We are pleased to announce that St. Michael's Buzzers forward #14 Reilly Smith, who appeared on Episode 4.36 of the program, has been selected by the Dallas Stars in the third round, 69th overall at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Smith's selection marks the third year in a row in which AFITC has had a prospect on the show prior to the NHL Entry Draft that has gone on to be selected.

In 2007, Reilly's brother Brendan Smith appeared on Episode 2.41 and went on to be selected in the first round, 27th overall by the Detroit Red Wings at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. In 2008, Brandon Burlon appeared on Episode 3.38 and Nick D'Agostino appeared on Episode 3.37, both of whom were selected at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft: Burlon in the second round, 52nd overall to the New Jersey Devils and D'Agostino in the seventh round, 210th overall to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

For more on Reilly Smith's selection, be check stmichaelsbuzzers.com for a full article in the next few days.

Photo Courtesy of Centralconferencehockey.com

Ahead this week on AFITC, after a thrilling Stanley Cup Finals, the hockey world convenes this weekend in Montreal to welcome the next generation of stars at the NHL Entry Draft. We’ll touch on news originating from the floor at the NHL Entry Draft but we aren’t ready to let go of the Cup Finals yet as we are honoured to welcome back to the program Pittsburgh Penguins Assistant Coach Stanley Cup Champion Tom Fitzgerald. He talks to us about the Penguins turnaround over the final quarter of the regular season, the journey through the playoffs and takes us onto the bench with his thoughts on game seven.

Before that though, Leaf Notes kick off the Redline Report with news on Jonas Gustavsson, potential interest in pending free agent Jay Bouwmeester and Tomas Kaberle possibly on the move. Quick Hits features the Hockey Hall of Fame induction class of 2009, along with news on who will guide Team Canada at the 2010 Olympics, whether you can expect to see Mats Sundin suiting up for Sweden at those Olympics, Chris Chelios’ plans for next year, a new coach in Calgary, new owners for the Montreal Canadiens and if you can expect two outdoor games on New Year’s Day 2010.

On The Bubble brings you some great Listener Emails before we get to Tom Fitzgerald at the end of the segment. Rigamarole looks at why the Toronto Maple Leafs are in a very good position to get better at the NHL Entry Draft.

Special thanks to Tom Fitzgerald for giving us some of his much sought after time this past week and agreeing to come back on the program. What a treat for the show to get a Stanley Cup Champion on so soon after the Finals!

Become an AFITC Insider by joining A Foot In The Crease Fans on Facebook. Send along listener email to afootinthecrease@gmail.com. A Foot In The Crease is now on Twitter as @AFITC. Follow our show for hockey news and updates on the show itself.

Well last week was certainly a week of highs and lows for the NHL. Game seven between the Red Wings and Penguins was a classic, one that we will remember for a long time to come. To culminate the NHL season, the Awards Show from Las Vegas, well that would be the low. What was that anyway? We`ll take you through game seven in the final edition of the Playoff Report after touching on some Leaf news on Brian Burke and Luke Schenn to kick start the Redline Report.

Quick Hits looks at the winners of the NHL Awards, news from front offices around the league, a possibility of another outdoor game and the contract demands of the Sedin twins. On The Bubble reveals the decision of Judge Baum in the bankruptcy hearing for the Phoenix Coyotes, features two Listener Emails and Troubling Fact of the Week to wrap the segment.

Rigamarole looks at the decision to move the NHL Awards to Las Vegas and explains whether the result was a good one for the NHL`s image.

Become an AFITC Insider by joining A Foot In The Crease Fans on Facebook. Send along listener email to afootinthecrease@gmail.com. A Foot In The Crease is now on Twitter as @AFITC. Follow our show for hockey news and updates on the show itself.

To open the show last week, we said, “It didn’t start out looking like a series to remember but it certainly could finish that way.” Well once again it didn’t look good after game five but we ended up right and we’ll take that whenever it happens. Game seven Friday night for all the marbles and we’re all over it today on the program. We’ll take you through games five and six in our Playoff Report and preview what to expect in game seven.

