Yep, I was the dude having the massive party at the Holiday Inn that kept Burgee up. The short, balding old dude was already there! Other observations:
* Alan is correct about the roster turnover from the beginning of the season, except Al Sims prefers to stick with what he's got it at all possible. In his perfect world, he'd take 22 players and make them all better by the end of the season.
According to Komets president Michael Franke, "By early next week I think we'll have some information. I will tell you that the schedling meeing and the all the drafts have been rescheduled and will be coming up late next week."
Asked if he had any plans on heading to Quad City early next week, Franke said, "I can't say."
This is the Stanley Cup in Mario Lemieux's pool during the Penguins' celebration.
... and would like to have a chance to tee it up with some Komets, the second-annual Putts for Mutts event will be held Aug. 8 at Chestnut Hills Golf Course. Cost is $400 for a team of four or $125 for indivdiual golfer or $400 to golf with a Komet. The list so far includes P.C. Drouin (best golfer on the team by far), Guy Dupuis, Colin Chin and Al Sims, but I also know Robbie Laird is heavily involved with this and they are working on some legends and other current players. For more information, call 797-2230 or 800-707-5884.
Coming back to play a vital role in the playoffs after suffering a broke hand may have cost forward Brad MacMillan. MacMillan said his right hand is not healing correctly and may need surgery.
“I started having problems when I started driving up here,” MacMillan said from his home in Fairbanks, Alaska. “I just thought the pain might be part of the healing process, but it kept getting worse.”
League officials originally hoped to hold the expansion draft on Friday, but it will likely be held next week. The hold-up is another potential expansion franchise, though no one will comment officially or answer specific questions about the state of a possible Quad City team.
"We will reconvene our annual meeting in the next 48 hours and finish up the annual meeting and have announcements to make at that point and time for firm dates on the scheduling meeting and some other announcements," Komets President Michael Franke said. "Any of the expansion stuff right now I can't speak to."
The coliseum will be hosting the girls state basketball touranment on March 6 so it's likely the Komets will be on the road that weekend. At the very least, they'll have to play road games on Friday and Saturday. You can read about it here. This is a good deal for Fort Wayne, and especially girls basketball which is outstanding in this
Justin Hodgman is going to the Chicago Blackhawks' prospect camp July 5-10. He's currently working out with trainer Paul Zinchenko and skating a couple nights a week to get ready.
"I don't want to go in with any expectations," he said. "I want to go in and work hard, and as a free agent you have to earn everything you get. Last year I made a good first impression in Minnesota, and I'm going to try to do the same thing in Chicago."
Here's what I've got so far. This is NOT everyone. Feel free to suggest some additions. If you can figure out who is the toughest at No. 4 with Purinton, Madigan or Parsons, then God bless you.
00 Kevin Weekes
1 Chuck Adamson/Steve Janaszak
I wrote a story today about two local guys who are putting together a list of the greatest athletes to wear each number in sports. You can read the story here. If you'd like to vote, you're going to have to pick up the paper.
