UPDATED: Bears’ Kane heads for KHL

Boyd Kane, the former Hershey Bears captain, has left the team in pursuit of a new opportunity with Madvescak Zagreb.

Kane, a veteran of nearly 950 AHL games, has spent the past four seasons in Hershey where he put up a stellar 127 points (58-69). The Bears, without his veteran presence, will be left with a sizeable hole to fill. Kane, 35, played a strong two-way game for the Bears.

Kane’s most recent four-year stint with the Bears was his second tenure with the team. In 2005-06, Kane was a member of the Bears Calder Cup winning team. Kane, again as a member of the Bears, would win another Calder Cup in 2009-10.

Tim Leone, who has covered the Bears for a number of years, wrote the following on Twitter:

Kane leaves a legacy that should someday put him in the Bears Hall of Fame: Five seasons and Calder Cups in 05-06 (captain) and 09-10.

— Tim Leone (@timleone) July 3, 2013

Kane will join former Bears head coach Mark French in Zagreb, and joins former AHLers Barry Brust, Luke Walker, and Bill Thomas on the 2013-14 squad.

UPDATE: Kane spoke to Dave Soittle of PennLive.com. It’s worth the time to read it over. From the story:

“We loved our time in Hershey and had a lot of good years there,” Kane said Wednesday from his native Saskatchewan, where he’s vacationing with his wife and two young daughters. “As a family, we loved it, but there’s always a time to move on and this was my time. It’s a great opportunity and I had to jump on it.

“When you win championships, you get close with people. You develop a bond, and not just with teammates and staff, but with those in the community and people who help out. You can’t help but get close, and it’s those friendships I’ll miss the most.”

 

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Goaltenders Brust, Sabourin head overseas

Barry Brust will be back in a European jersey in 2013-14.

Two veteran AHL netminders are heading to Europe, freeing up spots in their former organizations.

Barry Brust has reportedly signed a deal with the KHL’s Medvescak Zagreb after spending the last season in Abbotsford. Brust playing in 35 games last season, with a 2.50 GAA and .911 SV%. A Calder Cup champion in 2010-11 with the Binghamton Senators, Brust will be on his second stint in Europe after spending a year in Germany with DEL’s Straubing Tigers.

At 29, Brust hasn’t spent a ton of time in the NHL. His only taste of the big leagues was an 11 game stint in 2006-07 with the Los Angeles Kings. In his 11 games in the NHL, he posted a dismal 3.70 GAA and .878 SV%.

In addition to Brust, journeyman goaltender Dany Sabourin is also heading across the pond.

Dany Sabourin will get a shot at a full-time starting role in Austria next season.

Sabourin, 32, has been a serviceable backup at every level. Over the last 11 years, the 6’4″ netminder has played in Johnstown (ECHL), Saint John, Calgary, Las Vegas (ECHL), Lowell, Wheeling (ECHL), Wilkes-Barre, Pittsburgh, Vancouver, Manitoba, Springfield, Providence, and Hershey.

After his three year tenure in Hershey — where he played in 78 games — Sabourin is headed to the Graz 99ers of the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga.

The Graduate: Bruce Boudreau

The Graduate is an American Hockey Blog feature that highlights a notable AHL alumnus, their career, and what makes them so special to AHL lore. It also happens to be the title of a 1967 film starring Dustin Hoffman, which has been praised by the American Film Institute. These things are not related.

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For most modern hockey fans, the lasting image of Bruce “Gabby” Boudreau includes a smattering of barbecue sauce, but the Anaheim Ducks head coach is an American Hockey League icon.

Boudreau, primarily a centre throughout his playing days, began his professional career in the 1975-76 season as a member of the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the World Hockey Association. Boudreau played a mere 30 games with the Fighting Saints, managing three goals and six helpers. The next year, Boudreau would make his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but his inability to stick with the big club would lead to the beginning of an illustrious minor league career.