ruined my day a bit. It looked like I had a golf ball in my mouth, but it’s gone down today.”

The Thrashers took a few of the newest prospects downtown to see Philips Arena on the last day of camp. Little said he was looking forward to seeing it.

Copyright 2006 Hockey’s Future.

 

Thrashers to Participate in Traverse City Prospect Evaluation Tournament Sept. 8-12
Training Camp Opens on Sept. 14th at IceForum in Duluth following Tournament

ATLANTA (July 24, 2006) -- The Atlanta Thrashers will be among eight NHL clubs participating in the 2006 Traverse City Prospect Evaluation Tournament, hosted by the Detroit Red Wings at the Center I.C.E. Arena in Traverse City, Mich., that runs from Sept. 8-12. The Thrashers will compete in the tournament’s Eastern Conference, along with the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, and Tampa Bay Lightning, while the Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, and St. Louis Blues will comprise the Western Conference.

Per tournament rules, each team may only have a maximum of four players with one year of professional experience each. In order to participate, all skaters must have been born no later than 1983; goalies are exempt from this restriction.

First-round picks Bryan Little (12th overall, 2006), Alex Bourret (16th overall, 2005), and Boris Valabik (10th overall, 2004) will play for Atlanta, as will recent Thrashers’ signee and Atlanta-area native David Caruso (complete roster below). Atlanta’s team will be coached by Jeff Pyle, the head coach and director of hockey operations for the Thrashers’ ECHL affiliate, the Gwinnett Gladiators.

At the conclusion of the tournament, players will be selected to advance to the Thrashers training camp, which begins with physicals and medical testing on Sept. 14 at the IceForum in Duluth. On-ice workouts begin on Sept. 15, and are open to the public. A complete training camp schedule will be released at a later date.
Atlanta’s schedule for the tournament:

Friday, Sept. 8
Practice from 11:45-12:30 p.m., game versus Detroit at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 9
Practice from 9:45-10:30 a.m., game versus New York at 4 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 10
Practice from 10:45-11:45 a.m.

Monday, Sept. 11
Practice from 8:30-9:15 a.m., game versus Tampa ay at 3 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 12
Seventh place and fifth place games at 2:30 p.m., third place and championship games at 6 p.m.

 

Thrashers 2006 draft review
Written by Holly Gunning on 06/29/2006

True to their acknowledged organizational needs, the Atlanta Thrashers stocked up on skilled centers in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, taking four pivots with their eight picks, along with two defensemen, a winger and a goaltender.

And true to usual form, they showed a preference towards college-bound players. Three are headed to the WCHA. Michael Forney, the highest of the three selections in the third round, will be one of three Thrashers prospects on the University of North Dakota roster this fall (along with Andrew Kozek and Rylan Kaip). Jesse Martin is headed to Denver University in 2007 and Alex Kangas to the University of Minnesota in 2007.

The Thrashers took their normal European quota of two, including their first Latvian in Arturs Kulda.

One thing that was different this year was the size of the draftees. After years of drafting with an eye towards size, 2006 was the smallest Thrashers draft class ever, averaging just 72.1 inches (just over 6’0). The biggest players were Forney and Kulda both at just 6’2, and the smallest is first-rounder Bryan Little at 5’10.

Bryan Little, C
12th overall – Barrie (OHL)
5’10, 190
Birthdate: 11/12/1987

Asked just after he was selected how he felt wearing the Thrashers’ true blue threads, Little said ”I kind of like these jerseys. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them before but they’re real nice.”

Get used to ‘em, kid.

Little brings some much-needed offensive flair to a system lacking that up the middle. The Thrashers were very interested in him going into the draft, and Little knew that as well, the only problem was waiting to see if the match would be made. Other teams had their own favorites, so Little indeed went to the team at 12th overall who could use him the most.

Describing himself as “a goal scorer and playmaker,” Little was voted the OHL Eastern Conference’s hardest worker, best playmaker, most dangerous man in the goal area and best on faceoffs by OHL coaches for the 2005-06 season.

He finished sixth in league in scoring this year with a hefty 109 points in 64 games. A former OHL Rookie of the Year, he captained the Barrie Colts to the OHL Eastern Conference finals, where they lost to the eventual league champion Peterborough Petes. Barrie steamrolled over the favored Brampton Battalion in the playoffs and Little was one of the biggest reasons.

An ultra-competitive player, Little makes for a great playoff performer. This year he scored eight goals and 15 assists in 14 games, and in his two previous playoff appearances Little had 10 goals and six assists in a total of 16 games played.

Cut from Team Canada’s World Juniors camp last year, Little has another year of eligibility left. He has played for Team Canada at the U-17 and U-18 age groups.

Playing alongside free agent right wing Hunter Tremblay for the past two years, Little continually brings the crowd to its feet with his explosive rushes. He dominates with his playmaking ability, quick feet, and cannon-like shot, and he continually shifts the momentum of the game with his seemingly boundless energy. Little works out relentlessly and has a strong build which allows him to mix it up physically.

