Mark Richards Off Ice Cats' List
Published on October 17, 2003 under International Independent Hockey League (IIHL)
Ohio Valley Ice Cats News Release
One candidate for the head coaching job of the new Ohio Valley Ice Cats franchise can be crossed off the list.
The new Athens-based pro hockey club in the International Independent Hockey League (IIHL) won't be hiring Mark Richards.
Richards has taken a job on a Central Hockey League (CHL) coaching staff with the Memphis River Kings. Richards had talked with the Ice Cats about their top job after the Tupelo T-Rex suddenly closed their operation last week.
Richards is a veteran minor league goalie who had been named head coach at Tupelo after a distinguished career that included leading the River Kings to back-to-back CHL championships. He also backstopped the Flint Generals to a Colonial Cup playoff title in the United Hockey League during a career that also included a stop in the American Hockey League.
"Mark would have been an excellent coach and we talked with him right away," said Ice Cats President Mike Killbreath.
Richards had already signed 13 players for Tupelo's new entry in the South East Hockey League before getting the sudden news. Tupelo's owner pulled the plug after served with a lawsuit by the CHL in a dispute over territory rights after previously operating in the old Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL). The WPHL merged with the CHL last season when Tupelo switched to a Junior A level club.
Killbreath has set Oct. 22 as a deadline for interviewing coaching candidates.
One he's definitely interested in is Jason Rapcewicz, who signed on Sept.. 11 to become an assistant coach with the IIHL's Northern Michigan Predators. Killbreath said the Predators let him go because he committed with them but also agreed this week to attend a South East Hockey League training camp in Huntsville, Alabama.
The Ice Cats acquired rights to Rapcewicz yesterday in a three-way deal involving the Predators and North Country Barnstormers. They gave up three selections in the four-round Nov. 2 Marquee Draft and also traded away rights forward Garnet Walker and goaltender Robert Soliman as part of the deal to get rights to Rapcewicz.
Rapcewicz had been claimed on waivers by the Barnstormers after the Predators released him. The Ice Cats gave away the No. 3 and No. 4 choices to the Predators for Walker and Soliman, then traded both of them to the Barnstormers with the No. 2 pick to get Rapcewicz.
Rights to another goaltending candidate were secured by getting a commitment from Will Statzer of Virginia. He has been the practice goalie with the Roanoake Express of the ECHL. The Ice Cats already had signed Terry Craven of Hamilton, New York, who played last year as the No. 3 goalie with the ECHL's Lexington Men-o-War. Craven also previously had No. 3 roles with two teams in the United Hockey League.
Craven was in camp nearby with the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers, but was released yesterday. He reported to training camp last night with Winston-Salem of the South East Hockey League and expects to suit up in Athens unless he's given a guarantee for lots of game action. The former standout from Massachussetts College says playing is critical this year since he has paid his dues with three pro clubs in the No. 3 role.
Craven is hoping to be impressive as a No. 1 goalie in the IIHL to hopefully get a regular job at the AA level next season in hopes of eventually making it to the NHL.
International Independent Hockey League Stories from October 17, 2003
- Mark Richards Off Ice Cats' List - Ohio Valley Ice Cats
- Ice Cats Trade for Coaching Candidate - Ohio Valley Ice Cats
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