BHTV at the Blackhawks Convention, including Joey the Jr Reporter footage

One of the most entertaining panels at the Blackhawks convention (July 15-17) is always the "Behind the scenes with BHTV" discussion, where they talk about, well, "behind the scenes" at Blackhawks TV.

Many thanks for YouTube contributor NVgoldrush12  for capturing the following videos of this panel. The numbering goes 1-2-3-5 (no idea why there is not a 4); with Patrick Sharp, Patrick Kane, John Scott, and Joey the Junior Reporter joining the guys from BHTV. They talk about how popular Joey the Jr Reporter has become, how they found him, and a lot of other fun stories about BHTV.

Top 50 Hockey Twitter accounts

This week, Sports Illustrated released their "Top 100 Sports Twitter accounts" list, but hockey wasn't very well represented. Here is a list of my Top 50 hockey Twitter accounts, broken down into five categories: Pro NHL players; Pro hockey players - other leagues; Mainstream media/broadcasters; Hockey bloggers; and Random Pucks (miscellaneous). 

As a reminder, I have been maintaining a list of active NHL and other pro hockey players on Twitter. Please note that due to summer trades/free agency as well as new draftees and those making the jump from AHL/ECHL, the list will be fully updated when the new season opens in October. If you're on Twitter, you can follow my two lists: NHL players (includes retired NHL players, and agents), and Other Pro Hockey Players (includes AHL, ECHL, European, prospects, and other leagues).

Feel free to add to the list in the comments section. And, of course, you can always follow me at @HockeyBroad.

PRO HOCKEY PLAYERS - NHL (CURRENT)

@BizNasty2point0	Hilarious and outspoken, Paul Bissonnette of the Phoenix Coyotes provides an ongoing look at "4th line plug life". The "2point0" of his handle refers to his brief hiatus from Twitter; fan demand got him back online.
@commie22	Mike Commodore, now of the Detroit Red Wings, actively interacts with fans and has given insights into both NHL and AHL lifestyles.
@grabs40	Michael Grabner, nicknamed "Gremlin", made headlines this year when, after being traded by the Canucks and waived by the Panthers, he got scooped up by the Islanders and ended up being a Calder Trophy finalist. He's very interactive with fans as well.
@LoganCouture	San Jose Sharks forward and Calder Trophy finalist, Couture is one of the more prolific NHL tweeters, and frequently interacts with fans through his Twitter.
@ryanwhitney6	Ryan Whitney of the Edmonston Oilers has a great sense of humor and often chirps with his fellow teammates Taylor Hall @hallsy04 and Ryan Jones @jonesry28 - they're all worth following.
@b_ryan9	Bobby Ryan of the Anaheim Ducks has proven to be a popular player not just on the ice but Twitter as well.
@Jtootoo22	Jordin Tootoo of the Nashville Predators has had one of the most interesting player accounts this summer, as he has been tweeting a variety of pictures from his hometown in the far north of Canada. (Land of ice and snow, even in July.)
@SteveKampfer47	Steve Kampfer of the Boston Bruins gave a look into the Bruins on their run to the Cup, but is also worth the follow for being fan-friendly.
@Stache16	George Parros is fairly new to Twitter, but is already proving that the man and his 'stache are going to be entertaining to follow.
@1Masey	There's not many NHL-level goalies on Twitter yet. While Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets has not been on Twitter long, he's already proving why more goalies should be online - they're a lot of fun. His new backup, Mark Dekanich @Dexshow, spent last season showing Milwaukee Admiral fans "how to DexShow", and will now be "bringing the DexShow" to CBJ.

PRO HOCKEY PLAYERS -- AHL / ECHL / EUROPE / OTHER

@GeffMan47	Bobby Goepfert, goalie - most recently with the Charlotte Checkers (AHL)/Florida Everblades (ECHL), Goepfert might best be known for his December 2010 goalie fight which made a splash on the Puck Daddy blog. However, Goepfert is a fun and entertaining follow, between talking hockey, chirping with other players, live "Goepardy" tweeting, or his "twogging" (Twitter blogging).
@MikeMcKenna56	Newly signed to the Ottawa Senators organization, McKenna is very personable, interacts with his fans, and tweets frequently.
@teach_lights31	Tyson Teichmann, goaltender of the Belleville Bulls (OHL) has one of the best bios, and his humor doesn't stop there. Keep an eye on him as a solid future NHL prospect.
@MichaelMurphy31	Another goaltender, Murphy is part of the Charlotte Checkers/Carolina Hurricanes system. Solid tweeter and chirps with fellow AHLers.
@RGrimaldi23	Rocco Grimaldi, 2011 draftee of the Florida Panthers, is chatty, positive and fun. Dude is new to the pro hockeytwittersphere and already tweeting like a boss.
@chriswhitley83	Chris Whitley of the Dundee Stars (Scotland) is one of the few European-league players who is on Twitter, but he's social and chatty. Gives his perspective on the Euro league; also, he's a goalie.
@HP4K_Dustin	Dustin Sproat of the Cincinnati Cyclones founded HP4K (Hockey Players For Kids, @HP4K). Solid tweeter, but also leading a cause that's worth supporting.
@JeremySmith30	Jeremy Smith is between the pipes for the Milwaukee Admirals (Nashville Predators system); last season, he and @Dexshow shared goaltender duties in MKE. What can I say, goalies are some of the best Twitterers... you can't follow enough of them.
@zackphillips7	Zack Phillips, new draftee for the MN Wild, is new to Twitter but has taken to it like a fish to water.
@MattDonovan46	Defenseman Matt Donovan is in the NY Islanders system. Tweets regularly and chats about a wide variety of things.

