HOLTY’S BLOG Pt. Deux: Murphy
Friends of the blog, I told you yesterday that there would be a second blog this week, so I’m not disappointing. Obviously, I knew later in the day news would come out that Ryan Murphy was headed to Hershey and felt he deserved his own blog.
So for the first time in Holty History, there are two blogs in the same week. I can do this because they are my blogs, and I’ll do what I want…
If you’re counting, and based on messages, emails, and tweets, you are, you would know that three members of the 2013-14 Condors will reside in Chocolatetown this season. First, it was Troy Mann returning to his old stomping grounds, then it was Erik Burgdoerfer getting his well-earned crack at the AHL, and now it’s Murph.
I have a ton of respect for Murph. Against the will of many back home in the NY/NJ area, he left a fairly lucrative career in finance to become an assistant coach, in the desert of California, in the ECHL. Let’s just say that the finance position was better paying.
But, he took a gamble. He wanted to get back into the game of hockey and there was no better situation for him than to be in an office with a guy he knew very well from his playing days.
While he was here, Murph was in charge of the defense, the penalty kill, and preparing video. There was nobody in the ECHL doing more video than the Condors in 2013-14.
Thanks to friend of the blog, @KevinBartl, updating the media guide, we know that the Condors tied a team record for penalty kill at 85.9, surrendered the fewest PP goals in team history (13 fewer than the next closest), and was 8th in the ECHL in goals-against average. Mind you, this was after the goalie carousel during the first month of the season or else the goals against would be in an even better league ranking.
Away from the Condors, Murph was a regular over at the Bakersfield Ice Sports Center giving lessons and helping out with the Bakersfield Dragons program. He was also a highly anticipated guest on Condors Insider every week. I’ll still make sure to get on him for being a Rangers fan.
It’s exciting to see people work hard, commit themselves, and be rewarded. Best of luck to him. I guess he’s now in charge of making sure Troy’s pocket squares are ironed.
OTHER THINGS, IN LIST FORM:
– The Condors hired an equipment manager, Tim Abbott, who won three Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings and an athletic trainer, Vince Fedorowich, who comes to Bakersfield from the now-departed Abbotsford Heat.
– In Edmonton, the Oilers hired a Director of Game Presentation, Rich Meyers. Basically, he’s the guy that makes sure you have fun when you enter the building. Rich presented at ECHL League Meetings last summer and his 24/7 style videos with Grand Rapids (AHL) are awesome. (Click here)
– The Condors will be featured in an episode of new CBS show, Madam Secretary, coming up in October. #HoltyTeaser
– We’re ordering this year’s new staff polos today. So that’s great. That makes 8 staff polos for me now. Yeah, I’m getting old.
That’s all I have. Until next time Condorstown…
