IceDiggers sign local talent Olsen

The Alpena IceDiggers have called up Alpena High defensemen Jeff Olsen and he'll be good to go for this weekend.

The move was necessitated by injuries, as well as suspensions resulting from last Sunday's game against the U.S. National Development Team.

"Jeff brings blueline experience and he comes highly recommended from Coach Limback (Alpena High)," said Alpena coach-GM Kenny Miller. "It's great when a guy in your own back yard gets a chance to shine. Jeff should have no trouble making the transition from high school to juniors."

Olsen, a senior, played in all 26 Alpena High contests last season where he scored five goals and 12 assists for 17 points. A starter the last two seasons, Olsen often played with IceDiggers' center Erik Peterson on the Wildcat power play and penalty kill units.

Olsen will wear No. 4 in his debut Friday night on the road against the Traverse City North Stars.

Whalers deal Lee to Knights for futures

Ryan Lee dealt to London

(Photo courtesy of the Plymouth Whalers)

The Plymouth Whalers made a trade today, sending defenseman Ryan Lee to the defending OHL and Memorial Cup champion London Knights for future considerations.

Lee, 19, played in 11 games last season for the Whalers after being acquired from Mississauga at the trade deadline with a second-round pick (left wing Joe Gaynor) for defenseman Craig Cescon and a fifth-round pick in May's draft and was scoreless with two penalty minutes in 11 games.

The 6-foot, 180-pound native of Caledon, Ontario, had three points in 43 games last year with the IceDogs and Whalers.

IceDiggers swept away by U.S. Under-18's

Alpena forward Justin Stadler scored twice last weekend

The Alpena IceDiggers are still searching for their first win this season as they lost both games last weekend to the U.S. National Under-18 Team in Ann Arbor.

Saturday, Drew Pierson and Justin Stadler staged a third-period comeback, but it wasn't enough as Team USA scratched out a 3-2 win. Alpena was down 3-0 going into the final period.

Phil Greer started in net and made 19 saves on 22 shots. Justin Marriott then replaced Greer and stopped all 16 shots he saw in the final 36:36.

Then yesterday, Stadler scored the IceDiggers' lone goal as Alpena suffered an 11-1 drubbing. The third period was filled with game misconducts and fighting majors and the two teams combined for 202 penalty minutes.

Marriott started in goal and Mitch Rybicki finished the game for Alpena.

The IceDiggers return to action starting Friday on the road for a two-game set against the Traverse City North Stars.

North Stars win first game in team history

On a three-game road swing in Cleveland, the Traverse City North Stars dropped the first two, but rebounded Sunday for their first win in franchise history.

The Barons went up 3-1 early in the third period before Jared Mullen, with his second of the game, and Travis Paeth tied it midway through the period.

The game stayed tied at the end of the overtime session and Patrick Nagorsen won it in the shootout.

"All the guys who were up before me told me how the ice was really choppy and Coach pointed out how he (Cleveland goalie Kenny Reiter) was going down into his butterfly," explained Nagorsen. "So I came down and pump-faked and then slid it in on the forehand."

"It feels great," said Stars head coach Scott Gardiner. "You don't want to come down here for three games and get swept. We picked up two points of a possible six (on the road swing), and we wanted more but we'll take this for a start."

The late-game heroics are nothing new to Nagorsen, who scored the game-clinching goal for Orchard Lake St. Mary's in overtime of last year's MHSAA regional finals against Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood.

"This is such a huge win for us," Nagorsen added. "We didn't want to leave here 0-3 and now we come into our home opener with a ton of confidence."

Cleveland had taken 5-1 and 4-2 wins the previous two evenings.

Jeremy Kaleniecki made 26 saves for the win and stopped Josh Leonard on the final shot of the shootout to make Nagorsen’s goal stand as the winner.

The North Stars return to Centre ICE for Friday's home opener against the Alpena IceDiggers. The teams clash again on Saturday. The Sept. 23-24 home set begins at 7:30 p.m. each night with warm-ups underway at 7 p.m.

Whalers down Spirit in tournament final

Dan Collins scored twice in tonight's tournament final

(Photo courtesy of the Plymouth Whalers)

The Plymouth Whalers defeated the Saginaw Spirit in the finals of a four-team tournament tonight in Erie, Penn., 4-2.

John Vigilante and Dan Collins staked the Whalers to a 2-0 lead before Jack Combs cut the Plymouth lead to 2-1. Collins then notched his second goal of the game to make it 3-1 through 40 minutes.

Plymouth went up 4-1 early in the third period on a goal from Cory Tanaka. Saginaw cut the lead to 4-2 when defenseman Matt Corrente buried a slapshot from a Chris Chappell pass.

Justin Garay earned the win in net, stopping 26 of 28 shots.

"We played well as a team," Garay said after the game.

Gino Pisellini added two assists for the Whalers. This was also Pisellini's last game until Sept. 29 as he must serve a league-imposed two-game suspension for his role in an altercation last Saturday against Sarnia.

Spirit goalies Francois Thuot and Ryan Daniels split time in net. Thuot had nine saves on 11 shots while Daniels had ten saves on 12 shots.

"We played well and had the majority of the scoring chances," said Spirit head coach and general manager Bob Mancini. "We took the play to Plymouth, but we have to give them credit. They took advantage of their opportunities."

Plymouth and Saginaw open the OHL's regular season next Wednesday in Saginaw at 7:11 p.m.

In the consolation game tonight, Nick Palmieri scored two goals including the game winner to lift the Erie Otters to a 4-3 win over the Toronto St. Michael's Majors. Patrick Lee and Brett MacLean also scored for the Otters. Matt Halischuk, Ryan Penney and Matt Caria scored for the Majors.

Plymouth and Saginaw both win Friday

Both the Plymouth Whalers and Saginaw Spirit won their games Friday night in Erie as part of a four-team tournament with the Toronto St. Michael's Majors and host Otters.

In the first game, Mike Letizia's goal on the Whalers' sixth shot of an overtime shootout proved to be the game-winner as Plymouth defeated Toronto, 6-5.

Plymouth came all the way back from a 3-0 deficit to take a 4-3 lead in the second period. Tom Sestito, Letizia, Steve Ward and John Vigilante then scored to lead 4-3 after two periods.

Rookie Matt Caria tied the game for Toronto at 3:53 of the third period, but Vigilante scored his second of the game at 6:16 of the period to give Plymouth a 5-4 lead. Justin Donati scored a shorthanded goal with 2:02 remaining in regulation to tie the game and set the stage for the shootout.

Ryan Nie stopped five of six shots in the shootout while Toronto goaltender Wayne Savage stopped Ondrej Otcenas, Andrew Fournier, Dan Collins (hit the post) and Chris Terry, but Vigilante and Letizia scored to give Plymouth the victory.

Plymouth outshot Toronto, 40-35. in the game.

The Spirit rode a hat trick from Ryan McDonough to eke out a 5-4 win over Erie. Matt Corrente and Chris Chappell also tallied for Saginaw, who got a 31-save performance from overage goalie Francois Thuot.

"We played an up-tempo game," said Spirit general manager and head coach Bob Mancini. "We stuck to our concepts well and a couple of individual performances helped make this win happen. It's still pre-season, but I'm pleased."