Before that though, the Redline Report begins with Leaf Notes regarding news on the future of the Toronto Marlies coaching staff, Curtis Joseph and a new goaltending consultant in town. Quick Hits wraps the Redline Report with news on two new coaching vacancies, a former Ottawa Senator and a soon-to-be former Ottawa Senator.

On The Bubble brings you Listener Email and a Troubling Fact of the Week. Be sure to check the AFITC Insiders Group on Facebook to read Aaron Balsillie's email in the discussion board section. We received it too late to get it on the show but it deserves a read neveretheless!

Rigamarole wraps the show with a look at some of the key storylines heading into game seven. We know who is going to win game seven and if you’re listening to other people’s opinion, well they are wrong…unless they’re picking Pittsburgh.

Become an AFITC Insider by joining A Foot In The Crease Fans on Facebook. Send along listener email to afootinthecrease@gmail.com. A Foot In The Crease is now on Twitter as @AFITC. Follow our show for hockey news and updates on the show itself.

It didn’t start out looking like a series to remember but it certainly could finish that way. Tied two games apiece heading back to Detroit for game five, we take you through the first four games of the Stanley Cup Finals in our playoff report. Before that though, we kick off the Redline Report with a look at some Leaf news including the signing of three prospects, a goaltender who is coming to town and the progress of Mikhail Grabovski’s contract situation.

Quick Hits wraps the segment with news from the front offices of the Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche along with the possible return to the NHL of notorious former Ottawa Senators netminder Ray Emery. In On The Bubble, we will feature several Listener Emails and a Troubling Fact of the Week before welcoming TSN Sportscentre Anchor Jennifer Hedger back to the program.

Finally, with the Stanley Cup Finals all tied up after four games, rigamarole quite simply explains what each team must do to win it. As the Red Wings leave the igloo to go back home, all of a sudden they’re on a slippery slope.

Special thanks to Jennifer Hedger for joining us this week on the program! As always, she did a great job and helped make our show better!

Become an AFITC Insider by joining A Foot In The Crease Fans on Facebook. Send along listener email to afootinthecrease@gmail.com. A Foot In The Crease is now on Twitter as @AFITC. Follow our show for hockey news and updates on the show itself.

The Stanley Cup Finals are set and for the second consecutive season, the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins will battle for hockey supremacy. We take you through the conclusions of both Conference Finals and set the stage for what promises to be an epic matchup. Quick Hits wraps the Redline Report with news on where Patrick Roy will be next year, the return of Pat Quinn to the NHL, a firing in Calgary, a retirement in New Jersey, the departure of two Capitals to Russia and sad news on the passing of popular former Maple Leaf Peter Zezel.

In On The Bubble, we bring you two Listener Emails from Stephen and Aaron, Stephen’s featuring an interesting take on the Phoenix Coyotes saga. The Junior Hockey Report follows with news on awards for two previous AFITC guests before the return of the Gong Banger in the Troubling Fact of the Week.

Finally, rigamarole takes a look at the light that may very well be at the end of a dark tunnel for the Phoenix Coyotes.

Become an AFITC Insider by joining A Foot In The Crease Fans on Facebook. Send along listener email to afootinthecrease@gmail.com. A Foot In The Crease is now on Twitter as @AFITC. Follow our show for hockey news and updates on the show itself.

Ahead this week on AFITC, the Conference Finals are underway and our predictions from last week are holding true. The Cup Finalists from 2008 have jumped out and have taken control of their series; we’ll break it all down in the Playoff Report to kick start the Redline Report.

We’re not usually ones to monger rumors but there have been some absolute beauties out there this past week, so on a slow news week we thought, why not? Rumors regarding the brothers Niedermayer, Patrick Roy and Vincent Lecavalier are up for discussion at the end of the Redline Report along with news on the new General Manager of the Minnesota Wild.

In On The Bubble, we’ll provide a brief update on the march of the Coyotes situation, or at least as best an update that two people without law degrees or finance degrees can provide. Of course, we’ll fit in a Listener Email or two and then welcome former St. Michael’s Buzzers forward Reilly Smith to the program to wrap the segment.

