Exciting Time for NHL Prospects Armstrong, Sestito and Fournier

Published on June 1, 2006 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Plymouth Whalers News Release


You'll have to excuse Plymouth Whalers John Armstrong, Andrew Fournier and Tom Sestito if they seem a little distracted these days. All three are thinking about the upcoming National Hockey League Entry Draft, held June 24 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, BC.

Armstrong - rated 51st among North American Prospects by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau -

Fournier (108) and Sestito (112) are sure bets to be selected.

In fact, Armstrong is getting a jump start on the proceedings as he was invited to the NHL Draft Combine this Wednesday through Saturday in Toronto.

The Draft Combine will give NHL clubs a chance to evaluate hockey's future stars just three weeks before the 2006 NHL Entry Draft in Vancouver, June 24. Each NHL club will be represented at the Combine by scouts, management and athletic training staff. The players will conduct interviews with the clubs and undergo medical examinations and fitness testing.

Armstrong (4 goals with 7 assists in the playoffs), Sestito (5-2) and Fournier (5-6) saved some of their best hockey last season in the playoffs. Before that, all three played key roles during Plymouth's run towards the West Division championship - especially with injuries to veterans John Vigilante and Dan Collins through February and into March.

All three will be back next season in their third season with the Whalers as young veterans on a team that should contend for another West Division title.

Last season NHL scouts watched Armstrong and Sestito at the start of the year and then Fournier as the season wore on. Edmonton Oilers scout Kent Hawley - who spent several years with Plymouth as a scout - watched them with particular interest.

"Both have good size," Hawley said about Armstrong and Sestito during the Whalers' playoff run. "Both compete pretty consistently, which is big in my books, (because) you have to compete and you have to play hard. I think Armstrong is a little more polished right now and has a little more offensive skill. Tommy Sestito has come a long way and I think he's going to be a good hockey player. Both are excellent prospects. I wish them well and I know in Edmonton we're interested in both of them."

Hawley scouted in Eastern Ontario for the Whalers and has enjoyed watching Fournier's development.

"The big thing I liked about Fournier when we drafted him was how smart he was away from the puck," Hawley said. "He was always an offensive player and put up good numbers as a youngster playing minor hockey. The two years he played Tier II in Kingston (Kingston Voyageurs) helped him to really hone his skills defensively. I think he's one of Plymouth's top defensive forwards. You have to be able to play both ways now if you're going to play in the National Hockey League, so that's a credit to Andrew."

Fournier missed the second half of the 2004-05 season with a sliced Achilles tendon and improved last season as time wore on.

"He's got great work ethic on the ice," Hawley said. "He'll do what it takes - he competes, blocks shots and drives hard to the net. I think he's developed into a pretty complete player and that's going to help him down the road."

While Armstrong, Fournier and Sestito wait for June 24, other Whalers are moving up the talent depth chart, too. Second-year goaltender Jeremy Smith (Brownstown Township) and prospect Trevor Nill (Novi) have been selected by USA Hockey to represent Team Michigan in the National Select-17 camp July 7-14 in St.Cloud, MN.

In addition, A.J. Jenks (Wolverine Lake) - Plymouth's 7th round pick in this spring's draft - will play for Michigan in the USA Hockey Select 16 Camp in Rochester, NY June 23-30.

In an another personnel issue, Plymouth General Manager and Head Coach Mike Vellucci and assistant Todd Watson will choose between four potential overages for next season - Jared Boll, Steve Ward, Evan Brophey and Ryan Stephenson. Gino Pisellini has been signed by the Philadelphia Flyers and Justin Peters has been signed by Carolina.

PETERS SIGNING (from the Carolina Hurricanes' Release): Carolina selected Peters in the second round, 38th overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. The Blyth, Ont., native attended the Hurricanes' training camp in 2005 prior to returning to the Ontario Hockey League. In 55 regular-season OHL games with Toronto-St. Michael's and Plymouth, Peters (6' 2", 215 lbs.) recorded a 29-21-4 record and a 3.14 goals-against average. In 13 playoff games with Plymouth, Peters went 6-6-1 with a 3.20 goals-against average before Plymouth lost in the second round to Guelph. In 189 regular-season OHL games from 2002-03 to 2005-06, Peters, 19, posted a 2.88 goals-against average and a 88-70-16 record. He receives a $400,000 signing bonus with his three-year contract that will pay him $450,000 at the NHL level in 2006-07 and $475,000 at the NHL level in the following two seasons. In the minors, Peters will earn $50,000 per year for the first two years of the contract, and $60,000 in the third year.

