As training camp approaches, news is starting to pick back up about the masked men of the AHL, so I’ll get back to a more regular news update until the season starts when it will go back to near daily.

Features

• Stack the Pads features a Q&A with new Hershey Bears signee Jason Bacashihua, who is excited to be in the Caps organization. Includes a Q&A with Bandits Goaltending School’s Stan Matwijiw.

• Lightning prospect Dustin Tokarski looks ahead to his first pro season with the Norfolk Admirals. (Tampa Bay Lightning)

• Thrashers GM Don Waddell says Drew MacIntyre will compete with the other three goalies (Lehtonen, Hedberg, Pavlec) for a spot in Atlanta and looks forward to a good goalie battle in camp.

Drew MacIntyre – Photo by Chris Jerina

Signings

• The Binghamton Senators signed Chris Holt to an AHL contract. They have three goalies slated for the minors so Holt could end up in the ECHL before it’s all said and done. (Sharp on the Sens) Met Chris when he played for Peoria last season. Really bubbly, energetic, nice guy who got stuck on the bench due to Manny Legace’s drop to the AHL.
• Update: Here’s a little more from Sens assistant GM Tim Murray on the goaltending situation with Holt in the mix. (Sharp on the Sens)
  

Features

• Abbotsford Heat’s Leland Irving, who blossomed last season, is looking forward to playing in a Canadian market for the first time in his pro career. (Calgary Sun)
• Meanwhile, Irving’s likely backup Matt Keetley spent last season learning to pick himself up from a tough start to his pro career. (Calgary Herald)
• Nevertheless, Coach Jim Playfair thinks the two goalies will be competing hard for the #1 spot and both will benefit from the competition. (Abbotsford Times)

• Quirky rookie Dustin Tokarski will earn his stripes for the Tampa Bay Lightning while playing for the Norfolk Admirals this season. (National Post)

Dustin Tokarski - Photo by Jennifer Hammer

• Brad Thiessen went from the classroom to holding the Stanley Cup this summer (Pittsburgh Post Gazette) and blogs about his summer training in preparation for his first pro season (In the Crease with Thiess).

Pogge Trade

As expected, the Leafs traded Justin Pogge from the Toronto pressure cooker to Anaheim, and signed Joey MacDonald as the organization’s #3 goalie in his place. (Toronto Star)

• Here’s an excellent blog/article wrap-up with all kinds of news and opinion by Pension Plan Puppets.
• The Calgary Herald gets Pogge’s reaction to the trade, which is kind of  a mixed bag of feelings, understandably. And MetroNews.ca gets MacDonald’s take on signing with Toronto.
• From the blogs, View From My Seats thinks Jean-Sebastien Giguere is on the trading block as a result of the move and the Press-Enterprise sports blog reminds us that Anaheim doesn’t have a farm team this season. Most of their AHL prospects will play in San Antonio, but it’s unlikely Phoenix will give up a goalie roster spot to a division opponent’s goalie prospect, so it’s still unknown where Pogge will play this season.
• For the official line, Inside the Bird has the transcript of the press call about the trade from Anaheim’s VP of Hockey Ops David McNab.

Signings

• UPDATE: Because the Islanders only had 5 goalies on their roster (including oft-injured Rick DiPietro), they signed Nathan Lawson Wednesday as well. (Soundin’ Off) What are they going to do with all these goalies?
• Philadelphia signed  Nicola Riopel and assigned him to Adirondack, where Johan Backlund is expected to start. (CSNPhilly.com)
• Pittsburgh re-signed Adam Berkhoel (WBSPenguins.com and Let’s Go DU) and John Curry (Pittsburgh Live) to one and two year contracts respectively.
• Phoenix re-signed JoshTordjman, who is slated to play in San Antonio (KSWT.com)
• Columbus re-signed Dan LaCosta to play in Syracuse (Blue Jackets)
• Buffalo signed ECHL star Jean-Philippe Lamoureux to play for their Portland Pirates farm team (NHL.com)
• The Hershey Bears signed Jason Bacashihua to a one year contract. (Stack the Pads) And, while not a signing, Caps in Pictures has some great shots of Michal Neuvirth, Bacashihua’s likely partner in goal.
• Sharks signed two goalies likely to end up in Worcester with the baby Sharks: Thomas Greiss and Swedish prospect Henrik Karlsson. (San Jose Sharks)