``I chose Fort Wayne for two reasons, the winning tradition and the exposure. Playing in my hometown factored in, but just being selfish for myself you want to win and you want to move up so I had to leave that out. The Komets are going to help me get into an AHL camp, and then it's up to me. Sometimes when you are not affiliated with anyone you also aren't buried under anyone, and if I went to the ECHL I might be buried under guys with two-way contracts. Some guys want to move up but they don't really understand that it could take two or three years to get a chance to play one or two games in the AHL. I don't think that's worth it when I still have a shot from here to play in the AHL"
Comments
See notanihlfan see???
He and the others will never see Tim. They will say that the only reason these players are back is they have nowhere else to go and that the Komets are bribing them with freebies to say nice things or some other nonsense.
Mr. Schrock seems to have a solid grasp on his career goals and focus. If he is happy then I am certainly happy for him and I believe he will be an asset to this franchise this season.
Wow! Someone fed him a bunch of lies. I feel sorry for him.
Notanihlfan--You have made your point. Now go back to Kalamazoo and get Pauly Picard to build you that new building and just stay there. Cry in your beer up there in the thriving state of Michigan. The Komets are building a Championship team and your whining and crying on this very positive blog is just that. You don't have to like the IHL/CHL/ECHL/AHL/NHL or even the SPHL or the AAHL. The people on this Blog like hockey and most love the Komets. WE give our opinions good bad or indifferent. We respect one another. I however, have come to the conclusion you can keep yours (opinions) to yourself. All you seem to do is bad mouth and degrade players. I can rest assured there are others on here who would agree with me.
< Raises a hand and glass to Dennis.
I have crossed the line on occasion myself but my direct intent was never to anger or offend. It is obvious the troll above will spew negative crap on any subject.
I have yet to hear what the troll IS a fan of..... I suspect only getting under the skin of others.
Sitting through rants that differ from yours are rough, huh? The rest of us do it without telling people to keep thier opinions to themselves.
I really don't care about the about whizzing contest.
What would Schrock say? "I signed here because the Komets gave me more money and promised me a spot at an AHL camp. Its all about the Benji's baby!"? I mean really?
Colin Chaulk didn't seem to have the same opinion.
It's not the decision he makes it's what he does with the decision--so he'll have his work cut out for him and we'll see what happens in what looks to be a very exciting roster and new season.
I love the roster thus far.....it is going perfectly so far, maybe I will miss Chaulker as a Komet, but Curdeau's return makes up for that, for me that is. That kid has skills, and 2 years ago when he was here, he was 2 steps ahead of everyone, and had skills that no one else had at this level. He gave me my money's worth every night he played here. And I think so far, we have a team full of those guys. Just look at the roster boys. Sweet group, and they still might add a guy here or there, and they always find us 2-5 young guys that end-up being finds.
The only complaint is this:
"The Komets will continue to be a member of the International Hockey League and participate in the Central Hockey League under the CHL moniker in the Northern Conference. The circuit will consist of 13 CHL teams and five IHL teams for an 18-team coalition."
Why does every press release have to remind me of this idiotic crappola???......come Frankes, drop the line. It is old, tired, and is driving me up the flipping wall. I hate that more than I can explain. It drives me nuts.
Is it so hard to swallow over that pride in your throats and just conform with something new and possibly better than the IHL2 that had a rocky road for everyone not named the Komets?
If you want to continue to honor the IHL, why not build a monument or a memorial with a very nice verse or two about how wonderful the IHL2 was for Fort Wayne.....and how change can be good at times. And memories are great to have, if the memories are good to those who choose to remember them.
No one else is interested in propping up this thought that the IHL is still a living breathing organism. Outside of Hextall and the IHL office folk, I feel bad for them, but why not offer them jobs within the CHL or the Komet Empire?
Drop the IHL under the CHL Moniker act, and just play some quality hockey against a new league of what we hope turns out to be quality teams.
Let the IHL die.
I agree, let the IHL die! the true I was when we were on the same level as the A.H.L.
CJK, perhaps you don't remember or maybe you weren't around yet but the old IHL was on the same level as the AHL for only a few years. For most of it's existence it was an independent professional hockey league with players who weren't going to go any higher.
Let it go anyway.
Who is left that can play in it, even if we do this 2-year coalition under a Moniker, then we try to role out the IHL3.....what cities want in that scenario at this point?
Quad City doesn't.
Bloomington doesn't.
Port Huron, Not.
Flint, nope.
Muskegon, hardly.
Kalamapoo.....right.
Dayton, maybe if they are still around.
Evansville, with a new arena in place, they don't need the IHL.
Who else you got?
Drop the act of the Moniker, allow the fans to embrace this new CHL adventure, and lure the ECHL to get real and form a real super league.
Go Komets!!!
Perhaps you dont remeber that for many many years the komets would either call players up or send them down to the ECHL.
why does it matter what they call it?
This is the league. The Komets are playing in this league.
Call it the dang U.F.O.C.I.A. for all I care. It is just a name.
Want a stupid name?
The ECHL is a stupid name! It isn't the East Coast Hockey League anymore. So what does it stand for? And how can the East Coast hockey league have teams in Victoria BC?
Boy I'd love to have seen the Komets make that road trip for the finals. I am sure the Komets fan bus would have been loaded for that one.
From the ECHL FAQ
"What do the letters ECHL stand for?
In a change reflective of the nationwide presence of the ECHL, the East Coast Hockey League changed its name to simply ECHL on May 19, 2003. The leading professional developmental league for the American Hockey and the National Hockey League, ECHL has an identity that is well known within North American hockey circles."
