This is the best news I have heard in a long time. I think Rizk is a peice you build your team around. If this is true I think we are well on our way to a deep team!
Janice
Thu, 07/25/2013 - 8:42am
Hoss...we finally agree on something ;) Sign him already......!!
Alan
Thu, 07/25/2013 - 9:29am
If you've been able to wade through my comments of late, you probably have noticed a recurring theme. That theme was to get Rizk under contract. This article is very welcome to my eyes.
I like the way this roster is being put together. I've written that before. Others ( who I have a lot of respect for) have been more hesitant. I totally understand their thinking and the reasons they give. One thing is certain. Rizk scored 19 goals last season. That is 19 ECHL goals. While others show great promise, we know that Rizk and Marino have found the net.
I like what I read when Gary Graham says he is looking for a top line center, an offensive defenseman, and a #1 goaltender. If he has 24 contracts and Rizk does sign, he will have 8 contracts left to fill. Two of those contracts could be used for another two veterans. He is putting a team together with youth, speed , skill and size. As a season ticket holder ( who is not afraid to state his feelings when things seem to go astray) let me congratulate Gary Graham and David Franke on their handling of the process thus far.
One common denominator is that all the returning players seem hungry. They seem to want, badly, to erase last year and replace it with the success that will eliminate the memories of so many things from last season.
I know I'm probably going to be diappointed, but let's get Vaskivuo back in a Komet jersey.
P.S. (By the way, Blake, thanks for an article of "news" before the "news" actually happens. It was great information and, as I said above, very welcome)!
Leroy
Thu, 07/25/2013 - 9:44am
Great News!
JR1
Thu, 07/25/2013 - 6:07pm
I really like Rizk and am glad to hear he's coming back for another go here in the Fort....
I do want to point out though that the Komets have only one player signed who has scored more than 35 points in the ECHL..... Last season, it was Marino with 74 points, Smith with 45 and a bunch of guys under 40 points... With the current roster, we will need some guys to have career years this coming season if the Komets are going to get back into their winning ways and have a chance at the playoffs... I think Rizk and Firman, if used correctly, can do much better than their 34 and 30 points...
I am looking forward to finding out who the K's find to fill the vet spots especially if they are proven guys at the ECHL level...
indy ks fan
Thu, 07/25/2013 - 8:38pm
I am glad that many of you in Kometland are enthusiastic about this upcoming season. As the regulars on this blog know I do not share your opinion. Let's compare the current status of the Ks to that of a division rival, Cincinnati. While the Ks have signed many more players, I believe that Cincy has positioned itself much better than the Ks to have a successful season. First of all they have two affiliations. They will likely have four to six highly skilled players on their roster virtually all of the time. They may not be the same individuals all season but unless their two affiliates are suffering from an injury bug there will be someone coming down when someone else goes up. Secondly Cincy hired a head coach with AHL connections. This will be invaluable when it comes time to sign those fringe AHL/ECHL free agents later this summer. Thirdly while Cincy has only signed five players, all five have ECHL experience and I believe that four of them are core players.
Yes time will tell and I may be proven totally wrong. However, Cincy has been a very successful ECHL team for a lot of years and I don't believe that they suddenly got stupid.
hursttech
Fri, 07/26/2013 - 9:04am
Here is an interesting stat following IndyKs comment.
The Komets have by far the most signed players to date compared to the rest of the ECHL at 15 players.
Signed players per team:
Komets = 15
South Carolina = 9
Evansville = 9
Colorado = 8
ECHL Team Average = 4
off the post
Fri, 07/26/2013 - 9:54am
indy k"s fan.. still waiting to hear how many games you attended last year.
orange_koolaid
Fri, 07/26/2013 - 10:24am
Franke don't f around! Still on the past tempo. Most rely on affiliations and before filling in the holes later. There's positive and negative. Well know our place on a few months.
off the post
Fri, 07/26/2013 - 10:31am
signings dont mean crap in minor league hockey.. all it does is protect the actual rights to a player if there is a true interest... no gurantees to make club
Alan
Fri, 07/26/2013 - 11:17am
orange_koolaid may not have put it the way I would have but, I too, am wondering about the "affiliation(s)".
Last year the affiliation was announced on August 29th. I've read where the front office wants more of a mutual respect for the partners in terms of rosters, callups, and a general "working together" agreeement instead of just a working agreement.
An affiliation seems important, although not mandatory, for success in this league. There are certainly reasons for having one. The most obvious advantage is it provides more of a clearer path for your players to move up and provides roster help, but along with the advantages come the harsher realities.