Plymouth and Saginaw will meet in the final game tonight at 8:00 p.m. Toronto and Erie play in the consolation game at 5:00 p.m.

Whalers and Spirit OHL Notebook

Former Plymouth captain Tim Sestito

(Photo courtesy of the Edmonton Oilers)

The Plymouth Whalers and Saginaw Spirit have been in the news recently. Here's the nuts and bolts of their headlines:

Saginaw, having already released veteran forward Daniel Borges two weeks ago, cut forwards Rick Caughell and Kevin Tuckey this week...Assistant coach Ian Herbers was promoted to associate coach and extended his contract through the 2006-2007 season...Third-year forward Tom Pyatt excelled at the New York Rangers' rookie camp and was invited to New York's main camp this week...Potential overage candidate Marek Kvapil had a great showing at Tampa Bay's rookie camp in Traverse City and should play in the Lightning organization this year. The only OA's on Saginaw's roster right now are newly-acquired goalie Francois Thuot, defensemen Erik Lundmark and Tyson Gimblett and forward Jesse Gimblett. OHL teams can dress three per game until the January trade deadline when only three may be kept on the active roster.

The Whalers, in Erie this weekend along with Saginaw and Toronto for a four-team mini-tournament, will be without forward Gino Pisellini for the first two regular-season games as he was assessed a league-imposed two-game suspension for allegedly spitting at the Sarnia bench after missing in the shootout last Saturday in Plymouth...Andrew Fournier wore the 'C' during the game last Saturday. No captains have officially been named as all four from last year (co-captains John Mitchell and Tim Sestito and Jonas Fiedler and Mike Knight) have moved on...Speaking of Sestito, he made it to the Edmonton Oilers' main camp after a rookie camp tryout, but was assigned to their AHL affiliate in Hamilton yesterday.

Alpena goalie commits to Bowling Green

Alpena IceDiggers' goaltender Phil Greer has committed to play for the Bowling Green Falcons of the CCHA starting next fall.

Greer, from Franklin, Mass., was a post-graduate last season for Kimball Union Academy in the New England Prep League where he played 897 minutes posting a 3.01 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage.

Prior to attending Kimball Union, Greer played for Arlington Catholic High School in Boston where he was the team's co-captain and Central Catholic League MVP in 2003-04. The Boston Herald also named him to the "Top Seven Players in Boston" team.

"As an organization we are very excited to announce that we have a player going to play at a great school like Bowling Green State University," Alpena head coach and GM Kenny Miller said. "Phil is a great kid, both on and off the ice; he works hard and sets a good example. He plays with a lot of intensity and passion and he leads by example. As an older player, I think the younger players look to him."

Tendered in April, Greer is expected to be a key contributor for the IceDiggers. Upon completing this season in Alpena, Greer will be one of the freshman to help compose the 2006-2007 Falcon roster.

IceDiggers swept in opening weekend

Todd Rudasill had two goals and an assist over the weekend

The Alpena IceDiggers are looking to rebound from a disappointing two-game season-opening series against the Cleveland Barons. The IceDiggers managed just one out of a possible four points on the weekend after falling to Cleveland 6-2 on Friday and 3-2 on Saturday.

On Friday, Todd Rudasill and Adam Snead scored for Alpena. Rudasill's goal came at 7:09 of the second period with Steve Culbertson and Ben Kitzmiller drawing assists. Snead's tally came at 16:59 of the third on assists from Rudasill and captain Nolan Craner. Alpena was out-shot, 35-32, for the contest with goaltender Phil Greer taking the loss.

Saturday saw Alpena native Erik Peterson notch his first points as an IceDigger, scoring the game tying goal with just under 7:00 to play. Rudasill scored a power-play goal in the first period. But it wouldn't be enough as the 'Diggers lost the shootout with Peterson logging the lone Alpena tally. Greer stopped 28 of 30 shots while being charged with the loss.

"I am a little disappointed in the way we played," said IceDiggers head coach and general manager Kenny Miller. "I feel we are a better team than what we showed last weekend."

Alpena resumes play this coming weekend at the Ice Cube in Ann Arbor for Saturday and Sunday contests against the U.S. National Development Team. Both games get underway at 3:00 p.m.

Spirit still can't solve Hounds, lose 6-3

Ryan McDonough tallied a goal and an assist in the 6-3 loss

After a 4-1 loss Friday night in Sault Ste. Marie, the Saginaw Spirit got more of the same in a 6-3 defeat at the Saginaw Bay Ice Arena to the same Greyhounds Saturday evening in OHL pre-season play.

Saginaw scored three power-play goals in the game and Aaron Rock made 24 saves in net. Newcomer Ryan McDonough had a goal and an assist in the loss. First-round pick Zack Torquato and Tim Priamo scored the other Spirit goals.

The Spirit resume action Friday in Erie for a round-robin tournament with the Plymouth Whalers, Toronto St. Michael's Majors and host Otters.

Whalers split with Sting this weekend

Gino Pisellini scored a goal in both games this weekend

The Plymouth Whalers and Sarnia Sting played two tight games Friday night in Sarnia and Saturday afternoon in Plymouth and the Whalers came away with a win last night and a shootout loss this afternoon.

Friday night across the Blue Water Bridge, James Neal's second goal of the game at 8:54 of the third period snapped a 3-3 tie and the Whalers came from behind with three unanswered goals in the third period for a 4-3 win. John Vigilante and Gino Pisellini also scored for Plymouth while defensemen Steve Ward added three assists and Mike Letizia added two helpers of his own.

Then this afternoon at the Compuware Sports Arena, Harrison Reed's shootout goal gave the Sting a 4-3 victory. The game was tied 3-3 after regulation and Sarnia won 2-1 in the shootout. Vigilante scored the lone Whaler goal in the five-man shootout.

The Whalers are now 1-1-0-1 in preseason play.

Tom Sestito, Pisellini and Andrew Fournier scored in regulation for Plymouth.

Plymouth is off until next Friday when they play in a four-team OHL pre-season tournament in Erie against the Toronto St. Michael's Majors at 5:00 pm. The host Otters host the Saginaw Spirit in the other game on Friday. The losers of Friday's games will play next Saturday at 5:00 pm, with the winners going at 7:45 pm.

Saginaw downed in the Soo, 4-1

Saginaw goalie Ryan Daniels turned aside 33 shots

It was the Saginaw Spirit of old Friday night as the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds topped the Spirit, 4-1, in an OHL pre-season game in the Soo.

Ryan Daniels made 33 saves in the loss and rookie Anthony Soboczynski netted Saginaw's lone tally.

"Throughout the game, we did a lot of good things," said Spirit general manager and head coach Bob Mancini. "We need to adjust better to the way the game is going to be called defensively. Offensively, we had good transition, even though you didn't see a lot of it on the scoreboard. We worked our patterns and concepts well. We were 1-0 even strength. We will quickly learn to adjust and not put ourselves in that position again."

The Spirit return to action tomorrow at 7:11 p.m. against the same Greyhounds for their only home game of the pre-season.