2006-07 SCHEDULE: The Whalers look to announce their upcoming schedule around June 15.

FUN FOR ALL AT WHALERS' CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY

There was something for everyone at the Plymouth Whalers' third annual Customer Appreciation Day, held May 20 at the Compuware Sports Arena.

Activities for the event included a Whalers' Used Equipment Sale, Rookie Scrimmage Game, Free Skate and Whalers player Meet-and Greet. Soccer fans had an opportunity to meet members of the Detroit Ignition, a team that will play out of the Compuware Sports Arena starting next November in the Major Indoor Soccer League. The arena also hosted its' annual '94 Meltdown amateur tournament, meaning the arena was filled with activity on a beautiful spring day.

"Among all the activities we host here at the Compuware Sports Arena each year, the Customer Appreciation Day is a great opportunity for us to thank our customers in a tangible way for all their support during the year," said Plymouth Director of Corporate Sales and Marketing Rob Murphy.

Hard-core Whaler fans got their first look at a new group of Plymouth rookies during the team's annual Rookie Orientation. The Whalers held a scrimmage for the new players during the Customer Appreciation Day and concluded camp the next day.

More importantly, the Rookie Orientation was also the first time for parents of Whaler drafts to get a look at the city of Plymouth, Plymouth schools and the surrounding area, making the hockey almost secondary.

Hockey fans and players looking for good deals on equipment did so at the Whalers' Used Equipment Sale. Whaler equipment manager Marc Baron oversaw a brisk business that attracted casual and serious fans alike.

Katie Jenkins and Justin Crawford of Plymouth came early and bought an Andrew Fournier stick, a Matt Cullen-replica Carolina Hurricanes' jersey and Whaler goaltending pads that belonged to former Whaler Robert Esche, now with the Philadelphia Flyers.

"We live close by," said Jenkins, who started coming to Whaler games last season. "We found out about the sale on your marquee. So we thought it would be fun. The prices are good, and you hope the Whalers' stick you buy ends up becoming a guy who plays in the National Hockey League."

Crawford smiled when he thought about the irony about purchasing pads that a current NHL goaltender used several years ago while playing 129 games for the Whalers from 1996-98.

"I just started playing goal, and I just bought Robert Esche's old pads," Crawford said. "It's just amazing to be wearing pads of a guy that made the NHL. I'll always think of that when I play."

The '94 Meltdown Tournament attracted the normal group of parents, players and fans expected at an event - with some notable exceptions. Kirk Gibson, Curtis Joseph and Derian Hatcher were spotted in the crowd, along with another former first-round NHL draft choice.

"We came down here last year and had a great time, so we're back here again this year," said Ron Meighan, coach of the Ottawa Riot 94's. "It's a good idea to have the equipment sale here. We're always looking for deals."

Meighan played in the Ontario Hockey League from 1979-82 with the Niagara Falls Flyers (now Saginaw Spirit) and was selected in the first round (13th overall) by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. Meighan played just 48 games in the NHL, seven with Minnesota in 1981-82 and 41 in 1982-83 with Pittsburgh.

The Whalers have at least 13 holdovers returning to a team that won the West Division last season and should contend again in 2006-07. In addition, Plymouth recently signed three players from its' 2005 draft - center Chad Beal, a 4th round pick, goaltender Kyle Jendra (9th round) and 12th round pick Kaine Geldart - and all three played well during the rookie scrimmage.

All eyes were on Vern Cooper, the team's first round pick from this spring. Cooper reported to the Rookie Orientation after some talk he was going the NCAA Collegiate route.

If the Rookie Orientation showed anything, it is the fact that the future appears to be bright for the Whalers.

DEALS AROUND THE ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE: Windsor dealt three potential overage players to Saginaw and Oshawa, respectively. The Spits sent C Ryan Garlock and D Mitch Maunu to Saginaw in exchange for LW Anthony Soboczynski and a conditional second-round draft pick in 2007 if both play at least one game in the OHL next year. Windsor also traded D Peter Aston to Oshawa for another conditional second round draft pick in 2008.

Sarnia traded RW Kody Mussleman to Oshawa for D Chris Mifflen. Barrie sent LW Travis Fuller to Mississauga to complete a deal last season that saw LW Jordan Grant and D Dave Pszenyczny go to Barrie and D Nathan Martine go to Mississauga.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from June 1, 2006


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