So, what NHL teams are not paired up with an ECHL club? Are there any in the mid-west? Is the geography important? Can the Franke's find the affiliation that calms there concerns? Time will tell.
indy ks fan
Fri, 07/26/2013 - 4:04pm
Off The Post, you got me. I am not allowed to comment because I live 140+ miles from the coliseum and cannot make it up to every game. I ask for your forgiveness.
Who/SuZ
Fri, 07/26/2013 - 4:11pm
Wonderful...have always liked him and his style...he was certainly frustrated last year....hopefully this will be a better year.
JR1
Fri, 07/26/2013 - 7:38pm
Off the post, there are many komets fans who's share much of indy k's fans opinions, so why does it matter how many actually games he witnessed???
Alan
Sun, 07/28/2013 - 10:49am
"Indy K's fan" assertion of the "successful" history of Cincinnati piqued my curiosity.
Here is their record and division placement for the past ten seasons.
'o3-04 25-43-4 54pts 9th (last in div.)
'04-05 not listed as a member of the league
'05-06 not listed as a member of the league
'06-07 37-29-4-2 80pts (3rd in div.)
'07-08 55-12-1-4 115pts (1st in div.)
'08-o9 41-26-2-3 87 pts (1st in div.)
'09-10 44-25-1-2 91pts (2nd in div.)
'10-11 33-29-6-4 76pts (3rd in div.)
'11-12 35-28-2-7 78pts (3rd in div.)
I'm not sure it proves anything. Maybe it was the affiliation, maybe it wasn't. Fact is Kalamazoo did quite well in their first year. They started all over from the IHL and signed a lot of the "I" players from the league. A good example would be Curadeau who scored over 30 goals and earned a trip to the AHL. Other "IHL" players had good years, too.
I'm not opposed to the Komets signing and announcing players that they think will help. I don't care what other ECHL teams are doing. If the Komets can sign good players-then more power to them. And...as was pointed out above, just because a player is signed doesn't mean they have made the club.
The Komets are following their plan, and I won't crticize it. It seems to be working. They have a process going that is designed to obliterate the mistakes of the past season. No affiliation as yet. Two more veteran signings to go. I'm hoping for some more "impact" player signings.
By the way, as if it really matters, I've only missed about five games in the past ten years. I don't agree with everything "Indy K's fan" writes, but then neither do I agree with everything "off the post" writes. Still, I'm interested in their perspectives and look forward to their contributions.
Who/SuZ
Sun, 07/28/2013 - 11:24am
JR1...I agree, all should feel free to comment....it is a blog and as I have been told several times all opinions are welcome, whether you agree or disagree with them.
I say no affiliations this year.
Still no goalie, no talk of one and no opinions on whom it might be....very interesting.
Also, still 2 vets short....probably, based on prior conversations, one on defense and another as a forward....maybe.
JR1
Sun, 07/28/2013 - 1:33pm
I think the Komets will have an affiliation I think the goalie will come from that.... rumors are Bridgeport
Comments
This is the best news I have heard in a long time. I think Rizk is a peice you build your team around. If this is true I think we are well on our way to a deep team!
Hoss...we finally agree on something ;) Sign him already......!!
If you've been able to wade through my comments of late, you probably have noticed a recurring theme. That theme was to get Rizk under contract. This article is very welcome to my eyes.
I like the way this roster is being put together. I've written that before. Others ( who I have a lot of respect for) have been more hesitant. I totally understand their thinking and the reasons they give. One thing is certain. Rizk scored 19 goals last season. That is 19 ECHL goals. While others show great promise, we know that Rizk and Marino have found the net.
I like what I read when Gary Graham says he is looking for a top line center, an offensive defenseman, and a #1 goaltender. If he has 24 contracts and Rizk does sign, he will have 8 contracts left to fill. Two of those contracts could be used for another two veterans. He is putting a team together with youth, speed , skill and size. As a season ticket holder ( who is not afraid to state his feelings when things seem to go astray) let me congratulate Gary Graham and David Franke on their handling of the process thus far.
One common denominator is that all the returning players seem hungry. They seem to want, badly, to erase last year and replace it with the success that will eliminate the memories of so many things from last season.
I know I'm probably going to be diappointed, but let's get Vaskivuo back in a Komet jersey.
P.S. (By the way, Blake, thanks for an article of "news" before the "news" actually happens. It was great information and, as I said above, very welcome)!
Great News!
I really like Rizk and am glad to hear he's coming back for another go here in the Fort....
I do want to point out though that the Komets have only one player signed who has scored more than 35 points in the ECHL..... Last season, it was Marino with 74 points, Smith with 45 and a bunch of guys under 40 points... With the current roster, we will need some guys to have career years this coming season if the Komets are going to get back into their winning ways and have a chance at the playoffs... I think Rizk and Firman, if used correctly, can do much better than their 34 and 30 points...
