The first round sweep was disappointing, but wasn't unpredictable based on our last few weeeks of the season. P.O.'s debacle against Wichita really messed with his mind set and he wasn't the same the rest of the season, and losing the league's leading scorer in Bicek with his shoulder injury didn't help matters either.
I am hoping we can be competitive in the league. With the direction the signings are going I am cautiously optimistic. The guys we have signed so far are a solid start to build on and we have to keep in mind that we will have the advantage of receiving some "hand me down's" from Columbus/Springfield. All in all, I look forward to a great year in Evansville. I think the focus this year should be getting our feet wet and adjusting to the league as far as style of play,etc. Then follow that up by setting our eyes on playoffs/championships later down the road. In my opinion, it may take 2-3 years to really build a team that will challenge for a championship, hopefully in the meantime we can put a competitive team on the ice. Evansville unfortunately is a "What have you done for me lately?" town, and losing sports teams (with the exception of the Otters) tend to fall by the wayside. I definitely don't want to see that happen to the Icemen, so I'm hoping we put together another winning season.
I've only lived here 2 years as I'm going to school here at USI. But, besides star wars night last year, I haven't ever seen Ford Center packed very full with fans for the Icemen, i'm hoping they stick around too, I love having a local hockey team to root for and go to games. Rest assured i'll be in attendance to as many as i can afford this season.
I've only lived here 2 years as I'm going to school here at USI. But, besides star wars night last year, I haven't ever seen Ford Center packed very full with fans for the Icemen, i'm hoping they stick around too, I love having a local hockey team to root for and go to games. Rest assured i'll be in attendance to as many as i can afford this season.
We had a couple of other sell outs last year and ended up with an average around 4,800 I believe. Last year's schedule wasn't very favorable. Lots of weekday games and very few home weekend dates. This year the majority of our home dates are Friday and Saturday so I think attendance will definitely improve, which puts even more importance on the need for wins this season. I know one thing is for sure, no matter how many are in attendance, The Asylum will be rocking every night!
The first round sweep was disappointing, but wasn't unpredictable based on our last few weeeks of the season. P.O.'s debacle against Wichita really messed with his mind set and he wasn't the same the rest of the season, and losing the league's leading scorer in Bicek with his shoulder injury didn't help matters either.
I am hoping we can be competitive in the league. With the direction the signings are going I am cautiously optimistic. The guys we have signed so far are a solid start to build on and we have to keep in mind that we will have the advantage of receiving some "hand me down's" from Columbus/Springfield. All in all, I look forward to a great year in Evansville. I think the focus this year should be getting our feet wet and adjusting to the league as far as style of play,etc. Then follow that up by setting our eyes on playoffs/championships later down the road. In my opinion, it may take 2-3 years to really build a team that will challenge for a championship, hopefully in the meantime we can put a competitive team on the ice. Evansville unfortunately is a "What have you done for me lately?" town, and losing sports teams (with the exception of the Otters) tend to fall by the wayside. I definitely don't want to see that happen to the Icemen, so I'm hoping we put together another winning season.
I'm a long time hockey fan and still can't believe that we have a team in Evansville. I sincerely hope they stick around but knowing the fickle aspects of this town, I worry that people just go for the fights and big checks and that the novelty will wear off for a lot of people. I just picked up season tickets and will be there win or lose. I hope we have hockey here for many years to come.
Am I the only one who thinks it a bad idea to share an affiliate with a division rival? We don't want to be pals with the Blues prospects ... we should want to push them through the glass!
Am I the only one who thinks it a bad idea to share an affiliate with a division rival? We don't want to be pals with the Blues prospects ... we should want to push them through the glass!
According to the article Detroit shares an ECHL team with Chicago. I understand your concern but those two teams have been rivals forever. Doesn't seem to be a big deal.
According to the article Detroit shares an ECHL team with Chicago. I understand your concern but those two teams have been rivals forever. Doesn't seem to be a big deal.
I understand that the ECHL is about as low as one's prospects can get, but I think it's a little strange that we share anything with the Blues. I also think it's strange that Detroit and Chicago share a farm team.
Frankly, if we were going to share with a rival, I would have preferred sharing with Nashville by hooking up with the Cyclones. But, meh. Evansville's cool too.
Do we get any "we were here first" dibs on playing time?
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Remember - when you're a hockey fan, it's not "reckless driving", it's "good forechecking".
