Jamie Storr's Basement, Ersberg's mask, Toffoli and Weal deals, Kings Past and Future (clippings and notes)

Follow the link to see Erik's mask.

Salavat Graphix - Erik Ersberg, Salavat Yulaev Ufa, KHL, 2011
Erik Ersberg won the Gagarin Cup in Russia wearing this design, a design created with airbrush and brush in stylish spirit. Erik always wants graphically clean and stylish designs and this design is strongly inspired by the club’s logo. The name of the club, Salavat Yulaev, comes from the name of an old rebel and national hero, and on one side I painted the statue of him in graphic style. The rest of the mask is a symphony of colors and tints matching the uniform.

It looks like his name was drawn on with Sharpies. 

Toffoli signs with Kings - Ottawa Citizen
Tyler Toffoli, the Ottawa 67’s star now playing for the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League, signed a three-year entry-level contract with the National Hockey League’s Los Angeles Kings on Monday. Toffoli, who turns 19 on Sunday, has one goal in three playoff games with Manchester. He compiled 57 goals and 51 assists in 68 regular-season games with the 67’s.

Happy Birthday, Tyler, and congratulations. 

Jordan Weal signs entry-level contract with Los Angeles Kings
Regina Pats centre Jordan Weal has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL's Los Angeles Kings. Weal, a 19-year-old product of North Vancouver, B.C., was taken by the Kings in the third round (70th overall) of the 2010 draft. The 5-foot-10, 166-pound centre tied for fifth in the WHL scoring race during the 2010-11 regular season with 96 points, including a career-high 43 goals. After the Pats' season ended, Weal played in seven regular-season games with the Kings' AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, and recorded one assist.

That makes it sound like Weal isn't "with" the Monarchs anymore. Anyone know what's up there? 

HOFFARTH: What's in Storr? It's Hockey 101 - LA Daily News
At a bit past 8 o'clock on a Friday night, Jamie Storr's rowdy hockey clubhouse is at full volume. Up in the far top corner of the Kings' El Segundo practice facility, behind the snack stand and through a couple of glass doors, the average visitor might not even know it's there. [...]  There's a couple of 7-year-olds who just finished a half hour of hockey practice back at it, having a ball. [...] They're sweating and swinging around on harnesses strapped up to a contraption of overhead metal pipes and support beams, suspended over what's called the "Endless Ice" conveyor belt. Storr [...] crouches in front of them and tosses tennis balls to work on hand-eye coordination.[...] On the other side of the room, another couple of kids slide around on a larger piece of faux ice. They cradle passes on their stick blades sent to them by another former Kings player, Brandon Convery, and launch them at the empty net. Just a bit earlier, Storr was behind a puck-launching machine, rapidly firing rubber from all angles at a teenaged goalie in full pads who worked on glove saves.

The 35-year-old Storr, in a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops, enjoys every "ah-hah" moment the kids discover in their training journey.[...]

"This takes me back to the basement of my parent's house, when we'd watch `Hockey Night in Canada' and we'd eat, sleep and drink hockey," said Storr, a Toronto native and son of a hockey goalie who now runs his own goalie school, teaches kids in camps and clinics and gives private lessons. "Back then, we'd do everything ourselves, push each other, just having fun. Now it feels like I'm giving these kids their own basement, their own hangout." [...]

The Kings' first-round pick (seventh overall) in the 1994 draft was starting games at 19. In nine seasons with the franchise, he remains among goalie leaders in games played (fourth at 205), wins (fifth with 85), shutouts (second with 16), goals-against average (fourth at 2.44) and tied for second in save percentage (.910). The Kings even asked him back as a practice goalie last season when Quick was away at the Olympics.

[...] The unusual treadmill, which can get up to 20 mph with the 7.5 horsepower engine, is the centerpiece of the facility that opened for instruction six months ago. "Some may think it's a gimmick, this mouse-on-a-wheel thing," said Storr [...]. "But [...] they learn about the proper technique, weight transfer, how their upper and lower body works together, staying balanced. The treadmill exposes any flaws. It picks everything apart. "The real neat part is when you see a kid who has a breakthrough moment and really gets it."

I was in there with my 7 year-old a few months back when they were just opening. My son asked for "endless ice" for Christmas. 

UW men's hockey: What if Murray turns pro?

There's nothing new on the Jordy Murray front, but there is a bit of news in the event the junior winger decides to leave the University of Wisconsin men's hockey team to play professionally in Europe. According to an email from Andy Murray, Jordy's father, there may be a resolution this week ... or not. To review: Because Jordy was registered as a player in Switzerland as a child -- his father coached there at the time -- Jordy could land a lucrative, coveted spot on a pro team right now due to his non-foreigner status. [It's] hard to imagine Jordy Murray passing up an NHL-like salary and returning to UW. Who could blame him?