Former Plymouth, Saginaw goalie off to UBC

Former Plymouth Whalers and Saginaw Spirit goaltender Jeff Weber, a former eighth-round selection of the Buffalo Sabres, has committed to the University of British Columbia hockey program and will be in the lineup tomorrow when UBC plays host to the Vancouver Canucks prospects.

Weber, who turns 21 on Sept. 24, played four years in the OHL. He split the 2004-05 season between Barrie and Saginaw, posting a 3.41 goals against average and .906 save percentage in 48 games combined. His OHL career started in Sault Ste. Marie in 2001-02 and then shifted to Plymouth in 2002-03, where he was 13-2-2 in 19 games with a 2.32 goals against average and .925 save percentage. That season, Weber shared the OHL's Dave Pinkney Trophy for top team goaltending. In 101 career OHL games, the Ottawa, Ontario, native was 38-40-13 with a 3.12 goals against average and .908 save percentage.

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound netminder was also signed by the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies of the ECHL after Saginaw missed the playoffs this past season. Weber was 2-0 with a 2.14 goals against average and .928 save percentage in three appearances with Atlantic City.

"I had some options, but UBC is one of the best schools in the country and coach (Milan) Dragicevic has done an excellent job of putting together a first-class hockey program with the guys he's brought in," said Weber, whose family recently moved to Calgary. "I'm excited for a new opportunity and I want to help lead this program toward a national championship."

Weber was drafted 235th overall by Buffalo in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft and attended their main camp that September. He never signed an NHL contract.

"He's a proven starter in the OHL and every coach I've talked to has nothing but great things to say about him and his work ethic," said Dragicevic. "He's a bigger goalie who covers a lot of the net and that gives us some options."

Whalers fall in Windsor Monday afternoon

Cory Tanaka sniped a pair for the Whalers on Monday

The Plymouth Whalers fell to the Windsor Spitfires, 7-5, on the road this afternoon at Windsor Arena in OHL pre-season action.

Andrew Fournier staked the Whalers to a 1-0 lead 2:08 into the opening period before Windsor scored three unanswered goals to make it 3-1 midway through the second period.

Rookie Chris Terry and Nashville prospect Vaclav Meidl tied it for Plymouth as the Whalers skated into the second intermission tied at 3-all.

Windsor then scored two goals in a three-second span in the first minute of the third period before Cory Tanaka added a pair to close out the scoring, but not before the Spitfires had tallied two more.

Justin Garay started in net for Plymouth before being relieved by Jeremy Smith, who suffered the defeat. Smith came in after Garay was ejected amidst a line brawl in the middle stanza.

Next up for the Whalers is a game in Sarnia on Friday before returning home Saturday to host Sarnia at 3:30 pm.

Grosse Pointe Park native done with OHL

IceDogs lose defenceman

BY GARY MCCARTHY
The Mississauga News

The lure of a scholarship at a major university closer to home was more than Adam Abraham could resist.

The 18-year-old native of Grosse Pointe Park says he won't be returning to the Mississauga IceDogs' blueline for his third season in the Ontario Hockey League. Abraham told The News that while it was a tough decision to make, he has opted for a baseball scholarship with the Wolverines, based in Ann Arbor and a mere 40-minute drive from his home.

"I'll miss hockey and the IceDogs, but this is a good opportunity for me," said the defenceman, who was the second-round pick of the IceDogs in the 2003 OHL priority draft.

Abraham, a pitcher and infielder with his Ann Arbor team, said he has agreed to a partial scholarship that will cover about 75 percent of the annual costs to attend Michigan.

"I think being drafted by Florida may have tweaked his interest to pursue a career in baseball," said the owner and general manager of the IceDogs, Mario Forgione.

"Actually that didn't factor into it at all," said Abraham, who was a late draft choice of Major League Baseball's Florida Marlins in June. "It really came down to a great opportunity at Michigan."

Forgione, who has been holding discussions with Abraham's agent, said while it was certain the rearguard wouldn't be at training camp, there was a possibility he would join the IceDogs at a later date. But Abraham, who had five goals and 16 assists in 59 games last season and was a plus 16, ruled that out when he spoke to The News.

"I don't think I could leave Michigan to play hockey without jeopardizing my scholarship and I don't see myself doing that," said Abraham.

Abraham's loss leaves a big hole along the Mississauga blue line.The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder was a leading figure on the blueline, probably just behind overager David Pszenyczny (Sterling Heights). They did make defenceman Drew Schiestal their second pick in this year's priority draft. But unless he has added some muscle in the off-season, Schiestal will likely report to camp at around 160 pounds. He's six feet tall.

Abraham's departure would indicate that the IceDogs are likely going to have to make a trade to shore up the blueline, since defence is going to be a critical part of the game this year as a result of rule changes made by the National Hockey League and adopted by the OHL.

Plymouth wins pre-season opener over Spits

First star Andrew Fournier

The Plymouth Whalers beat the Windsor Spitfires, 6-5, this afternoon at the Compuware Sports Arena in both team's pre-season openers.

Plymouth came all the way back from an early 3-0 deficit in the first period to take a 4-3 lead in the second period. The game see-sawed until Gino Pisellini scored the game-winning goal on a power play at 10:55 of the third period.

Ryan Stephenson led the Plymouth attack with a pair of goals as the game's second star.

Whalers center Andrew Fournier - coming back after missing the second half of last season with a sliced Achilles' Tendon - was the game's first star with a goal and two assists. James Neal, Jared Boll and Pisellini added singles for the Whalers.

As with most OHL preseason games, the Whalers used the opener to play rookies, who saw action in all situations. Plymouth veterans John Armstrong, Dan Collins, Justin Garay, Mike Letizia and Zack Shepley - among others - sat out the game.

"We wanted to see Joe Gaynor, Chris Terry, Ondrej Otcenas, Brett Bellemore, and all the young guys," said Plymouth general manager and head coach Mike Vellucci. "I thought they played pretty well considering it was the first game for everyone."

Plymouth outshot Windsor, 42-31. Ryan Nie started in goal for Plymouth and was relieved by rookie Jeremy Smith midway through the second period.

Plymouth and Windsor meet again on Monday at 2:00 pm at Windsor Arena.

The Whalers then play in Sarnia next Friday, Sept. 9, before returning home next Saturday, Sept. 10, to host Sarnia at 3:30 pm.

Saginaw wheelin' and dealin'

New Spirit netminder Francois Thuot

The Saginaw Spirit acquired goaltender Francois Thuot from the Barrie Colts in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick in the 2006 OHL Priority Selection.

Thuot is a 20-year-old native of Longueuil, Quebec. He was 18-12-5 with the Colts with a 3.07 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage in 39 games after two seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with Val D'Or.

"I'm happy we can add a goaltender with Francois' experience to the Saginaw Spirit," said Spirit general manager and head coach Bob Mancini.

Spirit trade pair of '04 picks
The Spirit have also traded the rights to forward Andrew Marcoux, a seventh-round pick in 2004, to the Mississauga Ice Dogs for a seventh-round draft pick in 2006.

Saginaw then dealt the rights to defenseman Tim Cavanagh to the Peterborough Petes for a conditional 15th-round draft pick in 2008. Saginaw picked him in the sixth round a year ago.

