From Komets GM David Franke:
* They are hoping to get 25 goals off the second line from Voorhees who is supposed to be a great locker room guy who can fly and has a pretty decent shot.
* O'Connell is supposed to be a very good skater who didn't play last year because of an inner ear problem.
* They can't come close to matching what Mario Larocoque wants so he won't be here this year. Franke said he's asking for $2,000 a week which is what he made last year in Danbury.
* They are looking at some younger kids who can also play for toughness. "We want to have team toughness and we're working toward that end. We
have a couple of guys on the team who will be able to drop them and go but they
have to be able to play, too. You have to have somebody that can play.
We're hovering in on a couple of guys right now that will bring
that element to us. We'll end up with some physical players here who can get the job
done.''
* They are still talking to Matt Elich's agent.
* Kevin Reiter is trying to get a tryout in the ECHL.
* MacMillan signed with Columbia , ECHL and Berry in the CHL.
* Komets are close to a deal with A.J. Bazoian.
* The Komets are going to get a defenseman from Hershey of the AHL. They already have someone in mind and the deal is done. If that player makes Hershey's roster, then Hershey will find the Komets another defenseman.
* Ryan Jorde didn't like the Komets' offer and the Komets haven't heard back from him in two weeks.
* They should be ready to announce the signing of two or three players middle of next week.
* Komets are talking to Pascal Mourency.
* Komets have not heard back from Jamie Milam.
* Matt Hunter is not calling Pat Bingham back.
With the player from Hershey, the Komets have 12 players on the roster and if they sign 2-3 next week, they'll be in great shape for this time of the summer. The biggest needs are toughness that can play, back-up goaltender, a second-line center and two or three rookies, all of which should be very doable. There's also a good chance some guys will be dropping into training camp -- the same as happens every year.
``I think there will be a lot of guys coming in
here later in September,'' Franke said, ``and some kids from the Coast. We already know there are
some ECHL teams who have over-recruited and won't have enough spots.''
Comments
Thats to bad about Laroque(sp), thats the problem with signing guys from danbury, he was probably getting paid under the table for part of that..its pretty sad..have fun finding another job that pays that much a week..
Very excited to see the Komets are talking to Pascal Morency..he's a tough customer, and can play a regular shift. I'm excited the Komets are gonna work with Hershey, or so it seems.
I'm ready for Hockey
GO KOMETS
Hit, JM, watch the profanity. I'm deleting those posts. Just say it a different way.
Sorry Blake. I guess the word I used is "border-line" profanity?? I didn't mean to offend.
We're cool.
Just say....HECK NO!!!!....to Ryan Jorde. This guy deserves no second chance on this team. A guy that played with no heart some nights and loafed around most nights should not be back on this team. He hid behind the net instead of clearing out the front of it. For a guy the self-promoted himself to be the most feared guy in the UHL...he played like he was afraid of his own shadow most nights. Shouldn't he be in the NHL by now anyway...considering the big feelings he showed to his teammates and the fans?
Please sign someone who will bang night in and night out and is not afraid to mix it up in front of the net. I don't care to see anymore easy, uncontested goals point-blank in front of the net this season.
I apologize Blake...I hesitated to post the previous word...wasn't sure if it was bad or not. Now I know.
So, to say it a different way.....
While I appreciate Ryan Jorde's confidence in his ability, my personal belief is that he has not put himself in a postition to negotiate a high salary. If you play what would be considered to be "below your ability" its hard to expect a huge payday.. So to Mr. Jorde I would respectfully say, Goodbye and Good Luck, Chap.
JM, would you like a job? LOL. Bravo, good sir! Jolly good!
Sorry, Sport. Already employed..
Ever hear of the OHIC???
lol...
While I think that the players the Franke's are bringing into camp are good choices; none of them are players that I would offer a $2,000 a week salary. That's $52,000 for a 26 week season! Wasn't that the average player salary during the IHL era? If Mario thinks that he can get that kind of money, good luck and tell me where I can sign up!!!
