Published: Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Silvertips add another impact forward Birkholz
Talented University of Minnesota winger has decided to leave the school for the WHL
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AP
Josh Birkholz celebrates a goal during a game last season with the Minnesota Gophers.
EVERETT -- For the second straight day the Everett Silvertips added an impact forward to the roster. But this time they didn't have to give up anything in the process.
The Silvertips received a commitment Tuesday from University of Minnesota forward Josh Birkholz, meaning the talented winger will be suiting up for Everett in the upcoming season.
Birkholz, a third-round pick by the Florida Panthers in the 2009 NHL draft, decided to leave Minnesota after just one season with the Golden Gophers. Everett has owned Birkholz's WHL rights for two years.
Birkholz's commitment came one day after the Tips acquired talented center Landon Ferraro from Red Deer.
"The last couple days have been pretty good for the Everett Silvertips," Everett general manager Doug Soetaert said while traveling back from the Western Conference scheduling meeting in Kelowna, B.C.
Birkholz is entering his 19-year-old season. The 6-foot-1, 182-pound native of Maple Grove, Minn., appeared in 36 games for Minnesota as a freshman, tallying five goals and one assist. The previous season he played for Fargo of the USHL, where he had 21 goals and 15 assists in 55 games.
"He's a top-six forward and we're very fortunate to add a player like him," Soetaert said. "He's a big kid, he's strong and well put together, he's got great speed and he can score goals. He's a two-way guy who's going to bring speed and passion."
But things were not working out for Birkholz at Minnesota. Soetaert said Birkholz was dissatisfied with his playing time, which was limited to third- and fourth-line duties. Birkholz was also facing a suspension at the start of the upcoming season at Minnesota for a violation of team rules. Those circumstances had Birkholz considering his options.
"I talked to his agent at the NHL draft just to ask how (Birkholz) was doing," Soetaert recalled. "He said, 'Don't get too excited, but there could be a chance he'll come and play for you.' I was surprised when the agent said that because we hadn't really had any contact for quite some time."
The Tips began conversations with Birkholz and brought he and his family to Everett last weekend for a first-hand look.
"We had great conversations with him and his family," Soetaert said. "Craig (Hartsburg, Everett's head coach) talked to him, I talked to him, and he's a very upbeat young man. We brought him and his parents down and educated them about the WHL, and they understand. There's a lot of fallacies about the WHL going around in college hockey, but they came here and saw for themselves and were able to make an educated decision."
Soetaert said he had no concerns about the fact Birkholz was facing a suspension at Minnesota.
"I'm not concerned with that whatsoever," Soetaert said. "He's a bright young man who knows what he wants, and he's a pleasure to talk to."
Birkholz is the first player ever to leave an NCAA school to play for Everett. The Tips have signed players who were committed to NCAA schools at the time (Peter Mueller, Brandon Campos, Tyler Kieffer) and traded for players who played at NCAA schools before leaving for other WHL teams (Bryan Nathe, Alex Leavitt), but never acquired a player straight from an NCAA team.
The additions of Birkholz and Ferraro -- acquired in a trade for Byron Froese on Monday -- give the Tips a significant new look among their top-six forwards. They should help replace the offense lost from the trade of Froese and the graduation of overagers Shane Harper, Chris Langkow and Zack Dailey.
Nick Patterson's Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog
The Silvertips received a commitment Tuesday from University of Minnesota forward Josh Birkholz, meaning the talented winger will be suiting up for Everett in the upcoming season.
Birkholz, a third-round pick by the Florida Panthers in the 2009 NHL draft, decided to leave Minnesota after just one season with the Golden Gophers. Everett has owned Birkholz's WHL rights for two years.
Birkholz's commitment came one day after the Tips acquired talented center Landon Ferraro from Red Deer.
"The last couple days have been pretty good for the Everett Silvertips," Everett general manager Doug Soetaert said while traveling back from the Western Conference scheduling meeting in Kelowna, B.C.
Birkholz is entering his 19-year-old season. The 6-foot-1, 182-pound native of Maple Grove, Minn., appeared in 36 games for Minnesota as a freshman, tallying five goals and one assist. The previous season he played for Fargo of the USHL, where he had 21 goals and 15 assists in 55 games.
"He's a top-six forward and we're very fortunate to add a player like him," Soetaert said. "He's a big kid, he's strong and well put together, he's got great speed and he can score goals. He's a two-way guy who's going to bring speed and passion."
But things were not working out for Birkholz at Minnesota. Soetaert said Birkholz was dissatisfied with his playing time, which was limited to third- and fourth-line duties. Birkholz was also facing a suspension at the start of the upcoming season at Minnesota for a violation of team rules. Those circumstances had Birkholz considering his options.
"I talked to his agent at the NHL draft just to ask how (Birkholz) was doing," Soetaert recalled. "He said, 'Don't get too excited, but there could be a chance he'll come and play for you.' I was surprised when the agent said that because we hadn't really had any contact for quite some time."
The Tips began conversations with Birkholz and brought he and his family to Everett last weekend for a first-hand look.
"We had great conversations with him and his family," Soetaert said. "Craig (Hartsburg, Everett's head coach) talked to him, I talked to him, and he's a very upbeat young man. We brought him and his parents down and educated them about the WHL, and they understand. There's a lot of fallacies about the WHL going around in college hockey, but they came here and saw for themselves and were able to make an educated decision."
Soetaert said he had no concerns about the fact Birkholz was facing a suspension at Minnesota.
"I'm not concerned with that whatsoever," Soetaert said. "He's a bright young man who knows what he wants, and he's a pleasure to talk to."
Birkholz is the first player ever to leave an NCAA school to play for Everett. The Tips have signed players who were committed to NCAA schools at the time (Peter Mueller, Brandon Campos, Tyler Kieffer) and traded for players who played at NCAA schools before leaving for other WHL teams (Bryan Nathe, Alex Leavitt), but never acquired a player straight from an NCAA team.
The additions of Birkholz and Ferraro -- acquired in a trade for Byron Froese on Monday -- give the Tips a significant new look among their top-six forwards. They should help replace the offense lost from the trade of Froese and the graduation of overagers Shane Harper, Chris Langkow and Zack Dailey.
Nick Patterson's Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog
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