Nolan Craner named Alpena's captain

Alpena captain Nolan Craner

Forward Nolan Craner, a Plainwell native, has been named team captain of the 2005-2006 Alpena IceDiggers.

"Nolan is a player our team looks up to," said head coach and general manager Ken Miller. "He leads both on and off the ice and that is extremely important."

Craner, 19, is in his second season with the IceDiggers franchise.

In addition to Craner’s appointment, Miller also named Adam Snead and Jeff Miller (Portage) as alternate captains.

"We have three outstanding players in leadership roles," said Miller. "They each have a very important role to play."

Saginaw signs 2004 draft pick Priamo

The Saginaw Spirit have signed 17-year-old forward Tim Priamo to an OHL contract for this season.

Priamo is a native of Guelph, Ontario and was Saginaw’s 12th-round pick, 222nd overall, in the 2004 OHL Priority Selection.

“Tim is a strong, gritty forward,” said Spirit general manager and head coach Bob Mancini. “He’s a tireless worker who brings energy to the team and touch around the net.”

Priamo earned the Rookie of the Year honors for the Western Division of the Ontario Provincial Junior A League last year with 22 goals and 24 assists in 52 games for the Burlington Cougars.

Shawhan spurns Cleveland, joins LSSU

Former Soo Indians head coach and general manager Joe Shawhan, originally named the new coach of the Cleveland Barons a couple weeks back, has now officially been named an assistant coach at Lake Superior State University.

Shawhan said the Barons jumped the gun on his signing with them and that an assistant's job at LSSU, his alma mater, was what he really wanted ever since the Indians folded after last season.

"I want to say thank you to the NAHL and Sault Tribe for giving me a great opportunity, and to Cleveland for being so patient," said Shawhan, a Sault Ste. Marie native. "I thank all of the people who supported the Indians for the 10-year period. One of the most difficult scenarios in this process was leaving something that I helped build, but I'm thankful I will have the opportunity to bring that excitement to LSSU.

"The people who were with us in building that, all of the fans and the community, can be a part of the continued growth of Laker hockey. When I was with the Indians, walking through the stands from the lockerroom to the bench during home games, I became used to seeing those people and they became friends. I look forward to seeing those same people again. I hope they appreciate Laker hockey as much as they appreciated Indians hockey. We need their support."

The Indians placed more than 100 players into college hockey programs during the past decade. The most-notable was goaltender Ryan Miller, who went on to Michigan State and won the 2001 Hobey Baker Award. Several others have gone on to play at LSSU, including current Lakers Dominic Osman, Justin Gutwald and Marty Gurnoe.

Read the full release from LSSU here.

Alpena showcase to be broadcast on WATZ AM

The Alpena IceDiggers are partnering with WATZ AM 1450 for radio broadcasts of this weekend's pre-season showcase.

"We are excited to be working with WATZ," said Alpena head coach and general manager Ken Miller. "The station is a great fit for our team and we hope to build a long relationship. Play-by-play announcer John Pines is one of the best in the business and I look forward to working with him on a one on one basis this season."

WATZ is a local radio station owned and operated by Midwestern Broadcasting. Select games will be broadcast live on AM 1450 and can also be heard on Charter Communications Channel 13 in Alpena. Pines has spent the past nine seasons as the voice of the Alpena High Wildcats.

"I'm thrilled and am looking forward to bringing the play by play, coach's corner, contests, and IceDigger special events to our Alpena area listeners." added Pines.

Alpena plays the Motor City Chiefs tonight at 7 pm, tomorrow at 7 pm against the Toledo Cherokee and at 1 pm Sunday against the Grand Rapids Owls. Friday's and Saturday's radio pre-game show will begin at 7 pm.

Kvapil signs contract with Lightning

The Saginaw Spirit were counting on forward Marek Kvapil returning for his overage season in the OHL, but after signing yesterday with the Tampa Bay Lightning, the odds of the Czech native coming back to mid-Michigan are maybe 50-50 at best.

"Marek Kvapil had an excellent year in the OHL last season and we were pleased to land him in this year's draft," Lightning general manager Jay Feaster said. "He is a goal scorer, and from a depth perspective, we simply don't have enough pure goal scorers in the system. We are very pleased that he has chosen to start his professional career and we look forward to seeing him in Traverse City (for rookie camp next month).”

Kvapil was selected by Tampa Bay in the sixth round, 163rd overall, in last month's draft. He led Saginaw in scoring last year with 25 goals and 62 points in 53 games. He was the third leading scorer among OHL rookies and was named OHL Rookie of the Month twice in 2004-05. He also tied the OHL record for the fastest goal scored to begin a period after scoring four seconds into the third period against the Mississauga IceDogs last December.

"We couldn't be happier for Marek," said Spirit general manager and head coach Bob Mancini. "He is very deserving of the opportunity to sign and go to Tampa Bay's training camp to start his pro career. We would welcome Marek back to the Spirit this season, but it is up to the Lightning to decide how to proceed on his development."

Prior to joining Saginaw, Kvapil played three seasons with the Slavia Praha organization in the Czech Republic, appearing in 11 games in the country’s top league in 2003-04. He also helped the Czech Republic capture a bronze medal at the 2005 World Junior Championships, recording two goals and five points in seven games. The 20-year-old native was the Spirit's 1st pick, 11th overall, in the 2004 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft.

In other Spirit news, defenseman Steven Whitely has earned an invitation to the Tampa Bay rookie camp.

"This is a great opportunity for Steven," Mancini said. "I have no doubt in my mind that if the NHL had had a full draft, as they did in previous years, that Steven would have been drafted."

Whitely, an 18-year-old native of Petrolia, Ontario, was acquired in a trade with the Toronto St. Michael's Majors in January.

Alpena readies for pre-season showcase

The Alpena IceDiggers are hosting a pre-season showcase this weekend, August 26-28, at Northern Lights Arena.

The showcase features five teams including the Traverse City North Stars and Central States Hockey League (Junior B) members Toledo Cherokee, Grand Rapids Jr. Owls and Motor City Chiefs. The IceDiggers, Cherokee, Chiefs and Owls will each play three games over the course of the weekend, while the North Stars will play in two.

Friday - 4:00pm-7:00pm, Traverse City v. Grand Rapids
Friday - 7:00pm-10:00pm, Alpena v. Motor City

Saturday - 9:00am-12:00pm, Toledo v. Traverse City
Saturday - 4:00pm-7:00pm, Motor City v. Grand Rapids
Saturday - 7:00pm-10:00pm, Alpena v. Toledo

Sunday - 10:00am-1:00pm, Toledo v. Motor City
Sunday - 1:00pm-4:00pm, Alpena v. Grand Rapids

"We are looking forward to this big weekend of hockey action," said Alpena head coach and general manager Ken Miller. "It will be our first look at the team in a game situation. The teams we have coming in from the CSHL are very competitive teams at the Junior B level and it should be great hockey for the fans of Alpena."

Fans are encouraged to come and follow the action. Admission is $3 per person or $15.00 for a weekend pass good for all seven games. For ticket information please contact the Northern Lights Arena at (989) 356-1878. These will be the only pre-season games the IceDiggers will play before regular season action begins the second weekend in September.

