Huskins

[Chris]

Good article here on him that I found, sounds like he's progressing pretty well.

http://nhl.com/intheslot/read/ahl/ahl032802.html

[MikeR]

Huskins sent to San Antonio

link-
Huskins in the AHL (http://www.forecaster.ca/hockeyplus/hockey/player.cgi?1840)

[berry15]

Seems Huskins is doing well...
Rampage Stats (http://www.sarampage.com/teamstats.shtml)

With Ludzik being brought up to Florida and Dudley, who favors North American players, being named interim head coach... Huskins could finally get his shot in the show!
Ludzik Named Panthers Assistant Coach (http://www.sarampage.com/ludzik_031110.shtml)

[berry15]

I hope Kent gets "promoted" again soon!

San Antonio Express-News
12/19/03
Rampage's Huskins faces former team
By Lee Scheide

Rampage general manager Bobby Jay knew on Dec. 11, before the team's pregame skate at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. Already that morning he'd been on the phone with the Florida Panthers and they were looking for a defenseman.

Jay suggested Kent Huskins, and Florida agreed. The Panthers told Jay to let Huskins take part in the practice, then tell him to pack his bags for a quick flight to the Southeast.

News like that, however, is hard to keep a secret. So when the rest of the Rampage players found out that the third-year pro was getting his first NHL promotion, they came up and shook his hand. "Quality and character," Jay said of Huskins, who signed with Florida this year after playing the past two years in Norfolk.

"Everyone was so happy for him when he got called up, they all thought he deserved it. He's a hard worker and does exactly what you ask."

Huskins flew to Sunrise, Fla., and skated in warm-ups for the game that night. However, when Mike Van Ryn was pronounced fit to play, Huskins was scratched and found himself winging toward Cincinnati to join the Rampage again on Dec. 12. "We know how much he means to the Rampage, so we needed to get him back to the team as fast as we could if he wasn't needed here," Panthers assistant general manager Grant Sonier said. "He's earned the promotion and we would have had no problems putting him in the lineup if Van Ryn couldn't have squeezed his foot into the skate."

Tonight, he'll help the Rampage battle his former team in the first of two games on consecutive nights at the SBC Center. Ironic, since Huskins helped the Admirals eliminate San Antonio in three games during the Western Conference quarterfinals last year.

Huskins has been solid for the Rampage this season, one of the steadying factors on the blue line despite being just 23. He has scored one goal, added three assists and has a plus-seven rating.
Huskins knows what to expect from the Admirals.

"I've got some friends over there because we bussed everywhere and you spend a lot of time around the guys," he said. "They have some quality guys and it's going to be different seeing those jerseys and the familiar faces.
"But I'm in San Antonio and we need a win right now, so all that goes away when the game starts. I'm excited to be playing against them."

[berry15]

Kent got first star last night versus Cleveland because he had both goals in San Antonio's 4-2 loss.

Boxscore (http://www.sarampage.com/box_040212.shtml)

They should bring Kyle Rossiter back to San Antonio from Florida and send up Husky!

[Walker]

G A PTS
5 Huskins, Kent 0 2 2

I was at the rampage crunch game yesterday and was quite impressed with Kent's play. He was always in the right spot at the right time and seemed to do an excellent job reading the ice. He logged a good percentage of his time on the PK also.

[berry15]

Great article...

http://www.sarampage.com/fifth_degree_huskins.shtml

The Fifth Degree With Kent Huskins
By
Feb 24, 2004, 12:36


Kent Huskins
In high school, he wore the number ‘5’ and in college, he was co-captain of his team. The more things have changed, the more Kent Huskins has stayed the same.

Born in Ottawa, Ontario on May 4, 1979, Huskins was originally drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the sixth round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft (156th overall). He spent the last two seasons with Western Conference neighbor, Norfolk, until making the move to San Antonio for his first season with the Rampage this year. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound defenseman scored 42 points (9-33-42) with 92 penalty minutes in 145 games during his two-year stint with the Admirals. Prior to skating with Norfolk, Huskins spent four years at Clarkson University, where he was a contender for the Hobey Baker Award and led all ECAC defensemen in scoring in 2000-2001. It makes sense that he was an All-American ECAC selection while working on his degree.

He majored in Business Administration but turned to hockey for his career. He has graduated high school and has left the Clarkson Knights for Rampage fans, but Huskins is still known for representing quality, character and the number ‘5’ on his back. We called up the Rampage rookie to talk more about change and to see what else has stayed the same. Here’s what we got:

Sarampage.com: If you could change one rule in hockey what would it be?
Kent Huskins: I’d probably take out the 2-line passing rule. Because I played hockey in college, I know it opens the game with fewer whistles and more offense.

Sarampage.com: You played for Clarkson University for four years. What did the collegiate setting offer that you wouldn’t have had otherwise?
Kent Huskins: When I first entered Clarkson I was 16. I wasn’t quite ready to leave home. A lot of the guys from Canada play in junior before now, but my parents made sure I went through the college route. It was good for me in that sense because in order to play hockey in college, you have to go to class.

Sarampage.com: How did you get the nickname “Big Al” when you played for Norfolk?

Kent Huskins: I played up in Norfolk with a guy named Marty Wilford who grew up watching the Toronto Maple Leafs and their star defensemen, at the time, was Al Arbour. With the way things work in Norfolk, I was mostly counted on to skate with the puck, like Al Arbour, who was also known as “Big Al”. Aside from that, he was also known for being somewhat of a wild man, very vocal, so Marty gave me the nickname “Big Al”. It’s funny because I thought once I left Norfolk the whole thing would be over. It turns out a guy I played with up there ended up coming down to training camp and he brought that with him. Now this team knows about it and when I told Marty he thought it was hilarious.

Sarampage.com: Of your current teammates, who would be most likely to claim the title of MVP of Life? In other words, who has the total package on and off the ice?

Kent Huskins: Lee Goren. He’s the team captain and is a good leader for our team. He carries himself well and isn’t selfish. Lee is very team oriented and has a great personality.

Sarampage.com: You guys held the rookie party in Austin, Texas a couple of weeks ago. What was the highlight of that trip?

Kent Huskins: Well, it was pretty rowdy. In San Antonio, we don’t have many chances, as a team, together like that. Lee and Kyle (Rossiter) set the whole thing up and the best thing about it was how very well organized it was from the transportation there, where we ate, everything. The bus trip up there was great because the rookies got to provide the entertainment over the bus microphone. It was rough because, first, you have to think of something funny and, secondly, you’re performing in front of a hostile crowd. Overall though, it was a good time and it was great to have everyone there