Really? What the heck kind of a word is ECHL? Is it pronounced like Urkel the nerd on Family Matters? Maybe they change their trophy to the Sgt. Winslow cup?
Oh my it is too late for this.
Lol goodnight everyone.
Well that makes perfect... HUH?!
And all this time I thought it was the "Extremely Cool Hockey League". ;)
Some people are in just plain denial.
The ECHL makes the most sense for the Komets from a traveling standpoint, geographically speaking. You could make the argument that the team in Alaska is bad business, but so is the one in Arizona. Quad City despises the IHL and doesn't want any part of it, of that they made clear. As Hit says, who's left? Two teams? Denial I say (coupled with pride, I'll give you that).
On the other hand, how many K-Zoo players played in the AHL last year? And how many were in NHL camps? Let's put that side by side with the Ks. So the ECHL isn't the total package (outside of the geographic footprint). The IHL is still dead however, let us not forget (without the CHL what would they do?).
Between the two is something closer to what really needs to happen.
In the meantime the players are making smart moves in order to advance themselves, good for them. And we're glad to have them.
**>>Attention<<**Not an IHL Fan.
Warning, the following is about you as an individual since you individually choose to take over minor league hockey. You must be willing to listen, open-minded, and take self reflection/criticism.
Your mission to single out players decisions is as individualistic as some NBA games are. Hockey is, if not the only, true team sport where it takes all 6, (7, THE FAN, if youre at a komet game and any other good fan bases), people on the ice working with each other to be successful. When you can have the 3 most important needs/tools
1-Assets to Roads paved to AHL without the politics
2-Team/Competitive community
3-Huge support from Community itself
What would you choose? Its (compliment) for you to be an individual with your desperate comments.
REMEMBER WE ARE FANS OF A TEAM SPORT! Not necessarily the individual player themself. You never see a player come here and not be forced to work together. Have players worked their way up being individuals? No, the puck had to get to their tape by another player, while another checked. Shrock knows its a guarentee this org fosters a team screened with everything they've done in the past. As long as you continue to be jealous and arrogant you will leave this earth jealous and arrogant. Find a different hobby/life to ruin.
Hit, I pretty much agree with you on the name thing. I'm sure there are reasons, maybe even a good one or two, or not, but based on what we know it doesn't make sense. Agreed.
From my standpoint I would also rather see them in the ECHL (I've said this many times) but I understand, from their standpoint, why we're not, at least at this point in time.
CJK, the ECHL has only been around since 1988. It's a sure bet Eddie Long didn't get called up from there. I remember Grant Richison being sent to Quad City in 1996 for rehab. His comment was "I could skate faster backwards then a lot of their guys could skate going forward."
I understand what you're saying, I was just trying to point out that the IHL wasn't always, in fact for most of it's existence, was not a league level with the AHL. For awhile, yes, but not all that long.
Steve- I agree with you also. Way back in the old IHL there were major affiliations. Kalamazoo was the #1 farm team of Dallas. Ken Hitchcock was there coach at that time. Than the league got stupid with expansion and the NHL did like that at all. That was the beginning of the end for the IHL. The Komets got several players from different teams. The Devils, Capitals and the Red Wings. Bob Essensa came to us from Detroit. Bill Holder from Washington and another goalie from the Devils. Long name I can not spell. Just to name a few.
Minnesota n-stars=k-zoo wings.
mightbite- You are more than likely correct. I am an old man and it was a long time ago. I am at the lake and my reference book is at home. I remember the green uniforms. N-stars ended up in Dallas so can I get half credit?
Is that the Pee-Wee league?
Expansion hurt; but publicly stating that you were going to rival the NHL was the death blow...IMO
Agreed JR, especially when they started talking about expanding into Europe. I couldn't wait to catch a few road games on that tour.... :-)
My first date with my current wife was a hockey game of course. The opposing team was the Saginaw Hawks (Blackhawks affiliate at the time) and their goalie was Ed Belfour. He was blown out of the arena and the fans started calling him "sieve" and got an Eddie, Eddie chant going like we've done with Larry Sterling.
Ian Boyce was sent to us from the Sabers, Guy from where? Bawa got his shot because of both Sims and Hitchcock, he played for both in the I. We've gotten several players over the years but I think far more goalies then anything. Teams were sending us goalies before the I became affiliated with the N.
anyone remember dan bonar? ron zanussi?
remember Tommy Bulduc, now that guy could skate=LOL
lol if everyone would remember what the frankes are trying to do then gong to the chl as a partner makes sense. they want to reorganize minor aa hockey and make it geographical . until that happens going with the chl will help stabalize both leagues until other cities or other teams are ready to join. then they can split off and the chl will be in the southwest and the ihl will be in the midwest. optimly the echl will split into two seperate leagues, one for the west coast and one on the east coast. other teams in between will fall into the chl or ihl. then teams can become true feeders into the triple a ahl and then to the nhl. a model shown to work by mlb. ony people that need to be convinced will be the nhl owners, then maybe all of hockey will become stable. thats what they (chl and ihl) are aiming for. so it doesnt do any good to argue about names or chl vs echl cause this is the plan and it sounds like good business to me. lets argue about our talent or the talent of other teams and stop complaining about things we havent any control over. the train is at the station and its time to get on board for the future of minor hockey or stay at the station and enjoy the non professional jr hockey which is what you will be left with.
Thanks chuckitt! "It is what it is for this season." The Komets are forming a good team. Let's get behind them and enjoy another winning season.
Krackers, I think I have figured out who you are, and I like your attitude! You and I think a lot alike. I will have a good time this season. You have fun, too!!