Armstrong strikes gold with Team Canada

Second-year Plymouth Whalers forward John Armstrong and Team Canada defeated the Czech Republic, 5-3, on Sunday for the gold medal in the Under-18 Junior World Cup in the Czech Republic.

Contacted at his home in Unionville, Ontario, on Monday, Armstrong called the tournament win "one of the biggest thrills of his hockey career."

"We won because we worked harder than the other teams," Armstrong said.

Armstrong scored twice in the tournament as he tallied in the first game and in the championship game.

Armstrong played much of the tournament on a checking line with Peterborough's Jordan Staal and Brady Calla of the WHL's Everett Silvertips.

"We were the biggest line (physically) in the tournament," Armstrong said. "Our job was to get the puck in deep and try to keep it there."

Armstrong was Plymouth's first-round pick in the 2004 OHL Priority Selection, going 13th overall.

Sestito earns free agent tryout with Oilers

Outgoing Plymouth Whalers co-captain Tim Sestito will attend the Edmonton Oilers' rookie training camp next month on a tryout basis as a free agent invite.

Never drafted by an NHL team, Sestito, a native of Rome, N.Y., posted career-highs last season in Plymouth with 14 goals and 32 points in his fourth and final OHL campaign. He signed an amateur tryout contract with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL after the OHL season and scored in his first professional game.

"Going into camp, I want to make a great impression early and often," said Sestito, who turns 21 on Aug. 28. "I feel like I am in the best shape of my life this summer and I am hoping it pays off in Edmonton. I have to be an agitator on the ice, getting my nose dirty and playing hard, as well as being responsible in my own end."

Rookie camp starts Sept. 5 and lasts one week. If Sestito gets an invite to Edmonton's main camp, that starts Sept. 15.

Sestito was originally Plymouth's third-round pick, 44th overall, in the 2001 OHL Priority Selection. Last year was his overage year in Plymouth and he had the chance to play with younger brother, Tom, on the Whalers.

"This fall is definitely going to be a new and different experience," the 6-foot, 195-pound Sestito added. "I was very comfortable and enjoyed every minute of being in Plymouth. It's a little sad leaving friends, family (Tom) and my billets, but on the other hand, it is exciting to try something new and see how far I can take my hockey career.

"One thing I know for sure is I will be looking up the game stats after every weekend to see how Plymouth made out as well as checking the message boards to get the perspective of the fans that were there."

IceDiggers set to open training camp

Alpena head coach-GM Ken Miller is ready for training camp

The Alpena IceDiggers are set to begin their inaugural NAHL season in Michigan.

On August 13, the 28-man training camp roster will report to Northern Lights Arena to begin the task of preparing for the 2005-2006 season.

"We’re excited as we head into camp this season knowing what a talented team we expect to have," said IceDiggers head coach Ken Miller. "We take training camp very seriously because it is a key ingredient in developing our players."

With 10 players returning from last year’s roster, the IceDiggers have a solid core of players to blend with a group of talented and young newcomers.

"We have to focus on becoming a better hockey team, playing our style of game and developing our players," said Miller. "I am excited about the group of kids we have recruited for this season."

The first IceDigger practice will be Monday, August 15 at 3:00pm at Northern Lights Arena in Alpena. Regular practices for the week will continue each weekday from 3:00 to 3:50 and practices this season will be open to the public.

Former Chiefs forward off to NAHL

Former Motor City Chiefs standout forward Tyler Romasco has signed with the Bismarck Bobcats of the NAHL.

The Bobcats, who finished fifth in the West Division a year ago, struggled offensively last year and will look to Romasco, among others, to help their offensive output this season.

Romasco is coming off his second season in the CSHL scoring 55 points or more and has the praise of those that saw him perform on a regular basis.

"Tyler brings the same enthusiasm to Bismarck as he did playing for the Chiefs," Motor City general manager Gerry Lullove said. "He is now on his way to achieving his goals playing Junior A and college hockey."

Shawhan surfaces in Cleveland

The Cleveland Jr. Barons named former Soo Indians head coach Joe Shawhan as their new head coach and general manager yesterday. As per team policy, terms of the contract will not be disclosed.

Shawhan, a Sault Ste. Marie native, was the only head coach in the Indians' 10-year existence. Shawhan's teams achieved a winning season and qualified for playoffs in each of those ten seasons and won two NAHL titles and qualified three different times for the USA Hockey National Championship.

Shawhan attended and played at Lake Superior State University under Frank Anzalone and Jeff Jackson. He was the head coach for Team USA at the prestigious Viking Cup 2004 hockey tournament.

The Indians folded at the end of the 2004-2005 season after a third-place finish at the Gold Cup tournament in Bismarck, N.D.

Armstrong makes Canadian Under-18 team

Plymouth Whalers' second-year forward John Armstrong, the team's first-round pick in 2004, has made Canada's Under-18 team that will play in the Junior World Cup Aug. 9-14 in the Czech Republic.

Armstrong is one of six OHL players on the Canadian roster.

IceDiggers set roster for training camp

Alpena forward Ricardo Yesue

The Alpena IceDiggers completed their main camp Tuesday and in the process whittled down their campers to a final 28-man training camp roster.

Ten players return from last season's Toledo team - goalie Justin Marriott, forwards Nolan Craner, Steve Culbertson, Ross Enmark, Jake Hovick, Brandon Moran, Sam Yearsley and Ricardo Yesue and defensemen Jeff Miller and Adam Snead. Also making the roster are Alpena natives Erik Peterson and C.J. MacKenzie.

"We are happy with the 28 guys we are bringing in for training camp" said IceDiggers coach and general manager Ken Miller. "(Assistant coach) Kelly (Miller) and I feel we have a good core of veterans as well as young guys willing to work hard and make this a successful season here in Alpena."

Of the 28 players returning, not all will make the team's opening day roster. The team will trim one player on Aug. 13 and cut two more by Sept. 1.

"We will look over our roster prior to September 1 and make the necessary moves to help our club," said Miller. "We will keep the hardest working 25 players."

ICEDIGGERS 28-MAN ROSTER
Bold denotes returning player

G Justin Marriott
G Mitch Rybicki
G Phil Greer
D Brad Benson
D Josh Brown
D Chris Lanciano
D Ben Kitzmiller
D Kory O'Brien
D Tim Okicki
D Eric Roman
D Adam Snead
F Zach Barron
F Nolan Craner
F Steve Culbertson
F Taylor Doorlag
F Ross Enmark
F Jake Hovick
F C.J. MacKenzie
F Jeff Miller
F Brandon Moran
F Erik Peterson
F Drew Pierson
F Todd Rudasill
F Justin Stadler
F Matt Suggs
F Andrew Wilcox
F Sam Yearsley
F Ricardo Yesue

Saginaw acquires Combs from Rangers

The Saginaw Spirit acquired forward Jack Combs from the Kitchener Rangers yesterday in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2006 OHL Priority Selection.

The 17-year-old native of St. Louis was the Rangers' second round pick in 2004 and had one goal and five assists, as an underager, in 59 games with the Rangers last season.

"Jack has been a point-getter and goal scorer throughout his developmental hockey career," Saginaw general manager and head coach Bob Mancini said. "We look forward to him bringing his skills to the Saginaw Spirit."

