Evansville IceMen Open Training Camp Monday, October 10th
Published on October 5, 2011 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Evansville IceMen News Release
EVANSVILLE, IN.--- The long wait of the summer off-season is over! Hockey fans of the Tri-State region, it's our time! The Evansville IceMen of the Central Hockey League are set to launch their second campaign as a bona fide AA/CHL franchise with the opening of their annual training camp this coming MONDAY, OCTOBER 10TH at Swonder Ice Arena in Evansville.
General Manager/Head Coach Rich Kromm will greet 30-roster candidates when reveille sounds for the initial pre-season session at 9:00 am sharp! The IceMen second-year bench pilot will preside over two-a-day workouts for the first three days, being Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday with the morning session divided into two separate groupings. On Monday, October 10th, the "White Team" will hit the ice at 9:00 am followed immediately by the designated "Blue Team" at 10:00 am. Wednesday, October 12th, the two teams will reverse their respective on-ice time slots. On each of those first three days, the IceMen will engage in scrimmage competition with scrimmage times set for 2:00 pm both Monday and Wednesday afternoons and at 10:00 am Tuesday, October 11th.
All IceMen training camp workouts are open free to the public with training camp information provided to attendees in the form of training camp numerical rosters expressly to follow the fans' favorite players.
As is customary, it is a training camp marked by much brevity as Friday, October 14th, the IceMen embark on a two-game road excursion, traveling on the long, long runway at exceedingly low altitude to the Quad Cities and Bloomington, IL for a pair of weekend matinee pre-season encounters.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15TH, the IceMen have a date with the Quad City Mallards at 4:00 pm followed by a matinee affair on SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16TH, at 3:00 pm in Bloomington against the revamped and re-named Blaze. Both IceMen pre-season games, as is every game, will be broadcast on the newly-formed "IceMen Radio Network" as powered by flagship station Evansville's WEOA-AM 1400 and on the world-wide internet at 1400amweoa.com to be joined by IceMen network affiliate FOX SPORTS RADIO WMSK-AM 1550 in Morganfield, KY. Network affiliate stations WITZ-AM 990 and WITZ-FM 104.7 in Jasper, IN will be joining the IceMen for select games numbering between 23 and 30 throughout the regular season in addition to the post-season playoffs.
When the IceMen training camp officially convenes, there will be 30-candidates vying for approximately 20-roster berths under the discerning eye of Coach Kromm. Of those 30-players, 23 have been signed to CHL contracts for the 2011-12 season with 7-more hopefuls reporting to Evansville under official Tryout Agreements.
Of the 23-contracted personnel, 8-players are incumbents from last season's fledgling CHL club, spear-headed by the IceMen two top scoring sultans from 2010-11; IceMen team scoring champion NICKLAS LINDBERG 65(15-54-69) and Team MVP and premiere goal-scoring cannoneer BRIAN BICEK 66(27-34-61). Two more forwards from last season's squadron mark their returns as well; MATT PIERCE 56(16-16-32) and team top PIM leader and winner of the team "Mr. Hustle" Award and Community Service Award, MARK CODY 66(6-11-17) 161-PIM. Four defensemen are back in the saddle for the hometown team this season including 8-year veteran JORDAN LITTLE 65(3-16-19) 142-PIM; JAKE OBERMEYER 65(4-20-24), NICK SCHNEIDER 64(3-15-18) and ADAM KNOPP 53(1-3-4). Second-year pro right wing CHRIS CAMPANALE is also returning on a Tryout Agreement.
The IceMen have lassoed some prominent, pre-eminent veteran standouts who are expected to upgrade and elevate the cast of Evansville players this season led by prolific-scoring 13-year veteran center TODD ROBINSON. The CHL's runner-up scoring virtuoso last season while in Odessa with 62(29-70-99) has registered more scoring points (1,134) than any player in professional hockey including the NHL through the initial 12-years of his brilliant career. Other star-studded stalwarts debuting in the armor of the IceMen in '11-12 are All-Star caliber defensemen MATT GENS, STEPHEN MAKWAY and PHILIPPE PLANTE with Gens and Plante being teammates of Robinson last campaign with the Jackalopes.
There are two new goaltenders in town and under contract; former NHL Phoenix Coyotes second round draft pick PIER-OLIVIER PELLETIER, erstwhile of the Laredo Bucks and first-year pro BRIAN GILLIS, former collegiate star at St. Francis Xavier U.
Other notable newcomers featured on this year's roster include right wings SEAN O'CONNOR, a member of two Fort Wayne Komets title timber teams, 30-goal marksman JOHN RONAN, former Rapid City sparkplug JOSH BEAULIEU, point-producing center BRAD SMULDERS and in the heavyweight division, veteran left wing MIKE SGROI. Rookies looking to make a favorable first impression are right wings DUSTIN JOHNSON, a 35-goal sharpshooter in Junior 'A' Merritt last season and three-time Ryerson U. scoring kingpin MATT SCHMERMUND along with Finland defenseman ATTE RAJA-JARVI.
Those player personnel listed on Tryout Agreements, in addition to Campanale are goaltenders Jonathon Willumsen and Matt Wagner; defenseman Matt Caranci and forwards Mario Boilard (C), Zach Tatrn (C).
In all, Coach Kromm will be surveying a training camp roster that consists of 4-GOALTENDERS; 10-DEFENSEMEN; 16-FORWARDS.
Central Hockey League Stories from October 5, 2011
- Evansville IceMen Open Training Camp Monday, October 10th - Evansville IceMen
- Gilmore Joins Mallards on Tryout Agreement - Quad City Mallards
- Gems Change Preseason Promotion, Make Donation To Diabetes Dayton - Dayton Gems
- Sundogs Join Local Officemax in "Day Made Better" Promotion - Arizona Sundogs
- Wichita Thunder Adds Four More Players - Wichita Thunder
- Young Talent Added to Oilers Training Camp Roster - Tulsa Oilers
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