Ice Chips 05'-06'

Roster set

The Komets needed to trim one more player from their roster to meet league rules and have 17 skaters and two goaltenders. So, the Komets waived defenseman Scott Wright on Wednesday afternoon. It was no doubt a difficult decision, considering the team got a limited look at defenseman Shawn Smith in game action, after he suffered a head injury midway through the first exhibition game.

The Komets have 20 players on their roster, but forward David Hukalo is on injured reserve with a shoulder injury -- he is expected back in late November or early December -- and isn't included in the roster restrcitions until he's off IR.

-- By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette

Stewart a center

Komets coach Greg Puhalski is experimenting with Danny Stewart at center, instead of his usual position of left wing. Stewart is playing between Mike Wiggins and David Carpentier.

"(Stewart) played some center ice for us last year during the playoffs and he did well," Puhalski said. "Right now, we're going to mix and match a lot early in the season, just to see what we have. Some guys can play all different positions and that's a real valuable asset to have. By no means will the lines we begin the season with be set in stone. We'll make adjustments as we need to."

• The Roanoke Valley Vipers, who the Komets face in their season opener Friday in Virginia, are promising a young and strong team.
• An awful hazing incident took place in the Ontario Hockey League with the Windsor Spitfires, according to the Canadian Press, and former NHL coach Moe Mantha is paying the price. He was suspended from coaching and general manager duties.

Line ideas

Here are some line combinations Komets coach Greg Puhalski has been experimenting with: Pierre-Claude Drouin-Colin Chaulk-Jonathan Goodwin; Mike Wiggins-Danny Stewart-David Carpentier; Lance Galbraith-Mark Smith-Dustin Virag.

That leaves Jeff Worlton, Brent Rumble and David Hukalo, who is on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, as the spares.

• The Port Huron Flags have named their first captain: Defenseman Ryan Gillis.
• A team to keep an eye on is Quad City. New coach Brian Curran seems as if he's having trouble putting together a squad he likes, judging by what he said to the Quad City Times:  “Is there anybody out there right now?’’ Curran said. “I am talking to a couple of guys, but nothing so far. I’ve got a lot of phone calls out, but I have lost a couple of guys in the last two days who I was hoping to get.’’

Stewart cut

A week ago, general manager David Franke and coach Greg Puhalski expressed excitement over Blake Stewart, the left wing who shined during the playoffs with four goals and five points in nine games last spring, after he spent much of the season as little more than a seldom-used role player.

Franke and Puhalski felt, given more ice time and added responsibility, Stewart would blossom into a star this season.

So imagine the surprise that came when it was announced Monday that Stewart had been cut, along with forwards Brad Perry and Gerry Hickey, defenseman Carl Michaelson and goaltenders Matt Violin and Michael Dilorenzo.

Clearly, it wasn’t an easy decision to let go of Stewart. But it came down to size. The Komets are small on the whole and Stewart (generously listed at 6-feet tall, 170 pounds) was competing for roster space with Brent Rumble (6-1, 200 pounds) and David Carpentier (6-0, 190 pounds).

“We thought, we’re not a real big hockey club and (forwards) Brent Rumble and David Carpentier give us a little more size up front,” general manager David Franke said. “It became a numbers game, and we kept who we felt could help the hockey club the most.”

If Stewart is picked up by another team – which is likely – this decision could come back to haunt the Komets.

• Somewhere in Fort Wayne, there was plenty of cheering being done by the Gratz family. With Violin and Dilorenzo gone, Brian Gratz has secured the No. 2 goalie position, behind Kevin St. Pierre. Not since forward Colin Chin played for the Komets in 1996 has a homegrown talent suited up for the Komets. Gratz earned the position by playing the best during exhibition games – he stopped all 19 shots he faced – but management was also impressed that he worked so hard in the offseason to lose weight and improve his side-to-side speed, something they recommended he do. “Gratz will be our backup to start the season,” Franke said. “We’re going to give him a shot.” In this so-called hockey town, it’s about time a local kid donned the orange and black.
• Defenseman Shawn Smith, who suffered a head injury in Friday’s game, is questionable to play in Friday’s season opener at Roanoke, Va.
• There has been a reorganization of ownership with the Adirondack Frostbite. Out is Glenn Morelli, giving ESPN broadcasters Barry Melrose and Steve Levy controlling interest of the team.

