Komets Add Seven to Preseason Roster
July 15, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Fort Wayne Komets News Release
Fort Wayne, IN-- The Komets announced Wednesday that seven skaters have been added to the preseason roster. ECHL veteran champion Peter Sivak (F) will be joining the Komets for 2015-16 while Cody Sol (D), Brett Perlini (F) and Kyle Thomas (F) are returning to the Fort Wayne fold. Austin Levi (D) and rookies Alex Grieve (F) and Josh Ranalli (F) also have been added to the lineup.
Sivak (civic), 33, was on board with Alaska for the 2014 ECHL Kelley Cup Championship after posting a career year leading the Aces and ranking second in the league with 31 goals, 52 assists and 83 points in 67 regular season games. His 52 assists and 83 points were second to Fort Wayne's Brandon Marino. Sivak also was named to the ECHL First All-Star Team for 2013-14, received the Sportsmanship Award and earned the ECHL Plus Performer of the year Award finishing with +49. Last year the Czech Republic native split the season with Stockton and Orlando while adding six AHL games with Bridgeport. Sivak completed a 12-year European career in the Czech Republic and Slovakian leagues in 2011-12 before making his American pro debut in the ECHL in 2012-13 with San Francisco. The veteran forward has totaled 185 ECHL games (79g, 106a, 185pts) and 18 AHL games (5g, 1a, 6pts).
Sol (sole), 24, will be entering his fourth pro season and second with the Komets. Last season the 6-foot, 5-inch, 242-pound defenseman was Fort Wayne's ironman (along with defenseman Drew Daniels) appearing in all 72 regular season games. The Woodstock, Ontario native scored career highs of seven goals, 11 assists and 18 points while leading the Komets with 154 penalty minutes. Sol was selected by Atlanta in round five of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and made his pro debut appearing on one game with Chicago of the AHL during 2009-10. The defenseman completed five-years of juniors in the OHL in 2011-12 leading Kitchener defensemen with 15 goals and 178 penalty minutes. Sol skated ECHL games with Colorado (2012-13) and Ontario (2013-14) and logged 27 AHL games with St. John's before joining the Komets last season.
Perlini (per-LEEN-ee), 25, will be starting his fourth pro year and second with Fort Wayne after registering career highs of 19 goals, 17 assists and 36 points in stints with the Komets and Indy last year. Perlini started the year with Indy and appeared in 12 games before being acquired by Fort Wayne and serving an additional 57 games. The forward also scored two goals and five points in nine Fort Wayne playoff games. The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario native was selected by Anaheim in round seven of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft and completed a four-year collegiate career with Michigan State University in 2011-12.
Thomas, 25, will be returning to the Komets after skating 23 games last year (3g, 7pts). The forward began last season appearing in 19 SPHL games with Columbus and one ECHL game with Quad City before he was added to the Fort Wayne roster in January. Thomas finished a four-year college tour with Norwich University in the ECAC-III in 2012-13 ranking third on Norwich with 13 goals and fourth with 29 points while winning the NCAA Division III National Championship.
Levi (LEE-vie), 23, will be starting his third pro year after spending the last two seasons in the ECHL sharing stints with Florida and Stockton. The Columbus, Ohio native made his pro debut appearing in 53 games with Florida while adding 10 AHL games with Charlotte during 2013-14. Levi began last season with Florida before joining Stockton for 43 games. The defenseman also added 15 games to his AHL totals with Charlotte. Levi logged five years of juniors play with Plymouth in the OHL before turning pro. The defenseman was selected by Carolina in round three of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft during his juniors career with Plymouth.
Grieve (greeve), 25, made his pro debut last year appearing in three games at the end of the season with Quad City in the ECHL after completing his fourth year at Bentley University. The forward began his collegiate career in 2011-12 leading freshmen with 34 points and earning the Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Year award. He was also named to the AHA All-Rookie Team. Grieve finished with college totals of 55 goals, 73 assists, 128 points in 139 career games.
Ranalli (ruh-NALL-ee), 24, is coming off a four-year NCAA-III career with Adrian College. The forward led finished by leading the Bulldogs with 28 assists while ranking second with a career high of 45 points in 31 games. Ranalli logged college totals of 63 goals, 66 assists and 129 points in 112 games. Prior to college, Ranalli skated two years of juniors with Oakville of the OJHL. The Stoney Creek, Ontario native led the Blades in 2009-10 with 36 goals and led in 2010-11 with 34 assists. Ranalli capped his juniors career with Oakville winning the Buckland Cup (OJHL Championship) and Dudley Hewitt Cup (Central Canada Junior A Championship).
The Fort Wayne preseason roster grows to nine players (six forwards, three defensemen), including Dean Ouellet and Connor Kucera who were previously announced.
The 64th season of Komet hockey starts with a home-and-home series against long time rival Kalamazoo. The Komets skate at Kalamazoo Friday, Oct. 16 for the season opener. Then the Komets will face the Wings for the Fort Wayne home opener Saturday, Oct. 17 at 7:30pm.
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