Needing to make a roster move to get down to the United Hockey League maximum before this weekend's games, the Fort Wayne Komets traded enforcer and UHL Komets penalty minute record holder Jeff Worlton on Wednesday to Roanoke for future considerations.
The Komets will be able to pick a player from a list provided by Roanoke before the UHL trade deadline of March 14
“It was a tough decision,'' Komets General Manager David Franke said. “We just haven't been able to find the ice time lately for Jeff, and Roanoke expressed a strong interest in him. With the change of the rules, there just isn't that much fighting that's going on in the league anymore. There's a premium on skating ability and all-around play. We just couldn't get the ice time to Jeff that we know he would have liked.
“He did everything for us that we asked him to. He never complained about his ice time or lack of ice time. We just felt it was time to make the change.''
Worlton, 26, was in his 5th pro year and 2nd season with the Komets. Last year the right winger posted 2 goals and 4 points in 68 games while establishing a new Fort Wayne UHL record of 372 penalty minutes. This season Worlton appeared in 20 games registering no points and 83 penalty minutes with the Komets.
In mid-December, Worlton was placed on a team suspension to make room on the roster for other players and he wasn't activated until Jan. 1. Since then, he's seen very limited ice time.
Worlton was upset with the trade. He talked with Komets coach Greg Puhalski two weeks ago, and Puhalski said at the time he felt Worlton would remain with the Komets.
“I hadn't been playing a lot and I never said anything negative,'' Worlton said. “I never complained about ice time. You can ask anybody. I was a cheerleader on the bench, and I did my job. I was fine doing what I was doing, but they said they don't have any room for me. I'm still a little stunned by all of this.''
Puhalski said he appreciated what Worlton had done for the Komets, but it was time to look in a different direction.
Comments
I would like to point out, the Komets DO have one "tough guy" on the team. Would anyone here question Chaulks toughness? Sure he doesn't fight alot, but he doesnt back down either. Mario played that way especially early in his career in Pittsburgh because there was nobody on those teams to protect him. Chaulk hits, isn't afraid to get in the corners and will rough it up when he has to. He is also smart enough to walk away when he knows someone is just trying to sucker him into a cheap penalty...............
Is Robin Bawa around anyplace??????
I agree with you Tony, Chaulk does make some hits and isn't afraid of other players. I've seen him stick up for teammates as well. But Chaulk shouldn't have to. Chaulk puts up alot of points for our team-we need people to stick up for him in all honesty. We can't afford to have such a player as Chaulk sitting out of the game in a penalty box because he's been given the burden to stick up for the other players.
Chaulk is one of the few proven scorers on the team. Why would you want him sitting in the box for a team already starving for offense?
You are WAY off Pit. has ALWAYS had tough guys around to protect Mario. Same with Grez. come on, wake up.
Not that it will matter or "hurt" the Komets but I'm now looking for other activites to do.
Who do you think was a tough guy on Mario's early teams??? Warren Young??? Please. Edmonton did always protect Wayne but in the early days of Mario's career, HE dropped the gloves himeself when he had to! I will say this for the "tough guys" back then in Pittsburgh, they could all do something besides fight. Ruskowski, Young and even Frawley were good for double digit goals every year. Lol their toughest guy back then were their goalies. Roberto Romano and Gilles Meloche went to the Billy Smith school of goalstick hacksaw! They was so busy swinging sticks they many times forgot what he was really there for.
I didn't say I wanted Chaulk in the box. I said that he isn't afraid of mixing it up if he needs to. Right now, IS the komets toughest player
Well in that article a few weeks Jorde said he was looking forward to dropping the gloves for the hometown fans, now is his chance. It will be interesting to see if he does. And yes I know before he came here he never had too many penalty minutes, so I am not expecting it, but it will be an interesting thing to keep an eye on.
If I saw in the paper Roanoke is giving the komets a list of players they can pick from. Which makes no sense now since we got rid of worly to trim the roster. To the person who asked about Bawa he could never return even if he wanted to because of the Career ending concussion he recieved his last year here.
How about Rob Guinn being our enforcer. He is a very tough guy. As tough as the other two guys I don't like that I better not mention by name because I've become a broken record. The Komet's are awesome. The best around. Look at our record. We don't have any problems on this team. Everything is just fine. Franke thinks that G & J can do the fighting just as he promised when he brought them in. "G" also is putting up huge numbers for us just like Mr. Franke promised. He is a great example and leader. We don't need fighters. We will just outscore everyone else by dumping the puck everytime down. Chief has it all figured out. Relax everybody. We don't need no stickin' muscles. Drink the Orange Komet Kool-aid that the Frankes made. Everything will be just fine. Don't have an opinion. Just pay your money and keep quiet. We got the rest of the league right where we want them. Welcome to the Bung-Hole!!!