Combs is expected to join the Spirit for training camp in late August.

North Stars finalize 25-man roster

By MARK URBAN
Record-Eagle staff writer

TRAVERSE CITY - The formation of the team was announced in early November.

Jerseys for the Traverse City entry into the North American Hockey League (NAHL) were unveiled in early May.

Now the Junior A hockey team has 25 players to fill out those uniforms.

The North Stars made it official on Monday, sending its 25-man roster into the NAHL league office in preparation for the team's inaugural 2005-06 season.

"We're pretty happy with what we have," said Traverse City coach and general manager Scott Gardiner. "We have a good mix.

"We have a good mix of youth and experience and different types of role players and skill players."

The initial roster includes seven players with direct ties to the area.

Four of those played high school hockey in the area: winger Jake Erway (TC Central), defenseman Nathan Peterson (Cadillac), center Scott Ponstein (Grand Traverse Bay) and winger Joe St. John (Gaylord).

Also making the initial roster were three defensemen from the now-defunct Traverse City Enforcers of the Continental Elite Hockey League: Steve Hackman, Anthony Sarno and Tony Swarthout.

The first group of North Stars reports back to Traverse City on Aug. 20. That is also the first practice at Centre ICE.

"We start to work right away," Gardiner said.

Traverse City plays its first exhibition games Aug. 26-27 in Alpena and opens the regular season on Sept. 16 at Cleveland.

The complete schedule for the first season of the North Stars will be released later this week. The NAHL schedule, which features the annual Showcase in Blaine, Minn., on Oct. 19-22, is slated to come to a vote on Wednesday.

Gardiner said there will inevitably be some fluctuation to the 25-player roster released on Monday.

"With a first-year club, we'll be making some changes as we go on," he said. "We have no returning players, so we'll need to analyze where we're strong at, where we're weak at and adjust accordingly."

To view the North Stars full 25-man roster, click here.

Plymouth swings deal with Mississauga

Former Whalers forward Jeff McFarland on his way to Mississauga.

The Plymouth Whalers swung a deal with the Mississauga IceDogs today, landing defenseman Scott Madden from Mississauga for right wing Jeff McFarland.

Both players are 17 and were both selected in the 2004 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection – Madden in the fourth round (77th overall) by Mississauga and McFarland in the third round (61st overall) by the Whalers.

Madden is the younger brother of New Jersey Devils' forward John Madden, who played for the University of Michigan from 1993-97 before moving on to New Jersey, where he won the Selke Trophy in 2001 as the NHL's top defensive forward.

Scott Madden – 6-feet and 185 pounds - played for the Lindsay Muskies of the Ontario Provincial Jr.A League last season, scoring five goals with six assists for 11 points with 35 penalty minutes in 36 games.

McFarland played briefly for the Whalers last year and was scoreless in two games. He spent the bulk of his time last season with the St. Thomas Stars of the Western Jr. B League, scoring eight goals and five assists for 13 points and 78 penalty minutes in 41 games.

Whalers and Spirit drafted in Ottawa

Plymouth forward Dan Collins has Florida in his sights.

Plymouth Whalers forward James Neal was the first Plymouth player taken today in the NHL Entry Draft when the Dallas Stars chose him in the second round, 33rd overall.

"I've been in touch with Dallas," Neal said, minutes after being selected from his home in Whitby, Ontario. "They showed a lot of interest. I had a feeling they might take me. It was between a couple of teams that talked to me a lot - Dallas and Florida. Bottom line, I'm thrilled to go to Dallas. They have a couple of slots opening up. Their general manager (Doug Armstrong) just called me, and he's going to keep in touch to let me know about training camp and other things."

Fellow Plymouth forward Dan Collins went in the third round, 90th overall, to the Florida Panthers while incoming Whalers forward Jared Boll was taken in the fourth round, 101st overall, by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

"It's gratifying to know all the hard work has paid off," Collins said. "I dreamed for this day and now that it's come and gone, it's really exciting. A lot of my hard work was done during the off-season, mostly, because I needed to gain weight. I worked out five days a week for two-and-a-half hours every day and I drove an hour-and-a-half there and an hour-and-a-half back. So I paid the price with a lot of hard work to get to where I am now."

The New York Rangers selected Saginaw Spirit forward Tom Pyatt in the fourth round, 107th overall. Fourteen picks later, Spirit defenseman Patrick McNeill went to the Washington Capitals.

Plymouth's 2005 Import Draft pick, Slovenian forward Ondrej Otcenas, was also selected in the fourth round, 123rd overall, by the Compuware-owned Carolina Hurricanes. Saginaw's 2004 Import pick, Slovakian forward Marek Kvapil, was the first pick of the sixth round, 163rd overall, by the Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning.

Fenton native and Plymouth defenseman Ryan McGinnis went to the Los Angeles Kings in the sixth round as well, 184th overall.

Defenseman Kyle Lawson, a New Hudson native who is off to Notre Dame next fall, was drafted by Carolina in the seventh round, 198th overall. His OHL rights belong to Plymouth.

Whalers, Spirit in final NHL draft rankings

Plymouth forward James Neal is ranked 19th for the July 30 NHL Draft.

Three Plymouth Whalers and three Saginaw Spirit players are listed in the final rankings for Saturday's NHL Entry Draft in Ottawa.

Whalers' forwards James Neal (19th) and Dan Collins (24th) lead the pack followed by Saginaw defenseman Patrick McNeill at No. 75 and Spirit forward and Farmington Hills native Tommy Mannino popping in at No. 102.

Tom Pyatt rounds out Saginaw's NHL hopefuls in the 159 spot while Plymouth defenseman Ryan McGinnis, a Fenton native, is listed 168th. Newly-acquired Plymouth forward Jared Boll is ranked 187th while New Hudson defenseman Kyle Lawson, whose rights are held by the Whalers, is one later at 188.

Forward Ondrej Otcenas, Plymouth's pick in last month's Import Draft, is listed 35th among European prospects.

The draft will be held at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa. This year, the draft has been scaled down to seven rounds instead of nine.

Former Spirit players sign NHL deals

As the 5 p.m. deadline approached yesterday for NHL teams to sign their 2003 draft picks, two former Saginaw Spirit players beat the deadline and will advance to the pro ranks this coming season.

Goaltender Mike Brown and defenseman Paul Bissonnette both played for the Spirit since the team came to Saginaw in 2002 and both were traded to the Owen Sound Attack this past year. Bissonnette was also a rookie on the North Bay Centennials, now the Spirit, in 2001-2002.

Brown signed with the Boston Bruins and Bissonnette, a former Spirit captain, inked his first contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Brown was a fifth-round pick of Boston while Bissonnette went a round earlier.

Whalers' forward signs with Maple Leafs

John Ferguson, general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Thursday that the club has signed forward John Mitchell to a multi-year entry level contract. In keeping with club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Mitchell, 20, played 63 games for Plymouth of the Ontario Hockey League last season collecting 75 points (25 goals, 50 assists) with 59 penalty minutes. He finished second in the OHL in shorthanded goals (5-tie), 13th in assists (tie) and 17th in points. He finished first on the team in goals (tie), first in assists, first in points, first in powerplay goals (8), first in shorthanded goals and fourth in plus/minus (+14).

