PHOENIX, Ariz. - The Phoenix RoadRunners of the ECHL, a proud affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes and the San Antonio Rampage, will host their second annual Ice Breaker Party from 12PM-4PM this Saturday inside the Casino Arizona Pavilion at US Airways Center.
Fans will have a unique opportunity to tour the arena and purchase season tickets, including season tickets in the new Toyota Club, by selecting their actual seats in the building right on the spot. Everyone who takes a tour of US Airways Center will receive a free RoadRunners t-shirt. There will also be locker room tours where fans can try on actual hockey equipment, kids' activities in the Casino Arizona Pavilion, and the season debut of the RoadRunners' entertainment squad, the "Puck Patrol". The RoadRunners will also be kicking off their on-ice workouts with a special practice session from 1PM-2:30PM. Following practice, Head Coach Ron Filion, new Assistant Coach Brad Church, and RoadRunners players will be on hand to take pictures and sign autographs.
"This is a great event to help us kick off the season," said RoadRunners COO and General Manager Ray Delia. " It's been a long, hot summer and there's no better way to welcome hockey back than to open up beautiful US Airways Center before the season begins and give the fans a chance to meet our players, coaches, and staff."
Food and drinks will be provided in the Toyota Club, and prizes will be given away throughout the afternoon.
Individual game tickets for the 2006-07 regular season are currently on sale and can be purchased at the US Airways Center Box Office and at all Ticketmaster outlets including Ticketmaster.com.
Opening Night 2006 at US Airways Center will be on Friday, Oct. 20 when the RoadRunners welcome the Utah Grizzlies at 7:11PM for the first game of an opening weekend three-game series. Information on season tickets, half-season packages, and flex plans are available by calling (602) 462-GOAL.
Returning Kings, Moose assignments and other new acquisitions will battle for spots in ECHL club's lineup
This year it will be tougher than ever to earn a spot on the Victoria Salmon Kings roster.
The ECHL hockey squad has invited their largest number of players to this year's training camp, with close to 40 players competing for a max of 22 spots. General manager Dan Belisle noted the team has already signed 23 players heading into try-outs which start this Thursday at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
With less than a week before the start of training camp, the South Carolina Stingrays received five players from the American Hockey League.
Hershey, the defending Calder Cup champions in the AHL, sent down three defensemen, a forward and a goalie to the Stingrays, who open training camp Sunday at the Carolina Ice Palace.
It seems unlikely at this point. But if former Salmon King Adam Taylor doesn't make the grade in Rochester with the Florida Panthers' American Hockey League farm team, there's a chance he could be back in Victoria this season.
Salmon Kings general manager Dan Belisle said Victoria still holds Taylor's ECHL playing rights, having inked the 6-foot-1, 200-pound right winger to a contract in July. That means the Panthers, who signed Taylor to a two-way contract last month, might be forced to send him back to the team he led in scoring last season if they wished to place him in the ECHL.
The first day of camp will be Friday, October 6. The team will take the ice at WesBanco Arena at 2 p.m., and it will be open to the public, as will all camp and practice sessions.
After Friday, all sessions will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. except on Wednesday, October 11 when the Nailers will be on the ice from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
“We’re ready to get underway,” Nailers assistant coach Ryan Patrick said. “We’ve been watching some of these guys for a couple of weeks now in Wilkes-Barre’s camp.”
L.P. plus F.P. could equal more W's than L's this season for the Victoria Salmon Kings.
Louis-Philippe Martin and Francois-Pierre Guenette grew up just a few blocks apart in Laval, Que., played youth hockey together through midget AAA, were both selected in the 2003 NHL entry draft out of the Quebec Major Junior League and invited to AHL camps this year after solid campaigns last season in the AA level of minor pro hockey.
Now the two 22-year-old friends, with the abbreviated-initial first names, are reunited with the Salmon Kings. The ECHL club announced Martin's signing yesterday to follow up Vancouver Canuck-contracted Guenette's the day before.
Throughout their nine-year history, the Florida Everblades have carried two goalies — a standard employed by most hockey teams — on their roster.
The Blades won't be using that standard this season. At least not in the beginning.
Florida will carry three goalies entering the 2006-07 ECHL season, Blades general manager Craig Brush said Wednesday. Netminders Craig Kowalski, Kevin Nastiuk and David Shantz were officially reassigned to the Blades on Wednesday. The goalies' NHL parent clubs want each to get playing time in Estero.
The Toledo Storm will have its captain and top defenseman back this season.
Jason Maleyko, who emerged as a leader and playmaker on the special teams units in his second full season with the Storm last year, re-signed with the team yesterday. Maleyko led Toledo with 40 assists and was ranked sixth on the team with 46 points.
Three goalies are going to be fighting for ice time at the start of next week’s training camp for the ECHL’s Florida Everblades — and there are only two nets.
The Toledo Storm will have its captain and top defenseman back this season.
Jason Maleyko, who emerged as a leader and playmaker on the special teams units in his second full season with the Storm last year, re-signed with the team yesterday. Maleyko led Toledo with 40 assists and was ranked sixth on the team with 46 points.
ECHL news 10/05
ECHL news 10/05
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