I am looking forward to finding out who the K's find to fill the vet spots especially if they are proven guys at the ECHL level...
I am glad that many of you in Kometland are enthusiastic about this upcoming season. As the regulars on this blog know I do not share your opinion. Let's compare the current status of the Ks to that of a division rival, Cincinnati. While the Ks have signed many more players, I believe that Cincy has positioned itself much better than the Ks to have a successful season. First of all they have two affiliations. They will likely have four to six highly skilled players on their roster virtually all of the time. They may not be the same individuals all season but unless their two affiliates are suffering from an injury bug there will be someone coming down when someone else goes up. Secondly Cincy hired a head coach with AHL connections. This will be invaluable when it comes time to sign those fringe AHL/ECHL free agents later this summer. Thirdly while Cincy has only signed five players, all five have ECHL experience and I believe that four of them are core players.
Yes time will tell and I may be proven totally wrong. However, Cincy has been a very successful ECHL team for a lot of years and I don't believe that they suddenly got stupid.
Here is an interesting stat following IndyKs comment.
The Komets have by far the most signed players to date compared to the rest of the ECHL at 15 players.
Signed players per team:
Komets = 15
South Carolina = 9
Evansville = 9
Colorado = 8
ECHL Team Average = 4
indy k"s fan.. still waiting to hear how many games you attended last year.
Franke don't f around! Still on the past tempo. Most rely on affiliations and before filling in the holes later. There's positive and negative. Well know our place on a few months.
signings dont mean crap in minor league hockey.. all it does is protect the actual rights to a player if there is a true interest... no gurantees to make club
orange_koolaid may not have put it the way I would have but, I too, am wondering about the "affiliation(s)".
Last year the affiliation was announced on August 29th. I've read where the front office wants more of a mutual respect for the partners in terms of rosters, callups, and a general "working together" agreeement instead of just a working agreement.
An affiliation seems important, although not mandatory, for success in this league. There are certainly reasons for having one. The most obvious advantage is it provides more of a clearer path for your players to move up and provides roster help, but along with the advantages come the harsher realities.
So, what NHL teams are not paired up with an ECHL club? Are there any in the mid-west? Is the geography important? Can the Franke's find the affiliation that calms there concerns? Time will tell.
Off The Post, you got me. I am not allowed to comment because I live 140+ miles from the coliseum and cannot make it up to every game. I ask for your forgiveness.
Wonderful...have always liked him and his style...he was certainly frustrated last year....hopefully this will be a better year.
Off the post, there are many komets fans who's share much of indy k's fans opinions, so why does it matter how many actually games he witnessed???
"Indy K's fan" assertion of the "successful" history of Cincinnati piqued my curiosity.
Here is their record and division placement for the past ten seasons.
'o3-04 25-43-4 54pts 9th (last in div.)
'04-05 not listed as a member of the league
'05-06 not listed as a member of the league
'06-07 37-29-4-2 80pts (3rd in div.)
'07-08 55-12-1-4 115pts (1st in div.)
'08-o9 41-26-2-3 87 pts (1st in div.)
'09-10 44-25-1-2 91pts (2nd in div.)
'10-11 33-29-6-4 76pts (3rd in div.)
'11-12 35-28-2-7 78pts (3rd in div.)
I'm not sure it proves anything. Maybe it was the affiliation, maybe it wasn't. Fact is Kalamazoo did quite well in their first year. They started all over from the IHL and signed a lot of the "I" players from the league. A good example would be Curadeau who scored over 30 goals and earned a trip to the AHL. Other "IHL" players had good years, too.
I'm not opposed to the Komets signing and announcing players that they think will help. I don't care what other ECHL teams are doing. If the Komets can sign good players-then more power to them. And...as was pointed out above, just because a player is signed doesn't mean they have made the club.
The Komets are following their plan, and I won't crticize it. It seems to be working. They have a process going that is designed to obliterate the mistakes of the past season. No affiliation as yet. Two more veteran signings to go. I'm hoping for some more "impact" player signings.
By the way, as if it really matters, I've only missed about five games in the past ten years. I don't agree with everything "Indy K's fan" writes, but then neither do I agree with everything "off the post" writes. Still, I'm interested in their perspectives and look forward to their contributions.
JR1...I agree, all should feel free to comment....it is a blog and as I have been told several times all opinions are welcome, whether you agree or disagree with them.
I say no affiliations this year.
Still no goalie, no talk of one and no opinions on whom it might be....very interesting.
Also, still 2 vets short....probably, based on prior conversations, one on defense and another as a forward....maybe.
I think the Komets will have an affiliation I think the goalie will come from that.... rumors are Bridgeport