Rigamarole takes a look this week at why it is likely to be awfully stressful being Steve Yzerman these days. If you were angry with the amount of days off in between games one and two of the Penguins Hurricanes series, well that’s just tough for you. We loved it! It meant less work for us.

Big thanks go to Reilly Smith for taking some time to join us in the studio on this week’s program. All the best to him as he heads toward the NHL Entry Draft in June.

Become an AFITC Insider by joining A Foot In The Crease Fans on Facebook. Send along listener email to afootinthecrease@gmail.com. A Foot In The Crease is now on Twitter as @AFITC. Follow our show for hockey news and updates on the show itself.

Photo Courtesy of CentralConferenceHockey.com

This week on AFITC, round two of the Stanley Cup playoffs is in the books and round three is set. We’ll get you caught up on how it all transpired, kicking off the Redline Report with our playoff overview. Before concluding, we’ll also set the third round and revisit our picks from the second round.

Quick Hits wraps the Redline Report with news on Mats Sundin, Rick Tocchet and two Maple Leaf trade rumors. On The Bubble will be brief today, featuring Listener Email and a Troubling Fact of the Week.

As always, rigamarole brings an end to the show, this week looking a little deeper into what to expect in the third round of the playoffs. All that and more ahead this week on Episode 4.35 of AFITC.

Become an AFITC Insider by joining A Foot In The Crease Fans on Facebook. Send along listener email to afootinthecrease@gmail.com. A Foot In The Crease is now on Twitter as @AFITC. Follow our show for hockey news and updates on the show itself.

This week on A Foot In The Crease, the second round of the NHL playoffs is well underway and it’s looking like we could be in for some long, long series. We take you through the progress of each of the four series in the Redline Report. The Maple Leafs have been finished for a while now but that doesn’t mean some of their players aren’t still playing. We spin through the Revolving Door with news on injuries to two Maple Leafs in the past week. To wrap the segment, we finish with Quick Hits featuring news on the nominees for the Lester B. Pearson Award and a player to announce their retirement.

In On The Bubble, we fit in a Listener Email along with the Troubling Fact of the Week. At the end of the segment, we welcome former NHLer and Head Coach of the St. Michael’s Buzzers Cam Stewart to the program to get his insight on the playoffs, how the game has changed since he played, his thoughts on Luke Schenn and much more.

Rigamarole concludes the show with a look at Jim Balsillie’s most recent attempt to purchase an NHL team, this time the bankrupt Phoenix Coyotes. It doesn’t look good for Mr. Balsillie though. Perhaps if he lived in a house of cards instead of a mansion, he’d have a better shot with the NHL. See former Predators owner “Boots” Del Biaggio.

Thanks to Cam Stewart for joining us on the program this week and offering some great insight into a variety of different topics.

Become an AFITC Insider by joining A Foot In The Crease Fans on Facebook. Send along listener email to afootinthecrease@gmail.com. A Foot In The Crease is now on Twitter as @AFITC. Follow our show for hockey news and updates on the show itself.

Ahead on the May Day edition of AFITC, with round one of the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs complete, we’ll take you through the results, touch on some of the top storylines and tee up the second round to kick start the Redline Report. In Quick Hits, we unveil the nominees for the Vezina Trophy, Selke Trophy, Hart Trophy, Masterton Award and Jack Adams Award, give our picks and then finish with news on Dan Bylsma and Richard Zednik.

In On The Bubble, we bring you three more Listener Emails including an in depth discussion regarding the possibility of a second NHL team in Toronto, wrap up the Toronto Marlies postseason journey and conclude with the return of the Gong Banger in the Troubling Fact of the Week.

To wrap the program, rigamarole examines the top three surprises from the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It’s May 1st: Mayday Mayday. I wonder who from the San Jose Sharks can still be found yelling that phrase.

Become an AFITC Insider by joining A Foot In The Crease Fans on Facebook. Send along listener email to afootinthecrease@gmail.com. A Foot In The Crease is now on Twitter as @AFITC. Follow our show for hockey news and updates on the show itself.