By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette

Make sure you check out Komets Korner for The Journal Gazette's coverage of Fort Wayne's hockey team.

The coach's thoughts

Fort Wayne Komets coach Greg Puhalski has had three days of ice time with his team, and so far no decisions have been made about his roster. He has 27 players and said Wednesday that number should drop to 20 before the regular season opens Oct. 21 at Roanoke, Va.

That doesn't include right wing David Hukalo, who had shoulder surgery in the middle of last season and won't be able to return to the Komets' lineup until December. Hukalo will begin the season on injured reserve.

By far the most frequent question I'm getting from fans is: Who will be the backup goaltender to Kevin St. Pierre? Puhalski said he doesn't have a clue whether it will be Fort Wayne-native Brian Gratz, Michael Dilorenzo or Matt Violin, all of whom are rookies.

"I don't think any one of them has distinguished themselves yet, after three days of camp," Puhalski said. "It's more going to be (determined) by a feeling I have during the practices and the (exhibition) games."

Those games, both against the Kalamazoo Wings, will be Friday night at McMillen Arena and Saturday at Wings Stadium in Michigan.

Puhalski is also keeping tabs on the players that might get released by teams from the higher-level American Hockey League, as well as by teams in the UHL, ECHL and Central Hockey League. So don't be surprised if another player joins the Komets soon; there usually is a new arrival just before the season opener.

"That goes without saying," Puhalski said, asked if he's monitoring transactions around North America. "But right now, guys who have been here since the beginning of training camp, we're going to give them a chance to prove themselves."

• Goaltender Tom Lawson, who backstopped the Komets to the Colonial Cup in 2003, then signed with the NHL's Colorado Avalanche, is back at the 'AA' level of hockey after spending two seasons with Hershey of the AHL. The Avs have assigned him to San Diego of the ECHL. Essentially, he's the No. 5 goalie on the Avs' depth chart.
• Kent Hawley, who coached UHL teams in Madison, Wis., and Mohawk Valley, N.Y., is now a scout with the NHL's Edmonton Oilers.

-- By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette

Make sure you check out Komets Korner for The Journal Gazette's coverage of Fort Wayne's hockey team.

Some assistance

Colin Chaulk, the Fort Wayne Komets' captain, is back for a fourth season. But gone is Sean Venedam, who was an assistant captain and, in many ways, just as integral to the chemistry of the Komets in their successes since 2002.

Venedam helped the Komets to the Colonial Cup championship in 2003, to the finals last year and to two regular-season championship along the way. But he signed to play with Bakersfield of the ECHL this season.

Also gone, because he wasn't offered a contract by the Komets, is defenseman Tom Nemeth, the Komets' other assistant captain last season.

So, who will help Chaulk provide the leadership this season?

The Komets aren't short on guys who can lead by example (forwards Lance Galbraith and Danny Stewart), through their voices (goaltender Kevin St. Pierre and defenseman Guy Dupuis) and with a little of both (left wing Pierre-Claude Drouin and right wing Dustin Virag).

Coach Greg Puhalski, who will select the assistant captains -- he'll likely pick two of them -- is keeping mum on who he's thinking about.

"We'll name two of them next week," Puhalski said.

Puhalski keeps his information close to the vest, so it's tough to guess who he'll choose. The obvious choices are Dupuis and Drouin.

Dupuis played for the Komets in the International Hockey League throughout the 1990s and has been in tough situations, so he would be a natural fit. Drouin has a lot of experience, too, including three NHL games with the Boston Bruins, so he'd be a good one too.

But I wouldn't be surprised to see Galbraith get the nod. He's won three championships in his career. And Stewart might be a good choice, too. His tireless on-ice work ethic inspires his teammates by bringing them up when they're down.