He played four OHL playoffs games collecting two points (one goal, one assist). He led the team during the playoffs in points (tie).

Mitchell also appeared in two regular season games for St. John's of the American Hockey League after Plymouth had been eliminated from the OHL playoffs.

The native of Oakville, Ontario finished ninth in the OHL in points (82-tie) in 2003-04. Mitchell was Toronto's fourth choice, 158th overall in the 2003 Entry Draft and was a Whalers' co-captain last season along with Tim Sestito. Originally, Mitchell was Plymouth's first-round pick (19th overall) in the 2001 OHL Priority Selection and is also Plymouth's all-time leader in regular-season games played with 258.

Whalers' newest hire a hockey lifer

The Plymouth Whalers are pleased and proud to announce they have hired Marshall Mackinder (yes, my brother!) as the team’s new Ticket Sales Coordinator and Director of Community Relations.

Mackinder, 22, comes to the Whalers from Niagara University in Lewiston, N.Y., where he earned a degree in communications and was the student equipment manager for the men’s Division I hockey team, an NCAA Tournament qualifier in 2004.

A native of Oak Park and 2001 Ferndale High graduate, Mackinder began his duties last Thursday and he will be responsible for group sales, fundraisers, community relations and the Whalers Kids Club.

“It’s always been a goal of mine to work in hockey and be able to make a living out of it,” said Mackinder, engaged to Ann McLellan of Coquitlam, British Columbia, a fellow 2005 Niagara graduate and four-year member of the Purple Eagles’ women’s hockey team. “I’ve been around this organization seemingly my whole life and it’s a great feeling and an honor to be a part of something special. I started out as a young kid attending Jr. Red Wings games at Joe Louis Arena and Cobo Arena and then games at Oak Park Arena and in Plymouth, but when I went to college, I got more into college hockey.

"Now that I have experience working closely with a Division I team, and was hired by the Whalers, it comes full circle and I am right where I want to be: working with the team I closely followed as a kid growing up."

Hopefuls to battle for IceDiggers roster spots

The Alpena IceDiggers 25-man roster will be set following a pair of tryout camps at Northern Lights Arena this week.

The IceDigger coaching staff is conducting the three-day camp from Wednesday, July 27 to Friday, July 29. Some 80 players will be spilt into four teams for game action on Wednesday and Thursday. The 80 players will then be narrowed to 45 players for an all-star game that runs from 2:00 to 5:00.

IceDiggers head coach and general manager Ken Miller says, "(Assistant coach) Kelly (Miller) and I are looking for the top 25 players at the camp to fill out our roster for the '05-06 season."

THE TOP 45 PLAYERS from the OPEN camp move on to an invitation only camp which runs from July 31 through August 2. From there the hopefuls will battle with IceDigger veterans for a spot on the final 25 man roster.

A number of local players will be taking part in the camp including former Alpena Wildcats CJ MacKenzie, Kevin Lundquist, Brian Bennett and Ryan Ballard. Also attending the camp are current Alpena High players Jeff Olson and Brandon McConnell.

Miller thinks it would be great if some former Wildcats could join Erik Peterson who was tendered by the IceDiggers this past May.

"We feel that if the local players come in work hard and showcase their talents they should have a chance of making the club," Ken Miller said.

Fans are encouraged to attend all the sessions as admission is free.

ALPENA ICEDIGGERS OPEN CAMP SCHEDULE

Wednesday July 27, 2005
6:00pm - 7:20pm, Team White VS. Team Blue
7:30pm - 8:50pm, Team Red VS. Team Green

Thursday July 28, 2005
12:30pm - 1:50pm, Team Blue VS. Team Green
2:00pm - 3:20pm, Team White VS. Team Red
5:00pm - 6:20pm, Team White VS. Team Blue
6:30pm - 7:50pm, Team Red VS. Team Green

Friday July 29, 2005
2:00pm - 4:50pm, All-Star Game

ALPENA ICEDIGGERS MAIN CAMP SCHEDULE

Sunday July 31, 2005
2:00pm - 3:20pm, Team White practice
3:30pm - 4:50pm, Team Red practice
7:00pm - 8:50pm, Team White VS. Team Red

Monday August 1, 2005
9:00am - 10:20am, Team Red practice
10:30am - 11:50am, Team White practice
4:00pm - 5:50pm, Team Red VS. Team White

Tuesday August 2, 2005
12:00pm - 1:50pm, Team White VS. Team Red

The coaching staff will select the top 25 players for the '05-06 Season. Players that make the roster will report to Alpena on Saturday August 13, 2005 at 2:00pm at the Northern Lights Arena.

The IceDiggers' first official team practice will be Monday August 15, 2005 at 3:00pm.

Surprises unearthed by North Stars

By Jeff Peek
Traverse City Record-Eagle

Surprise, surprise.

The Traverse City North Stars found a couple of them during their training camp over the weekend at Centre ICE. They're just not naming all of them yet.

"It went well. A few guys jumped out at us that we weren't expecting," said Scott Gardiner, head coach of the first-year North American Hockey League team. "There were some pleasant surprises. We still have some tough decisions to make before the first (Aug. 1)."

Gardiner said that "on paper, we're in a much better position than I anticipated."

"Now it's up to Mike (Stapleton, assistant coach) and I to whip them into shape."

Some 50 players took part in the three-day camp that ended Sunday. Nearly 700 fans attended Saturday night's Blue-White All-Star Game and a tailgate party that followed.

According to Gardiner, the line of Jake Mullen, Matt Larke and John Juliano were "by far the best line going."

Mullen, a 6-foot, 170-pound winger who played for Belle Tire AAA in St. Clair Shores a year ago, was one of the non-drafted players to make the cut.

"It feels good; I'm excited about it," Mullen said. "Once the first cuts were made the tempo really picked up."

Mullen is the 16-year-old nephew of former NHL star Joey Mullen, who scored over 500 goals in his career, and Brian Mullen, who played 11 seasons in the NHL.

Seventeen players have been awarded roster spots. Eight more will be decided upon on Aug. 1.

The North Stars begin preseason camp Aug. 15-20. Their regular season home opener is Sept. 23.

Grand Blanc native to play for Colonials

Grand Blanc native Steve Bandurski, a 19-year-old forward who played last year in the NAHL with the Texarkana Bandits, is off to Robert Morris University in the fall and will also play hockey for the second-year Colonials.

Bandurski totalled 21 goals (six power-play, two short-handed) and 43 points in 55 games last season for the Bandits and added four more points in seven playoff games.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Compuware AAA alum was also the very last pick (298th overall) of the 2002 OHL Priority Selection by the Plymouth Whalers.

Robert Morris is entering their second season in Division I hockey as part of the College Hockey America conference. The university is in Moon Township, a suburb of Pittsburgh.

North Stars look to finalize roster

The Traverse City North Stars are putting on their final tryout camp this weekend at Centre ICE and in a perfect world, come Monday, Traverse City head coach and general manager Scott Gardiner will have his first roster set for the 2005-2006 season, the North Stars' first in the NAHL.

