Defenseman Kevin Bertram said he's both excited and nervous about rejoining the Komets after a two-year retirement.
"I'm really excited about it, aside from the nervousness," Bertram said. "It's been two full seasons since I've played. That's the part I'm not really sure about, if I can do it, but I'll have to find out. The only thing I can worry about is making sure I'm in the best shape I can be."
Bertram said he got the itch to play in the pros again, and learned he could balance hockey and a full-time job at the Fire Department, while coaching Snider's hockey team last season.
One of the apprehensions with re-signing with the Komets was the risk of injury, but he said everyone's been supportive. Also, he's been on skates with the Fire Department team for the last couple of years.
Bertram said, since it will take some time to re-acclimate to the speed of the pro game, he may have to be more of a physical enforcer early on.
"There is going to be a transition time," he said. "I might not be the guy they go to on the penalty kill right off the bat. If (being physical) is what I have to do to help the team, I'll step up. But my goal is to at least play how I played my last season (with the Komets)."
-- By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette
Excellent....! Go get 'em Bert! I am sure the Euro Hockey fans amongst us on this here blog will love those comments.
Where is Derek Gauthier and Jim Logan when we need them? Both of those guys would fit into this new league's style of play. Sign them.
I am ready for the first game!
Drop the puck.
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | July 18, 2007 at 07:20 PM
Do we REALLY want Bertram playing like he did the last year he was with us? Maybe if he played like he did the few couple of years but the last year? No thank you.
Somebody better call up the Kevin Bertram fan club!
Posted by: Brandon | July 18, 2007 at 07:31 PM
Sounds like he's ready to go, let him loose and see what he can do!!
Posted by: Junior | July 18, 2007 at 10:43 PM
Good signings but does anyone have word on anything with Durdin and Bennefield and possibly Johnson?? do we even have a chance to get these 3 guys??
Posted by: Kometfan | July 18, 2007 at 11:04 PM
Good signings but does anyone have word on anything with Durdin and Bennefield and possibly Johnson?? do we even have a chance to get these 3 guys??..better yet the komets should go after Big Snake....who cares if he doesn't like practice!! haha...
Posted by: Kometfan | July 18, 2007 at 11:05 PM
It doesn't look like we will get Johnson. I would love to see him as a Komet and unlike many Komet fans, I really liked watching him as an Icehog. He will most likely go to the AHL or somewhere that will get him there. Out of the 3 you listed, he will be the hardest one to sign I would think.
Posted by: komets10 | July 18, 2007 at 11:15 PM
Anybody catch the note in the article where Syroczynski is going to play for Martinson and Nichols in Elmira?
Posted by: Greg | July 19, 2007 at 08:51 AM
yeah i didn't see that coming...but least it is closer to his home
Posted by: IcyKometFan84 | July 19, 2007 at 11:19 AM
I think Matt had told either Justin or Blake that he wanted to catch on in the ECHL so that much tracks.
Posted by: Greg | July 19, 2007 at 11:28 AM
Yea it was fun to rattle him while he was with rockford but he went out every night..hitting hard...and playing aggressive and scoring goals....i also forgot that if chaulk would come back to fort wayne we could not think of getting big snake...during an intermission talkin with big snake he said he liked fort wayne and what they were doin but would never join the team as long as colin chaulk was on the team.......oh well....hopefully we actually get a TOUGH guy signed soon...like flint just did with Kris Mallete...if anyone remembers who he was....very tough player from Elmira bout 3 years ago.
Posted by: Kometfan | July 19, 2007 at 09:28 PM
I wouldn't want to be on a team with Big Snake on it. He is a moron. He takes the stupidist penalties at the worst times. He is the dumbest player in hockey outside of maybe Brad Wingfield.
Posted by: Hit Somebody!!! | July 19, 2007 at 11:28 PM
Let's be realistic here. Bertram has really been gone THREE years. Two years ago he only played six games and was very invisible in those games.
To me the Komets are scraping for players, even if a few of them are beloved.
Posted by: Disgruntled Fan | July 20, 2007 at 08:21 AM
Doesn't means Bertram can't play the game DF.
Posted by: Greg | July 20, 2007 at 08:41 AM
Elmira is going to be a good team next year in the ECHL, i figured they would suck but they are getting some good hockey players that play hard every night.
Posted by: lovelost | July 20, 2007 at 10:43 AM
Somebody mentioned Gauthier...I played with him this last season of Stuckey League hockey, and he's still got a seriously wicked shot, but barely made it through our season of rec-league caliber hockey because of a nagging foot injury. That's the kind of stuff that's gonna make it tough for Bert...the daily conditioning. But God bless 'im, I'll be there to watch. The guy's great.
Posted by: Turner | July 21, 2007 at 12:56 PM
We don't need rec. hockey league players. If that is what this league is going to go for, then Komet hockey which to me was in the crapper in the UHL, will be even worse off which I guess I didn't think was possible.
Posted by: Disgruntled Fan | July 21, 2007 at 11:29 PM
My point about Bertram was he didn't actually play all that well at the tale end of the 03-04 season and was a waste of time...total filler...in the few games he played in 04-05.
Posted by: Disgruntled Fan | July 21, 2007 at 11:30 PM