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CSHL players hope to make big impression on IceDiggers

August 11, 2004 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Alpena IceDiggers News Release


Ask Toledo IceDiggers head coach/general manager Mike Mankowski what he thinks of the Central States Hockey League and he responds, "We undoubtedly feel the CSHL is a very good developmental league. The players coming out of the franchises we have dealt with to this point have been very good hockey players."

Mankowski puts his words to action as eight players from the CSHL have either been committed to or are in the running for the final spots on the IceDiggers 2004-05 final roster.

Still in the mix for the IceDiggers this coming season are forwards Adam Thomas (Grand Rapids), Kaleigh Schrock (Grand Rapids), Branden Moran (St. Louis) and Nolan Craner (Grand Rapids); defensemen Adam Snead (Toledo) and Scott Helvey (Toledo); and goaltender Derek Szesny (St. Louis).

It is a particularly distinguished group: Szesny led all goaltenders in every category last season and was the winning goaltender in the USA Jr. B National Championship game. Thomas, a late season addition to the Owls, was scoring just under two points per game while in the CSHL. Moran tied for 10th in league scoring with 49 points in only 34 games.

Schrock notched 35 points in 45 games and added a healthy 123 penalty minutes for the Owls. And Helvey and Snead, two 1987 birth-year blueliners skating for the hometown Toledo Cherokee, netted 19 and 18 points respectively while playing in just over 30 games each.

Mankowski says, "Toledo feels it is a testament to the hard work the CSHL and its franchises have done to develop hockey players and individuals. Toledo has the luxury to scout the CSHL heavily due to the fact that we sit right in the middle of the league's footprint. We expect more and more talent to come out of the CSHL."

Last month, the IceDiggers kicked-off their "Generation Next" campaign for the 2004-05 season by welcoming 12-year NHL veteran, Bryan Smolinski, as the team's Official Spokesperson. The unveiling of Smolinski's own Hall of Fame at the Toledo Ice House highlighted the night.

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North American Hockey League Stories from August 11, 2004


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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