MAINSTREAM MEDIA AND BROADCASTERS

@TSNBobMcKenzie	TSN's "Hockey Insider" has been a top source of hockey information for years and one of the most highly-respected hockey news personalities, but he's also an entertaining guy. Both of his sons (Mike, AHL player; and Shawn, reporter) are also involved in hockey, but the eldest McKenzie often wins their Twitter chirp-wars.
@DarrenDreger	Another top TSN hockey reporter. If you want the first source for hockey news, follow both McKenzie and Dreger.
@Real_ESPNLeBrun	ESPN columnist and now a member of TSN, the personable LeBrun is another top source for hockey news.
@Helenenothelen	Helene Elliott led the way for female hockey journalists and sportscasters. She was the first female journalist to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and continues to be one of the most respected names in hockey and sports journalism.
@KevinWeekes	Former NHL goalie turned broadcaster, Weekes is one of the most fan-friendly guys in broadcasting. Particularly a good source for information about goaltending.
@JeffMarek	Now with Rogers Sportsnet, Marek continues his solid coverage of the NHL.
@Russotrib	While he is the Minnesota Wild writer for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Russo also covers the NHL, and he's interactive with fans across the league.
@Proteautype	Adam Proteau writes for The Hockey News, but his Twitter account isn't limited to 100% hockey. Entertaining and personable hockey (and other) discussions.
@bruce_arthur	Bruce Arthur of the National Post is a talented writer, but also a broadcaster; solid source for all news hockey.
@Jeremy_Roenick	Jeremy Roenick had one of the most prolific careers of American-born players to date, and the same unapologetic, no-holds-barred personality that made him popular as a player continues both as a hockey analyst and on his Twitter account.

HOCKEY BLOGGERS

@Wyshynski	Best known by the title on the blog he writes/edits for Yahoo, "Puck Daddy", Greg Wyshynski is the top hockey blogger in the U.S. Puck Daddy combines breaking hockey news with a solid dose of humor and a bit of snark. Puck Daddy leads the way for the borderline between the hockey blogosphere and hockey msm.
@DownGoesBrown	Hockey players tend to be the most down-to-earth athletes; and likewise, hockey fans are the most likely to enjoy humor about their sport. DGB is one of the leading hockey humorists; his work also appears in the New York Times.
@JapersRink	The Washington Capitals are one of the most blogger-friendly teams in the NHL; Japers Rink is a leading source for information about the Caps.
@Steve_Dangle	Hockey "vlogger" (video blogger) Dangle is consistently entertaining not just in his "vlogs" but on Twitter as well.
@TheGoalieGuild	Top online source for hockey goalie discussion, analysis and scouting. Frequently does live Twitter commentary during games breaking down goalie performance, so an excellent source for goalies looking to improve their own performances as well as those interested in goalies in general.
@mlse	Pension Plan Puppets bills itself as "A Toronto Maple Leafs Blog and Group Therapy Site". Like DGB and Dangle, has a good sense of humor towards the Leafs and hockey in general.
@2ndCityHockey	One of the most popular blogs for the Chicago Blackhawks fanbase, 2nd City combines solid analysis with a snarky sense of humor. Not for the faint of heart or easily offended.
@BK_DobberNation	While Dobber Nation focuses on fantasy hockey leagues and he's worth a follow if you're a fan of FHLs, his often-humorous ongoing player analysis is worth following for an in-depth look at what makes players valuable on the ice.
@PredsOnTheGlass	Like the Caps, the Predators have provent to be a very blogger-friendly team, and Buddy Oakes of PredsOnTheGlass.com is one of the leading bloggers covering the Preds.
@ChicksWhoGiveAPuck	Twitter feed for Chicks Who Give A Puck, one of the better-known, all-female-written comprehensive NHL blog sites. CWGAP have writers representing all teams in the NHL.

