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.''
