Fury pick five players in dispersal draft
June 15, 2006 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release
MUSKEGON, MI.--- On Thursday of this week, the United Hockey League conducted a second dispersal draft in preparations for the 2006-07 season. This second dispersal draft was conducted to dissolve the final rosters from the 2005-06 UHL season of the Adirondack Frostbite and the Danbury Trashers as neither team will be in operation for the 2006-07 campaign.
Under the auspices of Team Owner and Club President Tony Lisman and Director of Hockey Operations / Head Coach Todd Nelson, the Fury selected a total of five players with their middle three choices coming from Danbury and their first and fifth picks procured from the Adirondack roster.
Selecting nine overall in each round, the Fury, with their number one choice, opted for goaltender KRIS TEBBS from the Adirondack club. Tebbs, 24, is 5-10, 175 from Calgary, Alberta and a former standout at the U. of Nebraska-Omaha of the highly-prestigious CCHA conference. Though he has performed for the past two seasons in the UHL with the Frostbite, by league rules' definition, he is still recognized as a rookie, having played under 3,600 total minutes as a pro. As the recently-concluded 2005-06 season progressed, Tebbs emerged as the Glens Falls based franchise top netminder, ranking tied for eighth overall in the league with a sound and solid 2.91 GAA in 39-games. He registered a season's record of 38(22-14-2) with 1-shutout and a .900 SPCT. Tebbs continued his superb play in the playoffs, ironically against his new team, as he started every game of Adirondack's opening round post-season loss to Muskegon in 6-games at 4-2. In the 2004-05 season, he carded a brilliant 20(15-4-1) mark in 21-games with a 2.60 GAA and .907 SPCT.
With their second choice, 18th overall, the Fury chose third year defenseman FREDERIC BELANGER from Dan-bury. The 27-year old left-hand shooting rugged, rock-ribbed rearguard was a standout operative on the Trashers blue line when the Connecticut club ousted Muskegon in the Colonial Cup Semi-Finals last month, ending the Fury's two-year reign as league kingpins. During the regular season, the Longueuil, PQ native collected 31-points in 61-games on 8-goals, 23-assists with 73-PIM and an excellent +22 rating. Four of his 8-strikes were stoked on the power play. In the playoffs, Belanger was 15(0-4-4) with 24-PIM and 29-SOG. His +8 rating was third best for the Eastern Division Champions and Colonial Cup runners-up.
The Fury continued to accent grit and jam when they decided on center / left wing DANNY STEWART with their third pick and 27th overall. Stewart, 27, is commencing his fourth pro season, having seen service for both Fort Wayne and more recently, Danbury. The Fort McMurray, Alberta native is a former four-year collegiate at Miami U., Ohio, graduating to the pro ranks with Fort Wayne in the 2003-04 season. Acquired by the Trashers from the Komets in a deal during the 2005-06 season, the 5-10, 180lb, left-shooting forward authored 24-points in 65-games on 11-goals, 13-assists with 156-PIM. Reputed as an ace penalty-killing specialist, Stewart delivered a team-high 4-SHG while adding one more shorthanded snipe against the Fury in the playoffs. His post-season numbers were: 18(4-1-5) with 45-PIM and 2-unassisted goals. In 207-UHL career games, spanning three seasons, he is 207(33-48-81) 489-PIM.
In round #4, the Fury's choice represented the lone veteran player on their final list. Former Detroit Red Wings second round choice RYAN BARNES was the 36th name to be announced at the proceedings. The 26-year-old left wing from Dunnville, Ontario was in the lineup for both Hamilton of the AHL and Danbury in the '05-06 campaign. In 32-outings with the Trashers, he engineered 27-points on 8-goals, 19-assists, amassing 114-PIM and a masterful +15 rating. His overall season totals included 2-PPG, 2-GWG and 1-SHG. In 17-playoff appearances, he was 17(0-2-2) with 37-PIM. The strapping 6-1, 220lb Barnes has seen action in the NHL with Detroit and also played three years for the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins. In 327-pro career games, he is 327(34-58-92) with 810-PIM.
Having the final selection in the draft and the 49th overall, the Fury added veteran defenseman DIMITRI SUUR. Suur, 31, has a resume which lists 10-years of pro experience, having seen UHL stints with Flint, Winston-Salem and Adirondack. In 2005-06, the Tallinn, Estonia product played 59-games for the Frostbite, recording 20-points in 59-games on 3-goals, 17-assists, 111-PIM and +10 rating. In the playoffs, he was 6(0-1-1) with 12-PIM. Previous to this season, the 6-0, 210lb right-shooting Suur played five seasons overseas with in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
This was the second dispersal draft conducted by the UHL with the first one completed on June 6th in Detroit. The earlier draft was conducted expressly to dissolve three UHL franchises; namely, the Missouri River Otters, Motor City Mechanics and Roanoke Valley Vipers.
Through these two conscription procedures, the Fury selected a total of nine players, including four players who are UHL classified as rookies; TYLER DONATI, MATT MILLER, JORDAN OWENS and KRIS TEBBS.
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International Hockey League 2 Stories from June 15, 2006
- Fury pick five players in dispersal draft - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Beauregard Headlines Jackals Picks In Second UHL Dispersal Draft - Elmira Jackals
- Mallards Acquire Rights to Five Players in Dispersal Draft - Quad City Mallards
- Hogs nab four veterans in dispersal draft - Rockford IceHogs
- Coach Todd Nelson signs new deal with Fury - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Komets take five in Adirondack-Danbury dispersal draft - Fort Wayne Komets
- UHL holds dispersal draft - IHL 2
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