The team is also hoping the end of the NHL lockout will have a trickle-down effect on junior hockey, especially with the North Stars starting the season soon after the Detroit Red Wings finish training camp in Traverse City.

"Hopefully, we'll be riding the coattails of some positive hockey news, finally," said Gardiner to the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

The approximately 45 players at the invitation-only camp will be split into three teams for games Friday evening and Saturday morning. The pool will then be trimmed down to about 30 players for a Blue-White game at 7 p.m. Saturday evening and more games Sunday morning starting at 9 a.m.

"I wanted to go with two teams going head-to-head all weekend, but we kept seeing guys we wanted to see again," Gardiner said. "So we decided to go with three teams."

The team doesn't have a goaltender on its roster yet, as third-round draft pick Kyle Jendra of Chicago is trying out for the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League. Gardiner said Jendra told him that he would play for the North Stars if he doesn't make the Whalers. The North Stars do have three goaltenders in this weekend's camp fighting for spots on the team in Jeremy Kaleniecki (Addison Township), Ryan Donavan (Pinckney) and Stephan Shivley. Second-round pick Daniel Lawson also did not sign with the North Stars, opting to play for the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League and tendered player Jon Madden (Howell) has not yet committed to TC.

Check out the full story by James Cook here.

Whalers sign Terry, make other moves

Just a week after visiting Plymouth with his family, forward Chris Terry, one of the Whalers' two second-round picks last May, signed with the team for this coming season the Whalers announced today.

Terry played last season for the Markham Islanders minor midgets of the Greater Toronto Metro Hockey League and scored 47 goals with 57 assists for 104 points and 115 penalty minutes in 68 games.

The 16-year-old Terry comes with the reputation of a scorer who plays with an edge and showed that trait during the Whalers' Rookie Orientation in May.

“Terry plays a lot like (current Plymouth forward and second-round pick in 2004) Cory Tanaka,” Plymouth head scout Jim Debenham said at the time Terry was drafted. “He competes hard. He's got good hands and (in time) he'll be hated by the rest of the league.”

STEFAN MOVES TO CAROLINA; MCDONNELL HIRED AS PLYMOUTH DIRECTOR OF PLAYER PERSONNEL: The Carolina Hurricanes have announced the hiring of former Whalers Director of Player Personnel and Assistant Coach Greg Stefan as a professional scout and goaltending coach. Stefan spent the past two seasons with Plymouth in his second stint with the organization. Stefan fills the role previously handled by former NHL goaltender Don Edwards.

The Whalers have hired Terry McDonnell has the team's new Director of Player Personnel. McDonnell spent the past six seasons as a scout with Carolina, concentrating on the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and college hockey in the United States.

McDonnell will concentrate primarily on scouting for the Whalers.

“I'm excited to be in Plymouth,” McDonnell said. “Peter Karmanos is an owner with a tremendous passion for the game. We want to try to win for him.”

In other front office appointments, the Whalers have hired Jason Varlesi as new Sales and Marketing Coordinator. A native Detroiter, Jason attended and played hockey at Dearborn Divine Child before moving to Henry Ford Community College and eventually to Western Michigan University, where he earned a degree in Business Administration. Before joining the Whalers, Varlesi worked in Erie with the Otters and the Erie Seawolves of the AA Eastern League.

IceDiggers start new era with new jerseys

The Alpena IceDiggers will be sporting a new look for the 2005-2006 season.

The switch to redesigned jerseys couldn't come at a better time as the club is set to embark on a new season, in a new home with a new coach.

The project has been in the works for the past few months," said IceDiggers' general manager and head coach Ken Miller. "A tremendous amount of time and effort went into the design and production of the jersey. Our jersey supplier, OT Sports, has done a terrific job helping us design our new jerseys. The majority of the home jersey is white, while the shoulders, sleeves and band at the bottom are complemented by red and blue trim. It also includes a modification of the logo on the front of the uniform."

The away jersey (which Miller notes will be switched to the home jersey after the Christmas break) is royal blue, and sports a red collar. The uniform celebrates the heritage of hockey with a traditional lace-up front reminiscent of the NHL's "Original Six" era and features "Alpena" in white letters with red trim running diagonally across the front. There will also be IceDigger logos on each shoulder.

"The hockey sweater is more than the uniform, its appeal is universal. You see them everywhere and everyone wearing them," added Miller. "It becomes the symbol of pride to the team and our fans."

The replica jerseys will be available at the home opener. Adult sizes will cost fans $65.00 and youth sizes are $55.00.

Terry gets acquainted with Plymouth

Forward Chris Terry, one of the Plymouth Whalers' two second-round picks last spring, 29th overall, was in town recently with his family to get acquainted with the area and meet the staff.

Terry scored 47 goals with 57 assists for 104 points and 115 penalty minutes in 69 games with the Markham (Ont.) Islanders last season.

Joe Gaynor, another forward, was Plymouth's other second-rounder, going 37th overall.

Spirit announce pre-season schedule

The Saginaw Spirit will play an inter-squad scrimmage and four pre-season games before the Wednesday, Sept. 21 home opener against the Plymouth Whalers.

The club will host the fourth annual Blue-White game on Sunday, Aug. 28 at 4:00 PM at the new Midland Ice Arena. The event is free of charge, but donations will be collected to benefit area youth hockey.

Saginaw's pre-season schedule begins Friday, Sept. 9 at 7:00 PM in Sault Ste. Marie versus the Greyhounds. The Hounds return to Saginaw on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 7:00 PM to play the Spirit at Saginaw Bay Ice Arena. General admission tickets are $7. Donations will also be collected to benefit area youth hockey.The Spirit conclude their pre-season on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 16-17 at a pre-season tournament in Erie, Penn. Game times and opponents will be announced closer to the event.

Tickets for the Spirit pre-season game and regular season contests will go on sale on Aug. 29.

Jared Boll visits Plymouth

Newly-signed forward Jared Boll came to Plymouth with his father, Peter, on Tuesday afternoon to get acquainted with the staff and learn a little about the area. Jared is shown shaking hands with Whalers president, general manager and head coach Mike Vellucci.

(photo credit - Walt Dmoch)

Brighton native off to Bucs, then Irish in '07

Ben Ryan was a key part of the '04-05 Victory Honda squad.

Ben Ryan, a center from Brighton who won a state championship last year with the Victory Honda Major Midget AAA team, has reportedly verbally committed to Notre Dame for the fall of 2007.

The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Ryan scored 31 goals in 65 games last season and will play this coming fall in the USHL with the Des Moines Buccaneers, the team that selected him in the second round of May's USHL draft.

"Ben was certainly one of the best young, skilled players at our Invite Camp," Buccaneers head coach and general manager Regg Simon said. "He's very mature for his age though, and I'm not surprised that he made the decision to attend Notre Dame. Ben will play for a top-level hockey program, and he'll get a world-class education. That shows how well he thought the whole process through."

A right-handed shot, Ryan has a 10/16/88 birthdate and was also reportedly considering Michigan and Michigan State.

"The education, tradition and spirit of Notre Dame are what won me over," Ryan said. "I'm also excited to play for (New Irish head) coach (Jeff) Jackson. He's won everywhere he's coached and has what it takes to get the hockey program turned around."