Hustle, you are right. People on this site need to lighten up a little bit. You are just having fun with them. People take things way too seriously. Maybe the best thing to do is to not have an opinion. That would give guys like Scoops what they want. He writes twelve novels long and then begs people not to talk about the negative of this team. What is positive about a mediocre team at best anyway? Keep on laughing and have fun.
Tina, I think you are missing the point, scoops does have an opinion and listens to other peoples opinion. The thing is people, including myself, have at times taken things way too far or are way off base with our comments. If you actually read what scoops is saying, he is very knowledgable about hockey and the Komets. He gets on the team more than individual players, and I believe that we are all just way to frustrated with the product on the ice, or at least how inconsistant the team is. That frustration leads to comments that are off base and tend to push things all little too far. If any of us were on the ice those guys would kick our butts. There is a lot of sarcasm in what scoops says many times, and too me sarcasm is funny. You don't like his sarcasm, but you seem too like all of the other sarcasm on the site.
You are right there are not a lot of positive things about a mediocre team, but the K's have spoiled us over the years with winning teams, and we are all having a hard time adjusting to mediocrity.
Hustle, if you are at all reading what scoops and anyone else is writing none of us are drinking the Komet Kool-Aid and everything is not just fine. We all feel your pain, we just all have different ways to express it.
I for one agree with you, the team needs to be more physical. Teams do come into our house and push us around. Others say being physical means fighting, I believe you can be a physical team without all the fighting. But fight when it is necessary, and unfortunately in hockey at times it is necessary. After reading the Frankes comments about fighting today in the paper though, we might as well melt the ice and play roller hockey with no checking. It doesn't look like we will be getting an enforcer anytime soon, so I hope someone on the current roster can step up to the plate. Wait maybe not, if they do they will be traded away like VanderBreggen.
Shoot! Tina I hope this didn't fall into being considered a novel.
Good post sniper. You are right in what you say. We all have different ways of expressing our frustrations about this team. I get carried away too and rant and rave about certain players too much. I think it is all in fun though. It is a place to vent those frustrations and at times to be silly. Blake does a great job of putting up topics on this site that gets the blood boiling. Kudos to Blake. No where else is there coverage like his. Keep up the good work. Love the site and your information. You have gotten tons of bloggers.
Some days I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. LOL. I'm not necessarily trying to get the blood boiling, I'm just interested in what people think. I think I learn as much as any of you on here. I learn that I'm not the only one out here who desperately needs to get a life! LOL.
It is very obvious, though, that people care passionately about their team. Even if they are a bit spoiled. Everybody gets on the Frankes, but it has been a remarkable 15-year run. It could be argued that only the Red Wings, maybe the Avalanche or Chicago Wolves, have been more consistent.
Think about it, how many "off'' years have we had here in the Fort? I can only think of two that were God awful, and the book is still out on this one. That's amazing in any sport at any level. You may not always like what they do, and no one is perfect, but they do deserve some respect for what they have accomplished.
I wish the Cubs were 1/3 as consistent.
I think I remewmber a comment in one of the articles stating that the K' wanted to keep thier 6 rookies and 7 defenseman. Who is gonna be the odd man out......I count 8 defenseman on the roster. Or are they not counting Kean right now not knowing when he may return? As far as I'm concerned, everyone has brought up good points in these blogs. Several times someone has brought up something that I believe alot of us have forgotten about...something said, done, etc... This is just one of the great benefits to living in a free country....freedom of speech um er or blogging
Yeah, everyone shut up. No opinions allowed here.
*NOW FOR YOUR MORNING CUP OF SARCASM*
Lets everyone raise their glasses to 3 fights apiece for Jorde and Galbraith (in the first period), 100 checks per game, Pulhalski gets fired, Franke resigns, we score 14 goals, and come out with 2 big wins at home this weekend. Here, here!!!!
Enjoy that buzz before reality sets in. The two wins are possible but the rest of that blog wishlist ain't happening.
Not counting Kean
Finally... a place where logic, reason, intelligence, and reasonable thought are not required in order to express an opinion.
Not to mention the personal integrity and fortitude necessary to actually sign your name and be accountable for your opinions!!!
What would the world do without a forum for cowardice and the uninformed???
Well said, outside.
Couldn't agree with you more!!!
I'd rather they all gathered here in one place where they can be watched than let out loose on the world. LOL.
Or were you talking about me?
Nice post about not having integrity or fortitude to sign your name and then not sign your name!! Nice fake email as well! I seem to remember something about the pot calling the kettle black!
...and before someone says something...I use the same screen name everytime and I a real email address...more than I can say for most of the people calling people out!
You are all right Snipe!!! What is up with all of the fake email blogs that people are leaving and the stealing of people's identities on here. Pretty dumb. I don't think they are actually Komet fans, they are just on here messing with people trying to start fights.