The native of Cambridge, Ontario is a proven game-breaker for his Colts team. When an opponent tries to shift the momentum of a game Little often seems to turn it back around with his ability and work ethic when he steps on the ice. His explosive speed even appears intimidating to opponents at times. For someone with so much offensive upside, Little can play defense and his plus/minus stats attest to that.

One of the few knocks on him is his size at 5’10. But in the new NHL, it’s less of a disadvantage. Having been drafted by the Thrashers, he’ll be given every opportunity to thrive in an open system.

“They’ve got a lot of skilled forwards in Atlanta and down the road if I could learn a few things from them it’d be awesome,” he said.

Little will attend Thrashers training camp, but probably return to Barrie in 2006-07. With the new rules governing NHL free agency, the team is unlikely to burn a year off of the youngster’s service if he can’t contribute at a high level just yet.

 

THE GRADES ARE IN!
Thrashers, Flames, Kings, Devils, Caps big winners!

June 26, 2006 -- It's time for the annual hand-out of report cards. Here are the draft grades for all 30 clubs involved in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

ATLANTA THRASHERS

The Good

The Thrashers are in desperate need of pivots, and they picked up four. Bryan Little (12th overall) looks to be a real keeper. Michael Forney at 80th is an absolute steal -- oodles of offensive potential, but he has yet to be truly tested. Watching him in the NCAA should be interesting.

The Bad

None of Atlanta's eight selections tip the scale at 195 pounds or more. They may pay for that down the road, unless some of the prospects add bulk.

The Unique

Arturs Kulda? The 200th overall draft pick is nowhere to be found on the Central Scouting Service rankings of 370 skaters. The

Grade: A

Atlanta addressed all of their needs at center, picked up a couple of consensus steals, grabbed a goaltender (which never hurts), and even picked a player from out of nowhere -- just to keep everyone on their toes.

 

Top prospects geared up for playoff match-up
By Aaron Bell

You don’t have to tell Bryan Little or Jordan Staal what’s on the line as their teams prepare to meet in the Rogers Eastern Conference championship for the Bobby Orr Trophy this week.

While both players are top-end prospects for this summer’s NHL Draft, they have both put aside personal ambitions to make sure that they are ready to help their team compete for a berth in the OHL finals.

Staal, a sophomore forward with the Peterborough Petes, is the OHL’s top rated prospect for the draft and could challenge for the first overall selection. He improved his offensive production, scoring 28 goals and 68 points in 68 games to help the Petes claim first place in the Eastern Conference. He has added four goals in the first 10 playoff games this year and his coach Dick Todd agrees with the scouts who think that Staal is a special player.

“He’s made a dramatic advancement in scoring for us this year,” said Todd, who has guided the Petes to the conference finals for the second straight year. “He has great size and ability to change speeds a little bit. He’s very responsible defensively and he’s a well rounded hockey player. We’re pleased with the advancement in his career as far as his development as a hockey player this year.”

After being named the OHL’s top rookie two years ago, Little has blossomed into the Colts leader on the ice and in the dressing room. He is also a top-rated prospect, but admits that he hasn’t spent a lot of time worrying about his draft status. He is more interested in helping the Colts win their second OHL championship in the past four years.

“I try not to think about it too much,” said Little, who led the Colts with 109 points in 64 games this season. “I’ve kind of gotten used to there being scouts at the games all year. Right now it’s more about what I can do for the team, not what I can do for myself. Going into the series, it’s probably going to be heavily scouted. I’m not going to worry about it. I’ll worry about it after the season and hopefully I can worry about what I do for the team.”

Marty Williamson has been Little’s coach for the past two seasons and agrees that his captain has all of the special character traits that will make him a successful professional.

“For the past two years, Bryan’s been our go-to-guy,” Williamson said. “It’s a lot of pressure on a young guy, but you’d have to be around Bryan on a day-to-day basis to realize what an asset to our organization he is. The thing about Bryan is that he doesn’t take a shift off. His points and plus-minus speak for themselves, but it’s the intangibles that he brings that make Bryan special to the Barrie Colts.”

 

Bryan Little Named the CHL Player of the Week
Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2005

Toronto - The Canadian Hockey League announced today that Barrie Colts forward Bryan Little is the CHL Player of the Week.

Little scored three goals and nine points in three games last week as the Colts were undefeated. Barrie is currently in first place in the Central Division with 38 points and three points behind the East Conference leading Peterborough Petes.

Frederic St-Denis was the QMJHL's Defensive Player of the Week after finishing the week with a plus four rating and contributing a goal and three assists in a pair of games. Derick Brassard of the Drummondville Voltigeurs was the QMJHL's Offensive Player of the Week after picking up a goal and six assists in only two games. Brandon Dubinsky was the WHL Player of the Week after scoring four goals and seven points in three wins last week.

2005-06 CHL Players of the Week

Nov. 29 - Bryan Little, Barrie Colts
Nov. 22 - Keith Yandle, Moncton Wildcats
Nov. 15 - Bobby Hughes, Kingston Frontenacs
Nov. 8 - Kevin Armstrong, Saskatoon Blades
Nov. 1 - Alexander Radulov, Quebec Remparts