Rave reviews and other news

Fort Wayne Komets coach Pat Bingham and general manager David Franke couldn’t stop themselves from raving about newly signed right wing Pascal Morency.

They’re pretty confident local fans will feel the same way about a player known for playing with a style that is up-tempo, emotional and, above all, physical.

“He can be a world class rat and when he does that he’ll hit your toughest guy and he’ll hit your most skilled guy. He doesn’t discriminate,” said Bingham, who coached Morency in Wheeling, W.Va., of the ECHL during 2004-05. “He’ll fight when the time is appropriate and he’ll walk away when he thinks it’s not. He’s fun.”

The Komets signed six players Thursday, including Morency, goaltender Dan McWhinney, defensemen Andrew Bozoian and Adam Blanchette, and centers Jean-Simon Richard and Martin Gascon.

But Morency, 24, was the biggest name of the bunch, not to mention exactly the type of tough player Bingham promised to bring in during his first season with the Komets.

“He can help us,” said Bingham, adding Morency is typically popular among fans and teammates. “What he brings to the table is a lot of passion for the game. He plays on emotion and adrenaline. … He can do a bit of everything. He skates very well and he can play the game too.”

Morency had 20 points and 326 penalty minutes in 70 games over the last two seasons with Wheeling. Broken bones in his hand and knee limited him to 17 games last season. He played for Flint of the UHL in 2003-04, tallying eight goals, 14 points and 248 penalty minutes in 51 games.

“I’ll bring energy and finish my checks and be under their skins,” Morency said, “and I’ll drop the gloves here and there and try to score a few goals.”

Here's some other interesting notes from the day:

• Bozoian spent 48 games with the Komets last season but retained his rookie status. That was important because the Komets must play four rookies every game. Bozoian has worked hard on his conditioning and should be better prepared for this season, Bingham said. Look for him to contribute more on special teams.
• It turns out Morency and Richard are first cousins. The funny thing is, they didn't know they were both were negotiating with the Komets. Morency found out during a family gathering when his mother announced Richard would be playing in Indiana this season. Morency and Richard are close, skating together during the summers, and Morency said it would be fun if they ended up linemates.
• McWhinney got onto the Komets' radar when he sent them an impressive looking DVD of his best saves. He was, at one time, a prospect of North Dakota's, but he never wound up playing there. The Komets believe he may win the battle to become the backup to Kevin St. Pierre, and become one of the biggest surprises in the UHL, this season.
• The Komets have shopped the rights to winger Jim Duhart to other UHL teams but, so far, no one has shown any interest, Franke said. The Komets got Duhart's rights in the dispersal draft of Missouri's players this offseason.
• Fort Wayne plans to have between 25 and 30 players in training camp, meaning at least six players will be cut. It should make for great competition.
• The Komets have called Flint and made some inquiries about Mike Kinnie, who had 24 goals and 47 points in 36 games for them last season, but so far it's turned up nothing.

-- By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette

Comments

[Greg]

You mean the Komets are actually going after somebody like Kinnie. WOW.

[Justin Cohn]

Don't hold your breath. It seemed like it went nowhere.

[IcyKometFan84]

I am so ready for this season. GO KOMETS!!!

[Greg]

I was just shocked to hear something like that, although I doubt they would have memtioned it unless they either had him or had no chance at him.

So Justin, it looks like Duhart is going to wait til Januray to play here in the U , eh?

[Greg]

About McWhinney, do you actually expect him to get Any plaing time behind St. Pierre?

I sure don't. In fact a guy that has only been playing the position for 5 years and is sending out DVD's tells me that St. Pierre's pension for wanting to play alot is getting pretty well know and no one wants to play behind him. Reiter sure didn't to why should anybody body else?

Is Morency getting the training camp spot in Hershey or is that going to someone else?

[Greg]

I'm betting it's Goodwin. I think he tried out last year. Didn't make but was given somethings to do and I bet they said that they would take a look at him this coming season.

He would be a good choice to go, but last week they said Hershey was holding a spot for a Komets player who had yet to be signed. So it couldn't be Goodwin according to that.

[Justin Cohn]

I think McWhinney will get some playing time. I got the impression that they really wanted to give him a look. That's if he gets the job, of course.

I do know Goodwin is not getting the Hershey spot. I asked that earlier in the week. I don't know if it's Morency, though. I'll try and find that out next time I talk to them. I didn't get the impression it was him, though.

[Komet Fan]

Greg, give up on bashing Frenchy for playing alot!!! Last I checked, the Coach makes that decision.... Also, last I checked, Frenchy was 105-36 the last 3 years playing for the Komets, that is about a 75% winning percentage...

[dnl]

I'm very pleased with these signings. Can't wait to see what Morency can bring to the team. I also think Bozoian may really shine if he's given more time on the PP. Add a big bruising skater and we're in great shape.

This potential goalie looks interesting. If he makes the job and the Komets are lacking on forwards (due to injury, call-ups, whatever) is it possible to dress McWhinney as a skater and call in an emergency back-up goalie for St. Pierre? Just a thought...

Morency and Richard are cousins...Talk about team chemistry! If Richard get's the job as a center, maybe Morency and Richard would be a good pair. But let's see if he even gets the job first.

Richard and Gascon have a good shot at making this team. They both have some talent.