"Viqsi, you are our sweet humanist..." --mt-svk on the CBJ boards
Thanks, Howson, for cleaning up MacLean's toxic waste. Welcome, Kekalainen; let's get good things built!
The Evansville IceMen proud ECHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League and the Springfield Falcons and Peoria Rivermen of the American Hockey League, have addressed their goaltending position with training camp a mere one month henceforth in the Tri-State region. More http://www.evansvilleicemen.com/4287...icemen-tryouts
The Evansville IceMen announced that they have signed rookie defenseman Aaron Gens for the 2012-13 season. http://www.echl.com/icemen-sign-rook...n-gens-p178953
I note that his older brother also plays in Evansville.
Can't help but think that the ownership of the Express folded a tad bit too early. If there is a lockout in the NHL, the Wolves alone (USHL Steel don't count) aren't going to be enough to fill the demand in Chicagoland. One of the main things that hurt the Express was that most hockey fans in the NW suburbs either watched Hawks games on TV or went to cheap Wolves games to get their live fix, but if you take one of those away.... the Express could've very well flourished as the even cheaper (and easier to access) alternative for parts of the NW suburbs and Fox Valley.
Nine of them defensemen, wow. Not surprising on any of those names, I think a trip to Springfield could be huge for a couple of them too ... I'm looking at you, Ryan Johansen
Also, the Jackets assigned Cody Bass, Nick Drazenovic, Andrew Joudrey, Ryan Russell and Nick Holden after they cleared waivers. Goalie Curtis McElhinney is expected to sign an AHL deal with the Falcons since CBJ did not want to expose him to waivers.
Training camp starts the 27th with players reporting and on ice camp starts the 28th. Camp is not open to the public, so I cannot report any of the goings on. There are 3 preseason games. 10/3 @ Providence (NE Sports Center), 10/5 v.s. Worcester and 10/6 v.s. Providence.
There is going to be a lot of competition in camp for any available spots even for the AHL signed players.
Cam Atkinson, Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, Cody Bass, Matt Calvert, Michael Chaput, Sean Collins, Ryan Craig, Nick Drazenovic, Oliver Gabriel, Dan Gendur, Jake Hansen, Ryan Johansen, Andrew Joudrey, Patrick Kennedy, Tomas Kubalik, Wade MacLeod, Don Maloney, Nathan Moon, Ryan Russell, Dalton Smith, Tim Spencer, Trent Vogelhuber
Defensemen
Greg Amadio, Anton Blomqvist, Tim Erixon, Cody Goloubef, Nick Holden, Austin Madaisky, John Moore, Dalton Prout, Theo Ruth, David Savard, Will Weber
Goaltenders
Mike Clemente, Paul Dainton, Curtis McElhinney, Allen York
Cam Atkinson, Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, Cody Bass, Matt Calvert, Michael Chaput, Sean Collins, Ryan Craig, Nick Drazenovic, Oliver Gabriel, Dan Gendur, Jake Hansen, Ryan Johansen, Andrew Joudrey, Patrick Kennedy, Tomas Kubalik, Wade MacLeod, Don Maloney, Nathan Moon, Ryan Russell, Dalton Smith, Tim Spencer, Trent Vogelhuber
Defensemen
Greg Amadio, Anton Blomqvist, Tim Erixon, Cody Goloubef, Nick Holden, Austin Madaisky, John Moore, Dalton Prout, Theo Ruth, David Savard, Will Weber
Goaltenders
Mike Clemente, Paul Dainton, Curtis McElhinney, Allen York
Any idea on who gets cut/sent to the ECHL? Ruth and Blomqvist seem likely with all those dmen.
Award-winning General Manager of the Phoenix Coyotes. In this context, though, I think "Don Maloney" might be his son, since this player seems to have a few Arizona connections. That's just a guess, though.
There's a number of possible speculative explanations for that.
1) The SEL was requiring full-year commitments until quite recently (it was overturned by a lawsuit). Maybe he's unaware that that changed.
2) Perhaps he's really focused on making the NHL team and figures that staying and playing on the AHL team will leave the most favorable possible impression.
3) Maybe he isn't actually staying at all and is just working out plans to leave.
4) Turquoise watermelon radish favoring multiplying actualization freely. Frog.
I'm not sure SEL teams would be lining up to sign Erixon, especially for only a short stint. He's a good defenseman, but SEL teams are far more system based. They have their rosters set with their players. A forward might be able to step in and help but that likely would be more difficult for a defenseman.
The choose between playing in second-tier Allsvenskan or the AHL should be pretty easy.
