Just checked the roster as of tonight and was surprised to see four defensemen and ten forwards returning from last year. Very unusual for an ECHL team to have such low turnover. Speaks well I think for a good start of the gate as last years team was close off the ice as well as on it and there will be very little learning to know each other that has to go on.
Remember in 2010-11 when the Cyclones returned the majority of a Kelly Cup championship team...and the struggled mightily under a new head coach?
Hopefully coming up short of expectations will keep them hungry and there will be some continuity in style of play with Matt MacDonald still with the team as assistant coach.
"PBR can do that to you....1,2,3,12 beers and you're f**ked" -oscar
"and i don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation" - joan jett
"beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy." - benjamin franklin
Aubin, Pelech and Eves are all veterans who aren't moving up except for an odd call up. Hazen and Luciani and perhaps others are in their last seasons of their entry level contracts and don't fit into their NHL/AHL organizations long term plans. It look like the season will depend on how much "fire in the belly" these type of players have.
While I doubt that the goaltending situation will be as spotty as it was in 2010-11, the team is at risk for underperformance. Hopefully coach Simon and the veterans will be able to create an environment in which the players are movtivated to exceed last season's excellent performance. We'll see.
Mattias Lindstrom was recalled to SA today. I'm thinking they did that as a favor to us because Brunker said he and Hazen are hurt and are not in game shape. Him being recalled helps us because it frees up a roster spot because he have a lot of solid players along with a lot of AHL send downs who are locks for the roster. This allows us to keep someone on the roster and placing them on IR in Lindstrom's spot
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Posted - 10/12/2013 : 12:21:01 AM