[Skate]

I HATE my cousins.

[IndyKomet]

Great additions GO KOMETS!

[Greg]

Komet Fan-Last time I check St. Pierre was 13-18 in playoff games for the Komets. That's 42% and that I believe can be partly attributed to St. Pierre wanting to play alot plus the fact that because he wants to play alot the K's can't get a decent back-up to sign. They have to pray a rookie will play above expectations.

[scoops]

St. Pierre's resume speaks for itself. Had we won a championship during his tenure this probably would be a non issue. If anyone wants to pick at his playoff record go ahead. This is a team game and St. Pierre saved our asses more times than he mailed it in. At his level he should be considered an elite goalie and elite goalies do and should play 70% of the time, give or take. If he can win 2/3 of his starts on his own by pitching shutouts or giving up a goal or two, the offense can win 7 games to bail him out if he is off, and the backup can steal another 6 wins....that is a 50 win season. I'll take that any year.

[Greg]

To me the resueme say great in the regular season but tanks in the playoffs, a goal hog that wants all the playing time he can get and then tires out when it comes down to crunch time, oh and BTW, injury prone.

[Skate]

First, we have generally signed a rookie to fill the back up slot to fulfill one of our rookie slots.

St. Pierre shold play the majority of the games as he is one of the best on the league. I'd just like to see the other guy play maybe once a week to get some experience, stay sharp and reduce the work load of St. P.

I could never understand why Puhalski wouldn't play the backup goalie in a home game against teams that were so BAD they shouldn't have even been in the league.

Why did Puhalski want St. P out? Was St. P dictating to him when and where he'd play?

[dnl]

I highly doubt that the amount of play time was chosen only by St. Pierre. That would make Puhalski one weak coach. I'm not sure Greg what you are looking for in a goalie. This is no different than if we signed any other decent goalie in this level of hockey. If Reiter didn't sing here because St Pierre was here, then he wouldn't have signed if any other top goalie was here either. And from the sound of it, the rookie goalie we just picked up may not be half bad. I'm not trying to insult you Greg, I'm just curious on what you think would be a better option. Get a less talented goalie in hopes that appeals to maybe a better back-up? That doesn't make alot of sense to me.

[Greg]

I'm not insulted at all. We are all giving out opinios and on this one we just don't agree and I'm just fine by that.

I have a problem with St. Pierre's playoff perfromance and I don't the rest of the team let him down. St. Pierre's playoff performance hasn't been good for the three years he's been here. I part attribute that to his playing a majority of the games. If that's a coaches decision fine let's blame Puhalski. But I find that if the Komet's had a more decent back up, like Kevin Reiter for example, then maybe Puhalski would feel more comfortable playing the back up in more games and not playing St. Pierre so much in the regular season that he's spent in the playoffs. All goalies want to play as much as they can, I get that and maybe it it Puhalski's fault that he couldn;t find it in himself to trust the back ups that he had more than when St. Pierre was injured. Maybe it's the Frankes falut for not finding a good back up for him, of course Puhalski I believe was in charge for getting players.

McWhinney might be a dynamite goaltender. Bignham may decide that he will use the back up more the Puhalski. I don't know. all I know is that if you ask me right now if I think the Komets can win the cup with the present goaltending situation, my answer would have to be know. I don't have any confidence in St. Pierre and his playoff record backs me on that. I would love for St. Pierre to prove me wrong, just love it because then we're all happy, but I don't think that's the case.

To put it bluntly, I would have preferred that the Komets did not sign St. Pierre.

[chuckitt]

st pierre is the best goaler in this league. his playoff record stinks becasuse as other teams gear up for the playoffs our team never did anything. if you are pushed around and are physically beaten, the goalie doesnt stand much of a chance. st pierre made up for a lot of the defenseless mens mistakes last year. he made ice the puck guinn look like a solid vetern at times. so id rather have a st pierre than a couple of maybes. i do think the backup needs more work, but we have a new coach and hopefully hes better than the chief.

[IcyKometFan84]

I would say that if we had a solid defense last year St. Pierre would have been better but I would also like to see a decent backup get some playing time.

[chuckitt]

its important as a team to keep all players involved as much as popssible. if st pierre would go down, its a lot easier for the guys to play with a goalie whom they know what his tendencies are than to have somebody they dont know anything about.

[dnl]

Point well taken Greg. I agree with what you said with one exception. I think if rising goalies did their homework, many would want to come to Ft Wayne. Not many rookie goalies start off in the number 1 position. Usually they start as the back-up and end up earning a number one spot. Ft Wayne has a vet goalie who had thought about retiring but decided to sign a one year contract. This would be an excellent way for a rookie goalie to come in, build himself into a UHL goalie and quite possibly take the number one spot next year. I may be wrong, but I think it was a point that St Pierre and Komets made a one year contract. I may be wrong, I'm just speculating.
It'll be interesting to see how St. Pierre will do now that one of our top defensemen (Neumeier) and arguably the best UHL defensive forward at the time (Chaulk) won't be on the team to play defense. Alot of new faces in that department.....

[Shane]

I guess I am confused. How can you complain that someone wants to play all of the time? Maybe you all would be happy if Pokey came back. He had a decent record and never wanted to play. Maybe we can pick him back up and the rookie will get all of the playing time he wants!