The Komets have signed right wing David Hukalo, defenseman Kevin Bertram, right wing Bobby Kukulka and center Travis Granbois.
Hukalo was the UHL's defensive forward of the year, and Kukulka scored 25 goals in 61 games with three teams. Bertram has essentially been retired for three years but he's only 30, and gives the Komets a veteran without costing them a veteran roster spot. Granbois had eight points last year as a rookie in 45 games. He'll still have rookie status this year.
Comments
I was wondering about Bertram's status. He'll be a tweener so the Komets still have 6 spots open.
what is th status of huk alo and kukulka?
Four interesting signings. Has Bertram still been playing rec level hockey in town?
I would hope Bertram's been on the fireman hockey team.
With Hukalo's injuries I would think he's a tweener as is Kukulka.
I was not sure if that was just a team that got together for charity events of if they played in a league in town. If he can still play the way he did a few years ago I think it is a great signing.
bertrams only 30 so it shouldnt take him long to get back into playing mode. did he quit the firehouse or is he on loa or what?
What's the latest on Pascal and Chaz? Anything new?
I hope Bertram comes back as the guy that was willing to drop the gloves and play physical. Not the guy he retired as.
According to David Franke, Pascal said he wants to go to Utah if he doesn't make Bridgeport. He doesn't want to be left out of the loop. Nothing on Johnson.
That makes sense from the point of veiw that if Pascal wants to make the NHL he needs to be playing the style the NHL plays which is not what the IHL wants to do.
Pascal will go where Bingham tells him to go, and that will be Utah. I was a Bingham supporter, but in retrospect he hurt the K's more in the long run than he helped in the short term.
Interesting point of veiw, care to expound on that JM?
Overall, I like these signings. I was surprised with Bertram returning.....But, this is a good group to begin with.
Tony, The FWFD team (The Fire) and the FWPD team (The Freeze) do play a regular schedule in a league that is made up with public safety professionals from other Police and Fire Departments from cities such as Chicago, Indianapolis, New York. Most of the teams are from larger communities and former professional hockey players are permitted as long as they are employed by the public safety agency they play for.
The FWFD usually does well since it has 3 former K's on the roster.
Bob thanks for the info. I know all of the service departments have softball and basketball leagues up here but I am not sure about hockey.
I also agree with JM about coach Bingham. No one can take away from what he did during his one season but I was not a fan of his "duck out of town and run" ending to his tenure.
Most of the players he brought in were going to follow him either wherever he goes or wherever he suggests they play. Very few of those guys that came in last year did so because of the Komets organization or the city itself and so when Bingham left there and adding to it the chaos of the league it was going to be pulling teeth to get any of them to stay.
Disclaimer above I am exhausted so if I make even less sense than normal you will know why.
I doubt that the "style of play" in the IHL had any real bearing on Morency's decision to play in Utah rather than here if given the choice. Trotting out the arguement to slam the new league is unsubstianted, if not just tiresome.
As his goal is to play in the AHL, why he would remove himself from the scouting loop and come here doesn't make any sense. NYI aren't going to send a scout to Utah and make a special trip here just to keep an eye one him. That's the real reason.
What real chance does Pascal have making the NHL anyway? Hate to sound that way. I am a huge Pascal fan too. I just think that eventually he will find out that it takes more than giving 100% every shift. I hope he finds what he is looking for. I too agree with the Bingham notion. Seems like he left the team and took all the players with him or sent them elsewhere and left the organization empty. Was there some kind of conflict between Bingham and the front office that we don't know about. For such a great tight-knit bunch of guys....looks like things weren't as rosy as they might have seemed.
Hope Bertram can turn it back on......not sure about that one.
Kukulka was outstanding for Port Urine last year. We all know what Huk gives you....play making skills and lots of heart. He makes things happen and puts loads of pressure on the other team by stealing pucks and being a pest. I just hope he can shed the "Ryan Severson" hands he was blessed with. Seems like Huk makes a huge steal and heads to the net and loses the puck like Severson or Adam Lewis would. I bet Huk has a great year.
Don't know a thing about the other guy.
Chaulker will be next.
Hit Bingham used Fort Wayne as a parking space while he waited for another career opportunity. He did what was best for his career and really had no care as to how he left Fort Wayne because in his grand plan his time with the Komets was just a small stop along a long road. So he brought in players that he thought would make him look good quickly so he could make a good impression on the upper leagues. Give him credit, he did almost everything he wanted to do. He just didn't finish.
Chaulker is next I tell you. Jungle Monkey really did buy a new pair of shoes on Blue Light special. What a stud.
As for Pascal making the NHL, well as I pointed out before, Todd Reirden played almost 200 NHL games after leaving the Komets. Did anyone ever look at him and think he was NHL material? Pascal was not the most talented player but part of making it is getting noticed and between his hustle and his yap on the ice, getting noticed is something he is good at. Would he be a career NHL guy? No. Could he be someone getting a 2-3 game at a time call up to be an end of the bench guy who would give a team 4-5 hustle shifts while a regular is injured? Sure.
I'll just bet JM didn't spend $300 on those shoes, either!
JM must have bought shot gun shells, shoes, bubble gum, lawn chairs, and spam all for under $20 that night. And he talked Chaulker into coming back.....what a dude!
What is Trevor Edwards doing? I always thought he was the best 2-way player on a bad Port Huron team.
Then JM got a good deal on that stuff! The shotgun shells alone are going to set a guy back $20 if not more. Good ammo is not cheap.
I don't completely buy into the "being out of the loop" argument regarding Pascal. Fort Wayne is a lot closer to NY than Utah....thus less of a drive and/or cheaper airfare. Plus, since the last time I checked...we are living in the 21st Century....so the people in NY must think that this area does not have telephone service, the internet and the newspapers are still printed by hand. Please, give me a break.
I'm sure this saga will drag on for another few months.
bob youve got to know that the big time operations are really awful cheaply run. they spend big bucks on the players, but believe me, the assistant coaches and the scouts are paid pretty low, so yes the organization wouldnt want their scout to have to make another stop in ft wayne when all he has to do is go to utah and see all the prospects at one time. pascal could make a living as a part time player in the ahl cause the bottom tier of guys in that league are really bad, so dont belittle him for living out his dream.
hey Tony E Coach Bingham did a great job of coaching here. He brought in good players and did what he was suppose to do. It's not like he planned on coaching here for only 1 year. When the opportunity knocks you have to jump on it. The Bridgeport job opened up and he took it. He will FINISH in a much higher league if he stays where he is.
This is a great opportunity for Bertrum as well, he can play hockey and work for the fire department at the same time. He is a great guy, but just what I wanted to see. Players in this league that can play on a part time basis. I hope that doesnt water down the talent in this league. I'm not sure what kind of message that sends to players. A guy can work full time and play for the Komets as well. Is this a good thing? Maybe it is.
Hey I herd a rumor that Chaulker wants to come back and has been in contact with the Komets. I was told that he can get out of his contract in Italy, but he would lose alot of money by doing so. I was told that if he can find a way to make up that difference here (a side job) he will be back. This is just what I heard. I don't know if it is true. Maybe Blakes can find out.
Two UHL Standouts Join Elmira For First ECHL Run
July 18, 2007
ELMIRA, NY
we all knew Syro wanted to leave for the ECHL....good luck to him...
Didnt Bertram have numerous problems with his hands and/or wrists towards the end of his last Komets tenure which prohibited him from mixing it up to much in his last season or so???