2006-07 Season Just Around Corner
August 8, 2006 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Des Moines Buccaneers News Release
The heat of summer is coming to a close with autumn vastly approaching means only one thing: Hockey season is drawing near! Your Des Moines Buccaneers are fresh off a Clark Cup National Championship season and are gearing up to defend their title against USHL foes.
The Bucs were well represented at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft this past July when four members from the 2005-06 Clark Cup National Championship team were selected. Forward Kyle Okposo was selected by the New York Islanders in the first-round with the 7th overall pick. USA Hockey Junior Hockey Player of the Year and USHL Player of the Year Trevor Lewis soon followed in the first-round, going 17th overall to the Los Angeles Kings. Defensemen Jeff Petry was then selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the second-round (45th overall) and Shane Sims was taken by the New York Islanders in the fifth-round (126th overall). Both Petry and Sims will return to Des Moines to anchor the blue-line for the Buccaneers in the 2006-07 season.
The defensive-core for the Bucs looks to be one of the strong suites of the team to start the season. Along with Petry and Sims, Bobby Reiners and Andrew Krelove will bring experience and leadership back to the team. Both players were key additions last February as the Bucs solidified their defense heading into the play-offs.
The two question marks heading into the season will be scoring and goaltending.
With the top line of Lewis, Okposo and Colin Vock (189 combined points) gone, the Bucs will look for returning forwards Ben Ryan, Rich Purslow, Aaron Palushaj, Andrew Olson, Ben Van Lare and Donnie Hallmark to make more of a mark on the score sheet. In the 2005-06 season, the Bucs led the USHL in shots on net and were second in the league in goals scored, so there should be plenty of fire-power with the solid group of returning forwards.
In goal, the Bucs will need to replace Troy Davenport and Brian Foster, who both finished statistically in the top eight in the USHL last season. Coming in will be Matt Dalton, who finished with a 33-5-1 record for the Bozeman Ice Dogs last season. Along with him will be Bryan Mountain, who the Bucs selected in the 2005 USHL Futures Draft.
The Buccaneers are excited about the upcoming season and hope that all the fans can come out and support them in their quest for another championship year! The regular season home opener is slated for October 7th at 7:00 against the Sioux City Musketeers. It will be Championship Banner Night!
United States Hockey League Stories from August 8, 2006
- Keserich joins Storm - Tri-City Storm
- 2006-07 Season Just Around Corner - Des Moines Buccaneers
- Ice announce Conseco dates - Indiana Ice
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