Did this player from Hershey play there last year or will he be a rookie? Also, we need to get Morency to sign on the dotted line my friends!
JC it's an as yet unnamed player.
$2000 is an awful lot to give anyone under this cap.
Okay I follow you. Well thats good that we are creating a relationship with an AHL team. I take it that Hershey will be the team we will be working with the most? I was surprised to hear about Bozoian. I'm glad because I think he can be very valuable as a defensemen and also he's a rookie.
Get Morency signed. But don't stop there on the physical aspect. I would like to see at least one person on every line (offense or defense) that is at least willing to drop the gloves. Plus the one (Morency) or two who will stand up to anyone else in the league. Ideally I would also like to see three big forwards and two big defensemen on the team. The others I don't care if they are 5'6 as long as they can score and/or keep goals out of their net.
Any idea Blake on how many guys Bingham is planning to bring into the camp?
$2,000 for a guy who had five goals and 15 points and not even 200 PIMs. Hockey DB has him listed at 6-3, 165 lbs. There's no way that can be right, is there?
Forget Mario Larocque then...a better defenseman from Danbury's past is Doug Christiansen. I don't think he played in the U last season, not sure if he went somewhere else or what. He played with Danbury the same time Richardson played there.
Just to play devils advocate here:
Is anyone just a little worried that we seem to be getting smaller this year? I know that we still have some spots on the roster to fill but come on, of the 7 forwards we have signed 6 of them are under 6 ft? I look at other teams rosters so far and most of them all have some of those "hard to find" forwards that are 6-2 or 6-3 and can score, hit, skate, and drop em! They also seem to have a few big, tough, quality defensemen on the back line also.
Don't mean to come off negative here but just getting a little worried after all the talk of an aggressive, tough team. Looks like we are the smallest team in the league so far.
Thoughts?
look at the chicago hounds the average size of of that team is 5' 8" tall or a average 6th grade class
You don't need to be huge in hockey to be physical and hit hard. Also keep in mind that this level of hockey is for guys who are too slow or too small to be higher. Guys the size of Chris Pronger (with any type of speed) are not going to be down here too often
I'm just a little worried that come playoff time, as has happened so many times before, that our team will get physically worn down by bigger teams that have just as much skill and speed.
Don't get me wrong here, I am excited about the upcoming season. It looks like the guys we have on board so far are a good mix of skill, speed, grit, and heart. I just hope that we get some legitimate size to compliment what we have so far.
maybe we can sign those 2 midgets that played for Elmira a few years back. I think they were about 5'4" or something.
I thought "team toughness" was one of Chief's commonly used phrases when he needed to find a way to defend his defenseless hockey teams. sort of looks like the Frankes are hiding behind it now too.
I find it peculiar the tallest player listed on the Komets' roster is the goalie.
However the NHL.com has a story published in April 2006 concerning a under 6'0" player in the NHL.
http://www.nhl.com/features/spotlight/bouchard041806.html
Cute e-mail address Reggie. Use a real one please.
Blake,
Thanks for the info on MacMillan and Berry.
Does any think this could be the second coming of the mighty Smurf Komet teams like those of the mid-80s IHL, good enough to win the Huber Cup, but run out of gas in the playoffs?
I hope not. Like some others who have posted, I'd like to see some more size to go with skill, but I'm also excited to see what these new guys bring to the table.
i can see it now, on billboards all across the county, come see the lollypop guild.....
Okay, I am the first guy to jump up and raise heck (that was for Blakes) with the Frankes, but.... let's give them and Bingham some more time. There are alot of roster spots still open that can be filled with big, strong, glove dropping individuals. If the roster sucks in 4 weeks, I will lead the revolt.... Until then let's let them work on it.
Good Call JM, I'm with you in that, if the Komets sign Pascal Morency, all will be forgotten....
Maybe our lineup will be a run and gun style. Coach said he likes speed. You cant hit what you cant catch.
I hope the Ks sign Morency,chances are if they do,he will take some stupid penalties,a number of you will complain,just like you always do.