RANDOM PUCKS

Various hockey-related tweeters who don't fit into one of the above categories

@MakeMyDayMonday	Started by @NortonSports, the #MMDM effort was created to help change the world, one good deed at a time.
@DaveLozo	Dave Lozo writes for NHL.com, but he's also a pretty funny guy on Twitter.
@CoachQsMustache	There are plenty of parody accounts on Twitter, but the best of the best is CoachQsMustache, a.k.a. Quenneville's Stache. You can just about hear Coach Q's gravelly voice right through Twitter.
@CapGeek	CapGeek.com is the best source for hockey contract info. CapGeek is frequently sourced by many blogs - and pro writers - around the league.
@TSNResearch	"Just the facts. Because everything else is made up. Write that down." Tweets from the research department at TSN.
@InGoalMedia	InGoal Magazine's twitter account - like @TheGoalieGuild, a great source for goaltending information.
@NHLHistoryGirl	Daily doses of hockey factoids, but also discusses hockey and other random things.
@HockeyAgainstH8	Hockey Against H8 is a movement in the "hockey is for everyone" ideal - especially supporting LGBT players and women in hockey.
@PhysicsofHockey	The Physics of Hockey is a blog, but not a traditional one - it looks at physics in hockey. (Much more interesting than it may sound!)
@HabsLaughs	From one of the most intense hotbeds of hockey, Montréal, comes one of its most humorous blogs/tweeters. Burning cop car not included.

 
Honorable mentions:@GongshowGear and @SauceHockey, two companies that specialize in "hockey lifestyle" clothing.

TOP NHL TEAM TWEET ACCOUNTS

These are the top official NHL team accounts. These teams all score highly on content provided, frequency of updates, and fan interaction. (Listed alphabetically by team's city/state name)

Chicago Blackhawks
Florida Panthers
New York Islanders
San Jose Sharks
Tampa Bay Lightning
Washington Capitals

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Chicago Blackhawks 2011 prospect camp - day 3 scrimmage in pictures

2011 Draftee Johan Mattsson on the ice during warmups

Video of the full second period of the scrimmage. Johan Mattsson (2011 Draftee) in net for red (left) and Cal Heeter (free agent invitee) in net for white (right). Video is shot on a Flip cam and is not the best (out of focus at times and occasionally the lightning looks yellow) but for those interested in watching the scrimmage, here's a look for you.

Waiting to take the ice before the first period. The pre-game tension was palpable.



Scott Greenham (left) and Cal Heeter wait to take the ice



Waiting to take the ice



Mac Carruth in net



Stephen John moves the puck up ice



Rob Flick makes a play




Drew LeBlanc takes a faceoff



White team congratulates each other on Mark McNeill's goal



Free agent invitee Matt Petgrave on defense



2011 Draftees Mark McNeill (left) and Phillip Denault face off



Rob Flick (left) and Kevin Hayes take a faceoff



Scott Greenham (left) and Cal Heeter skate off the ice after the first period



2011 Draftee Phillip Danault on the ice



2011 Draftee Adam Clendening (8) plays defense against one of the Hayes brothers



2011 Draftee Brandon Saad in front of goalie Cal Heeter



Free agent invitee goalie Michael Clemente makes a save against Daniel Delisle (19)



Rob Flick takes a faceoff



Kent Simpson makes a save against Joe Lavin



Cal Heeter makes a save against the white team; Stephen Johns and Joakim Nordstrom in the crease



Mark McNeill and Stevie Moses race Kevin Hayes for the puck



Cal Heeter in goal



The red team celebrates a goal



Cal Heeter defends against Phillip Danault's play



Ludvig Rensfeldt



Mirko Hoefflin battles Shayne Taker for the puck



Brandon Saad on the ice



Stephen Johns looks up at the fans on the upper level during warmups



The players take instruction prior to the scrimmage



Dylan Olsen takes the puck



Matt Petgrave making a defensive play



Paul Zanette on a faceoff



Michael Clemente makes a save



2011 Draftee Andrew Shaw, agitator



Matt Petgrave on the ice



Dylan Olsen making a play



Scott Greenham makes a save



Scott Greenham in goal



Brothers Alex and Terry Broadhurst making a play against Paul Phillips



Adam Clendening works defense behind Scott Greenham's net



Free agent invitee Ben Youds



Drew Leblanc wins a faceoff against Phillip Danault



Red team scores on Scott Greenham



Mark McNeill tallies his first goal against Michael Clemente



Mark McNeill takes a faceoff



Mac Carruth during a pause in play



Stephen Johns scores on Scott Greenham



Andrew Shaw makes a play



Michael Clemente in net



Joe Lavin defends against Mark McNeill



Joe Lavin moves the puck against Michael Paliotta



Scott Greenham nakes the save and the red team goes for the rebound



Mark McNeill faces off against David Gilbert



Phillipe Paradis and Joe Levin chase down a loose puck



Michael Clemente corrals the puck as Mark McNeill attempts a wraparound



Phillipe Paradis checks Jimmy Hayes



Drew LeBlanc carries the puck up ice



Post-game handshake; Saturday's scrimmage was a tie, 6-6, including one 5-minute overtime

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