Regardless of who gets the 'A' on their jersey, St. Pierre gets the most respect and will likely be the right-hand man to Chaulk when it comes to talking in the locker room. It's just, unfortunately, unusual for a goalie to be selected as an assistant captain.

• Apparently, UHL hockey in Roanoke, Va., has been a tough sell. But in a town that has had hockey off and on since 1967, it should work, if the owners, Ken and Kristen Dixon, who failed to make UHL hockey succeed in Port Huron, Mich., can do a better job in this town. Check out The Roanoke Times' coverage of this issue. The Komets will open their season at Roanoke with games Oct. 21 and 22.
• For a rising star in this league, The Muskegon Chronicle is suggesting we watch goalie Clayton Pool, who is with the Colonial Cup-champion Fury. The Chronicle may be correct.
• It may be a surprise to anyone who saw him play for various UHL teams between 1997 and 2004, but Raitis Ivanans is in the NHL. Apparently, scouts do see UHL games and they do like toughness. Check out this link, too, from the Montreal Canadiens' site.

New additions

There are always surprises when the Komets open training camp. Monday was no different.

After saying there would be 25 players in training camp, 27 were in attendance at the first practice. The new additions: goaltender Matt Violin and defensemen Scott Wright.

Violin, 23, is a rookie out of Lake Superior State, where he went 4-4-3 with a 3.01 goals-against average last season. Violin, along with rookies Michael Dilorenzo and Brian Gratz, a Fort Wayne native, are battling for the post of backup to Kevin St. Pierre.

Wright, 24, is a rookie out of Dalhousie University, where he had one goal and six points in 22 games last season.

“We need four rookies on the team (every game),” general manager David Franke said, referencing UHL rules. “We’ve heard good things about (Wright), so let’s see what happens.”

Expect the Komets to start the season with about 22 players.

• In case there was any doubt, the team announced Bob Chase will be the team’s radio broadcaster for a 53rd consecutive season. (This is the Komets' 54th season of play.) Most games will be aired on WOWO, 1190 AM, while some will be on WKJG, 1380 AM. All games will also be available on Comcast KometCast.
• Memorial Coliseum general manager Randy Brown said renovations to the ice surface are ahead of schedule. The reconstruction of the floor, which is routine, is forcing the Komets to play their first five games on the road and their only home exhibition game, Friday, at McMillen Arena. The Komets’ home opener will be Nov. 5 against Motor City.

- Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette

Make sure you check out Komets Korner for The Journal Gazette's coverage of Fort Wayne's hockey team.

Surprise in store?

When the Fort Wayne Komets open their training camp Monday with a luncheon at Memorial Coliseum – no, it’s not open to the public, but the 2 p.m. practice at McMillen Arena is – part of the fun will be seeing who unexpectedly arrives.

There’s always a surprise player or two who shows up unbeknownst to the media and fans.

For now, even Komets management is promising another goalie will be in town to challenge for the post as backup to Kevin St. Pierre, the UHL’s MVP in 2003-04. That could be bad news for Brian Gratz, a Fort Wayne native who has yet to play a professional game, and Michael Dilorenzo, who has played five games with the Central Hockey League’s San Angelo Saints.

• Sadly, it looks as if the Fort Wayne vs. Quad City rivalry may be back to square one. The Mallards have a new coach, former NHL tough guy Brian Curran, and only one player (Patrick Nadeau) back from last season’s 39-30-11 team, according to the Quad City Times. “I didn’t know them, never coached them,” Curran told the newspaper, of his inability to bring back many Mallards. “Whatever led to them not coming back here or not returning phone calls, I can’t answer that.” Said Nadeau: “I don’t know what could be the deal. Maybe it is the city. Maybe it is the team. Who knows? Guys just move different ways.’’
• The Missouri River Otters have signed a former NHL player, center Damian Surma, and he could be a rising star in the UHL.

- Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette

Make sure you check out Komets Korner for The Journal Gazette's coverage of Fort Wayne's hockey team.