Two Iconic Female players will join NHL 13

When I've always claimed that Confessions of a Hockey Fanatic is a blog of unparalleled pioneering, I was not kidding. Since investing in the EA Sports series of video games, I have steered the games persuasively through my critiques published here. As the game is soon to arrive on the retail shelves, two new players were given the opportunity to break the news on twitter about being specially included in NHL 13.

Source: Twitter

EA Sports-Canada, can claim all they want that a little girl was their inspiration last year for finally adding the female gender option for the create a player in NHL 12. In staunchly written truth, it was THIS BLOG (as early as 2009) along with several other published critiques in other appropriate websites.

I continue to advocate for many more subtle changes to the game. I believe that EA Sports does listen to all their feedback while trying to produce the biggest and best game year after year. I believe that NHL 13 will be no different.

But as for the new Legends package as included in the NHL 13 game, I would have to say that it's a fresh new take on the game. They've begun to capture the imaginations of a whole new demographic of hockey fans.

Angela Ruggerio is widely known as being as one of the top familiar faces in womens hockey. Thanks to her appearance on reality tv, her advocacy on the US Olympic committee, and ever presence on social media (see screen capture), she is definitely a popular hockey player among the fans. She's won numerous IIHF and Olympics medals, but also has one game to her credit while suiting up for the Tulsa Oilers along side her brother goaltender.

Haley Wickenheiser is no stranger to play amongst the boys as well. Though she wasn't the first female credited to break the gender barrier, she's the first female to register a point for Kirkkonummen Salamat of the Finnish Elite League. But she is also known as a pioneering spirit on the perpetually-winning Team Canada.

I am looking forward to having both ladies in NHL action real soon!

Angela Ruggiero Retires

There comes the time in the players career that the time to recognize that it's over. For Angela Ruggiero, that time is now. Today, she's decided to retire from USA Hockey and most likely pursue other interests. If that means finding a job as a coach or in a front office somewhere... it's no doubt that the outspoken and driven role model will be successful.

She competed 16 years for the United States and has played more games (256) in a Team USA uniform than any other ice hockey player in the country's history. In total, she finished her career with the U.S. Women's National Team Program having recorded 208 points, including 67 goals and 141 assists.

She is a very gifted personal speaker and the reports say that she came prepared to Team USA's camp to declare herself retired from hockey at the age of 31. She also is recovering from recent shoulder surgery. She first released her decision to retire at her twitter account @AngelaRuggiero.
In my opinion, she is also one of the modern pioneers in women's hockey short history. She's achieved so much in her 16 year career with a Harvard cum laude degree, numerous International medals, and even more storybook noteworthy is her 1 game credited playing for the CHL's Tulsa Oilers with her brother Bill in goal. They are the only brother-sister tandem to play a game together.
Angela's influence and popularity will be missed along with the veteran presence she has on the Team USA roster. Hopefully, the program will continue development of other young women with her elite caliber.

[Via: USA Hockey and ESPN W]

Happy Birthday, Angela.

Hockey often presents opportunities that makes heroes of pioneers and the women's game is abundant of those. COHF would like to wish a happy 28th birthday to one of those pioneers - Angela Ruggerio.

Angela is one of the more celebrity female players having parlayed her Team USA Olympic success and extended her exposure to writing a best selling book Breaking the Ice, won the 2004 Patty Kazmaier Award, and was an integral cast member on NBC's reality TV series The Apprentice's sixth season.

She also spoke truth to power as she criticized Team Canada during the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics for possibly displaying unsportsmanlike strategy.

"I'm upset that Canada has been running up the score, especially against the host nation... There was no need for that. They're trying to pad their stats... Canada is running up the score for whatever reasons -- personal, short-term."

But her most highlighted hockey achievement came on January 28, 2005 by playing a CHL game with her brother Bill and the Tulsa Oilers.

Happy Birthday, Angela

I would just like to take a moment to wish Angela Ruggiero a very happy birthday. I wish her nothing but the best in all her personal endeavors including those with Team USA.

Hockey is full of role model athletes and Angela's story is no exception.

I hope that in this coming month, Angela never hears the words "You're fired!"

Central Hockey League and Tulsa Oilers get Progressive

Tulsa Oilers Official Website

I don't think anyone who reads this blog can name me one player from the Central Hockey League. Until now, I couldn't tell who the players were without a scorecard either. But thanks to this article from Yahoo! Sports, I can name you two players from the CHL.

Bill Ruggiero plays goaltender for the Tulsa Oilers. Bill's sister, Angela Ruggiero, plays defense. Yes, that's correct. There's a woman playing defense in an all male Central Hockey League.

I've made it quite clear to a lot of people that I've been a real supporter of women's athletics, especially women's hockey, but this time I can only hope that Angela isn't in over her head.

I can't fault Angela's wanting to play hockey. Even with her brother supporting her on the team, it's bound to be a lot easier than other women who have tried to break the gender barrier. This is the quote she gave reporters in the article about her first experience.

"It always pushes you," she said. "I wish I could play the whole game and come back tomorrow."

For Angela's sake, I just hope that this wasn't just another publicity stunt. There was an awful lot of good to come out of the game, beginning with the "young girls free ticket giveaway." They were the most impacted by the historic day to see that sometimes boys could be just as good as the girls. The rest of the ticket revenue went to Tsunami disaster relief.

Angela played sparingly according to the article. The coach had put her in late in the game already up 4-0 after already tallying over 6 minutes of ice time.

The Tulsa Oilers are 4 points out of first place in their division and hope for a late playoff push. Perhaps adding a 25 year old Harvard Grad, 5'9", 185 lbs. two time Olympic medalist in Angela is just what they need.

I just hope Angela doesn't get hurt. The big boys play hard. Real Hard.

"I'm used to getting hit," she said, a bright and intact smile belying her participation in games she says are "a second quicker" and more physical than the women's sport.

She has never broken a bone or tooth playing hockey -- her own, anyway.

• Angela Ruggiero to lace 'em up in CHL(Courtesy of the Detroit Free Press)


• Brother, Sister Will Skate for Relief, History(Courtesy of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram)


• This Girl Could Teach Hockey's Big Boy's A Thing Or Two(Courtesy of the Tampa Tribune)