ECHL Florida Everblades

'Blades Release Season-Ending Roster

Published on June 18, 2007 under ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release


ESTERO, FL - Florida Everblades President and General Manager Craig Brush along with Head Coach Gerry Fleming announced today the team's season-ending roster.

Season-ending rosters may include up to 20 players. Season-ending rosters cannot include any players who did not sign an ECHL contract in 2006-07 (i.e. players who were under contract to teams in either the National Hockey League or the American Hockey League).

The Everblades season-ending roster includes forwards Ernie Harlieb, Reggie Berg, Brent McDonald, Dan Baum, Derek Damon, Brad Herauf and Jarret Lukin. Defensively Ryan Brindley, Steve Czech, Chris Lee, Ryan Van Buskirk, and Brett Peterson were included.

Each team is entitled to reserve rights to a maximum of eight players from the list of 20 by extending a qualifying offer no later than July 1. Of the eight qualified players, no more than four can be veterans (260 regular season professional hockey games played as of the start of the 2007-08 season). Players on open qualifying offers cannot be traded. Teams are not required to extend a qualifying offer to players who sign a contract prior to July 1.

The qualifying offer must remain open for acceptance until August 1 at which time the qualifying offer becomes null and void and the team may sign the qualified player to any salary or may elect to take no further action. Teams that extend a valid qualifying offer to a non-veteran player shall retain the rights to that qualified player for one playing season.

A team that extends a valid qualifying offer to a veteran player will retain the rights to that veteran until August 1. After August 1, if the veteran player is not signed to a contract by the team, the veteran shall be deemed a restricted free agent and shall be entitled to seek and secure offers of employment from other ECHL teams. Restricted free agents may not be traded. When a restricted free agent receives a contract offer from a team other than the team with the player's rights and the restricted free agent wishes to accept the contract offer, the restricted free agent and the offering member must, within 24 hours, notify the ECHL, the team with the player's rights and the Professional Hockey Players' Association. The member with the player's rights shall have seven days after the date it is notified to exercise its right to match the contract offer.

If a restricted free agent is not signed to either an offer sheet or a contract by an ECHL team by August 31, the player shall be deemed an unrestricted free agent.

Opening Day for the ECHL's 20th Anniversary Season will be Oct. 18 when the Johnstown Chiefs host the Wheeling Nailers at Cambria County War Memorial in a rematch of Game 7 from the first-ever ECHL Finals.

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary as the Premier 'AA' Hockey League in 2007-08, the ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in three states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league that will have 25 teams in 17 states and British Columbia in 2007-08. The 25 teams includes the Mississippi (Biloxi) Sea Wolves, who return after missing two seasons in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the expansion Elmira (N.Y.) Jackals.

Be a part of the Everblades 10th Anniversary season! The 2007-08 season begins on Friday, October 19 when the 'Blades host the Mississippi Sea Wolves at 7:30 p.m. from Germain Arena! Deposits are being taken now for 2007-08 Florida Everblades season tickets! For just $50 per/seat you can reserve your piece of the action for next season! Visit www.floridaeverblades.com and www.germainarena.com for more information on ticket packages, pricing and upcoming Germain Arena events.

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ECHL Stories from June 18, 2007


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