Catch a rising star

by Jason S Rufner
Published on January 21, 2003 under ECHL (ECHL)

A fifty-foot star, brilliantly illuminated, overlooks the city of Roanoke from atop Mill Mountain. The star can be seen from as far as fifty miles away under ideal weather conditions, and is conspicuously visible from virtually anywhere in Roanoke. When viewed from a particular vantage point in the parking lot of the Roanoke Civic Center, the star appears to hover and rise over the building, as though it were ascending from the RCC and achieving a new height.

How would you like to see a possible future NHLer at bargain basement prices? Just get out to your local ECHL arena when Jason Jaffray and the Roanoke Express come to town. He shoots, he scores, he assists, he checks, he scraps, he wins.

On a team full of experience, the 21-year-old Alberta native Jaffray is the young stud. Property of the AHL Norfolk Admirals, he has spent all of this, his first professional season, with Roanoke. Already he has made history by becoming the first player ever to be named ECHL Rookie of the Month twice in the same season -- and he accomplished it in the consecutive months of November and December after being the runner-up for the award in October. And yet half of the season still lies before him.

He's big, but not huge. He's fast, but not explosive. He has a respectable slapshot, but not a cannon. He'll tussle if called upon, but does not drop the gloves by trade. He doesn't do anything truly spectacular, except get his name mentioned a lot by the public address announcer after yet another goal or another assist.

His name gets mentioned so much, as a matter of fact, that he leads the entire league in both goals (29) and points (66). Twice he has strung together streaks of 11 games with at least one point. Only three times during the season has he failed to earn at least one point in a game. He will even pick up the occasional two-minute minor while defending himself, as Express enforcers David Silverstone and Dan Sullivan have battled injuries for much of the season.

On Tuesday, Jaffray will be the lone All-Star representative on a team that has demonstrated little weakness at any position to this point in the season. As the league's constituents scramble around the continent for a hurried but necessary three-day vacation, Express players will be among the few who may be able to take somewhat calmer breaths. Roanoke is planted firmly in third place of the ECHL's formidable Northeast Division (wherein all seven clubs have records at .500 or greater) with 26 wins and 54 points, ten games over .500, eight points ahead of the fourth place Reading Royals. Of the 27 clubs in the ECHL, only three have more victories than have the Express, and all of those have merely a single win more. To head into the All-Star break, the Express steam-rolled through three games in three nights, tallying a combined 21 goals and earning wins in each contest, the last two of which were against intra-divisional rivals.

Roanoke has not reeled off any ten-game point streaks; they are not zooming up the standings. But they have been steadfastly consistent since the puck first dropped in October, garnering an average of 1.23 points per contest. Head coach Perry Florio has assembled a club replete with much AHL and high-quality ECHL talent, such as high-scoring forwards Dylan Gyori and Dan Carlson, and steady goaltender Evan Lindsay. Additionally, veterans such as captain Adam "Killer" Kowalsky, Duncan Dalmao and Mike Peron stabilize lines which include young, fast talent such as Shawn Limpright and the aforementioned Mr. Jaffray. The net is protected by the tandem of Lindsay and Chicago Blackhawks prospect Sebastian LaPlante, who have split the goaltending chores about evenly with remarkably similar results: LaPlante has 14 wins in 28 games, while Lindsay has racked up 12 victories in 22 contests.

But it is Jason Jaffray who gets the biggest cheers. He's the one who can take a puck from behind the cage, twist athletically around to the doorstop, get the goalie to commit, and flick it resolutely into the back of the twine with his left wrist. He's the one who can take a hard, bouncing pass from the corner, beat his defender to the puck, and smack it firmly into the net. He's the one who nearly always seems to get the badly needed tying or go-ahead goal. He's the one with the knack for the clutch and a flair for the dramatic, with a touch of showmanship.

Florio and the Express are not new to producing NHL-caliber talent. Earlier this season, Vern Fiddler became the third former Roanoker to don the sweater of an NHL team when he joined the Nashville Predators, the club with which he appears to have found a home.

Jason Jaffray, playing in an arena near you. Catch him while you still don't have to pay at least $25 plus parking.

He shoots. He scores.

ECHL Stories from January 21, 2003

• Catch a rising star - OSC Original by Jason S Rufner
• Ianiero Scores as Northern Conference Wins, 3-2 - Dayton Bombers
• Sarich, Southern Conference fall 8-2 - Louisiana IceGators
• North Wins ECHL All-Star Game, 8-2 - ECHL
• Ice Dogs Sign 2000-01 WCHL MVP Lyons - Long Beach Ice Dogs
• National Anthem Auditions Land Lucky 20 - Alaska Aces
• Nailers Waive Nelson - Wheeling Nailers
• Hodson Makes His Way to the NHL - Greensboro Generals
• Wings Stadium and Chamber Celebrates Kalamazoo - Kalamazoo Wings
• Ianiero, Northern Conference Prevail in Skills Competition - Dayton Bombers
• Who's Got the Real Diamond?... The Search Continues February 2 - Dayton Bombers
• Lombard Shines in Skills Competition - Richmond Renegades
• Three 'Gades to Play in All-Star Game - Richmond Renegades
• Sgroi Heading Out West - Burlington
• Smith Stymies All-Stars - Burlington
• Komets waive Duffus - Fort Wayne Komets

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.