Can you smell The Komets started informal preseason practice at McMillen Park Ice Arena on Monday morning. Today the crew included Colin Chaulk, Leo Thomas, Guy Dupuis, Konstantin Shafranov, P.C. Drouin, Nick Boucher, Brandon Warner, Keith Rodger, Rick Varone, Matt Syroczynski, Ryan Potts, goalie Tommy Shear and local player Greg Leffler. Kevin Bertram was there on Monday.
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Comments
Sounds like a great opportunity for the younger guys to get out there and learn some tips from the vets before camp starts.
Thought Varone was going to an AHL camp. I was under the impression that those camps started on Monday. Nice to see that many guys taking part in these informal workouts. Really nice to know that Syro is in town and getting ready to go. Looking forward to a great year from Leo Thomas. He brings a lot of intangibles to the team. Everyone who is practicing deserves a pat on the back because it shows a lot of dedication. The K's are just a few players away from another magical year. Thanks for the great memories and looking forward to more special moments.
I don't know if it's dedication as much as the desire to not barf on Oct. 5.
Blake-BINGO!
Varone starts camp with Lake Erie tomorrow night. He looked really good today.
Can I smell winter in the air? No. At least not right now. Maybe next week, though, providing the forecast doesn't change. :S
I do smell hockey in the air, however. It smells like a mixture of blood, sweat, and that thick frost that forms in freezer cases in the grocery store. ;)
That's not winter I smell, not unless winter smells like the parmesan herb bread I'm baking right now!
I sooo need a hockey fix. Is it October yet?
Real men can bake!
I bake chocolate chip cookies, I usually end up eating all the dough though before they hit the oven!
I bake chocolate chip cookies too....straight out of the tub
One of my kids bought that ready to bake cookie dough for me today, already ate a couple of squares, its my going green effort, why waste all that energy baking them I'll just eat the dough.
Blake- Any rumors or inside information on who or what the Komets may be looking for at the higher camps? I sure would like to see another (sniper type) forward and an offensive minded defenseman. I am sure that the present roster will go through some more changes. This team looks pretty good on paper right now but with Hukalo's injury, Curradeau not being protected, Osmands trade last year, and O'Conner not coming back, the K's will be starting 60 goals or so short of last years opening roster. Syroczynski will make up for part of that. I'm curious to know what their strategy is this close to the start of their training camp.
Does Blake's comment mean he thinks I'm a man? I think I'm offended! :P
1 month, 8 hours, 17 minutes until opening night!
How is it that this blog doesn't have one of those countdown tickers until opening night on it? What?? Did I seriously come up with a good suggestion for a change??!!!??
Not a bad idea, but I'm afraid I don't have time to that that right now. It's hard enough finding time to screen every post Burgee puts out to make sure he didn't go all Serena on Dschebig or BAM24. In a perfect world... 5-Minute, didn't assume anything, just like to bake. LOL.
But you had time to comment on YOUR Halloween photo email....priorities...lol
and my lawyer will be contacting you shortly. Actually, I'll be lenient with you if YOU keep track of the clock since you started this whole thing.
I like making sweets from scratch myself. Why? Because I like eating them. Cookies, cakes, cheesecakes, muffins, pies... Unfortunately, I always wind up having to eat pretty much all of whatever I bake, so I've had to give it up for the most part.
I'm not a big fan of the clock thing. As any clock-watcher can tell you, watching clocks just makes them move more slowly.
So Blake... I just got a set of postcard style ads in the mail, and one of them is for Buddy's Pizza Buffet of all places. Why am I still getting advertisements for them? Aren't they closed now? :S
I know what Blake's problem is! High School Football:) He does that well also. Burgee is harmless. Don't sweat the small stuff. I think Alan ask some great questions along with his comments. It sure beats the (runny nose) comments about tennis, road apples, tanning and such. Actually it all starts for the Off-Ice officials one week from tonight. (organizational meeting). And awaaaaay we go for another "GREAT" season of Komets Hockey.
You have a deal...Countdown clock is at work but I will keep everyone updated...lol Thanks for going easy on me...!!
Blake- Can you find out if the rumor is true that Prince is out in Flint and the League has taken over the franchise? You can not believe anything that comes out of the Flint Journal since Mr. Savage is not there. Bloggers up there "Hate" Prince. They have been telling people their website will be up in 7 to 10 days for over a month. They have no PR person. I am convinced that Peter South knows even less as a GM than he did a coach (If that is possible). Advertisers want nothing to do with them. Season ticket holders from last season haven't heard anything. Peter South ignored "Fan Club" members after promising to attend their meeting. What has happened to that storied franchise is really very sad. Flint hockey fans deserve much better treatment.
Where is Woods?/Let flint go!/dayton NO FIGHTERS=sissy team./Andre Roy, URFA/
Just yanking your chain, Blake! Getting antsy without any hockey. The bread turned out good, btw!
No offense to Alan, I think his premise is valid in wanting an other sniper and an Offensive D-Man, but where does this team have room for anymore players? Honestly, I hear the Whitehead kid is going to be a stud and maybe they all ready have 2 or 3 rookies that are O'connor or Curadeau replacements. This team is loaded again this season. The Defense is strong. If Warner stays healthy, he is our offensive defenseman, and I think Rodger is that guy too. I like Alan's idea of 2 more guys, but where do they go on a roster that is absolutely stacked beyond belief?
Poor Warner..."if" if always such a big challenge for him, unfortunately! He's such a great player. This has to be his year to stay healthy.
I've heard the same thing about the Whitehead kid. I also agree about Rodger. He just kept getting better and better last year and I expect him to really shine this season. If I get time tomorrow, I may look into the countdown clock and will post it on here if I find a good one. I don't mind helping out the leader.
:p Pffffffffftttttt!
Thanks for the kind words Dschebig.....No offense taken Hit Somebody. Yes, I agree with you that Rodger is a plus for this team. He played very well during the end of the year and the playoffs plus he is a rookie. I'm not sure I would classify Warner as the "offensive defenseman" I am looking for, however. I know absolutely nothing about Whitehead so I hope you guys are right regarding his talent. The question came up about where we would be able to add players to this loaded roster. My belief is that Stayzer (veteran) is a guy that is on the bubble and I'm not sure that the K's will carry both Woods and MacMillan the whole year. I'm probably wrong but they seem like they are too similar to keep both of them. With Hukalo's (veteran) injury the K's are going to start one vet short. Also, shoulder injuries are kind of different; sometimes they heal and the player never has another problem and sometimes they are thought to be healed and then the player gets hit the wrong way and they are reinjured. It just doesn't seem to be consistent and depends on the player and type of injury. I just bet, though, that Hukalo will be bothered by this again as the season wears on. I've said it before and I'll say it again- this team appears to be loaded. Saying that doesn't mean they should stop trying to improve. I think there are going to be some tough decisions made that won't necessarily be popular with some of the fans. Some good hockey players are going to be looking for jobs after the AHL camps break and you can always count on some players coming back from the European leagues also.
Alan-One really big intangible is Coach Al Sims ability to get outstanding preformance from young here to for unheard of players. He developes rookies as good as any coach in hockey. He sees talent and "hockey sense" in kids others miss. It is really exciting to watch them develope those skills. I know I am very glad he is our coach, Your correct some fans are not going to be happy with some guys who will be let go. That has got to be the toughest part of the coaches job. I would have been willing to buy the bus tickets for several players over the years after just a couple of games. In almost all those times I was really wrong. It is really easy to be a arm chair coach. The pay really sucks.