AHL Hershey Bears

Meloche moving, Chicago loads up

July 19, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


As we are now closer to next season than the one preceding us, roster moves are starting to trickle in from all points on the AHL map. Perhaps the biggest shift in East Division power last week occurred in Pennsylvania, but it didn't involve HERSHEY. The Flyers announced on Wednesday that right wing Eric Meloche signed a free agent deal to in all likelihood play for the Phantoms next season. Meloche picked up 16 goals in 56 games last season for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and he also played in 23 postseason games and scored nine more times for 15 points Meloche, whose father Gilles is the Penguins' goaltender coach, leaves the only professional organization he has ever played for after an outstanding collegiate career at Ohio State. He is the second former Buckeye to sign with the Flyers this summer. Centerman R.J. Umberger signed a couple of weeks back to a free agent deal of his own. Philly can find talent in its own backyard as well, as it turns out. Tony Voce, a 5'8" center who played four seasons for Boston College, signed a contract to play for the Flyers/Phantoms next season. Voce becomes the first Philadelphia native to sign with the Flyers.

The Atlanta Thrashers were busy signing players last week that should have a starring role this season for the Chicago Wolves. The Thrashers signed defenseman Travis Roche to a free agent contract along with forward Cory Larose on Wednesday. Roche split time last season between the Houston Aeros and the Minnesota Wild, picking up 38 points in a Houston uniform. Larose was part of the Hartford Wolfpack squad that advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. He scored 49 points in 69 games with Hartford and also played seven games last season in New York with the Rangers. In addition to AHLers Roche and Larose, Atlanta signed goaltender Adam Berkhoel last week. Berkhoel backstopped the University of Denver to the 2004 National Championship, posting a record of 24-11-4. He was also named the most outstanding player in the West Regional and the Frozen Four last season.

The Calder Cup Champs continue to go their separate ways. Goaltender and Cup MVP Wade Flaherty signed with Vancouver to play for Manitoba next season two weeks ago, defensemen Curtis Murphy and Kiril Safronov have gone to Europe and now rugged left-winger Raitis Ivanans has signed a free agent contract with the Montreal Canadiens. Ivanans had 166 penalty minutes last season in 54 games for the champs.

An article last week in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported that the Buffalo Sabres will play a regular season game at Blue Cross Arena for the second consecutive season. Also for the second straight year, the defending Stanley Cup Champion will play in the game. Sabres owner and Rochester resident Tom Golisano announced last week that Buffalo will host the Tampa Bay Lightning in a game at Blue Cross Arena on Monday, October 18th after the defending champion New Jersey Devils played in Rochester last season. Assuming that the NHL resolves it's labor difficulty, it will be a nice homecoming for Tampa Bay head coach John Tortorella. Tortorella won a Calder Cup as Rochester's head coach in 1996. Buffalo has also scheduled a pre-season game with the Columbus Blue Jackets for September 24th at Blue Cross Arena.

A note regarding the rule changes mandated by the American Hockey League: I was reminded by an article written by Springfield's Fran Sypek last week in the Union-News about a situation involving Jean-Marc Pelletier and the shootout while he was in the old IHL with the Cincinnati Cyclones. Pelletier shared goaltending duties with Randy Petruk while in the Queen City. Ron Smith was the head coach with Cincinnati that season, and on several occasions when the ‘Clones went to overtime, Smith would yank Pelletier in favor of Petruk for the shootout. It was thought that Pelletier was weaker on breakaways, and Petruk cold was still better than Pelletier who had played all night. Even though Pelletier played the entire game up through overtime, Petruk would stop a couple of shots in the shootout and get credit for the win. Unlikely that we would see much of that this season, but it's something that could happen.

Finally today, Denny Ott, our team operations coordinator, asked me to pass along that 2004-05 national anthem audition tapes are now being accepted. (Click on the article on our home page for all the details). If you think you have what it takes to lead us in song here at GIANT Center next season, don't delay. Get your tape in early.

Before I get to the e-mail for this week, I've gotten a lot of notes from you wanting to know about the 2nd annual HERSHEY BEARS Golf Classic. There should be an announcement sometime later this week when a couple of details are finalized, but it is back in October. Keep an eye out for information sometime before Friday.

On to the mail bag.....

Hey John,

I have been out of town for a couple of weeks so you might have said something about this. I would like to know if Hershey is considering another secondary affiliate? Did Paul Jerrard get the head coaching job in Springfield? Did Eric Perrin get his name on Lord Stanley?

I personally I am against the goalie being limited in his ability to play the puck. I think when the goalies come out of the crease it adds a certain level of excitement. It also can be the difference in a season. Remember Sauve against Philly in the last game of the year when he came out and misplayed the puck? I know I should be for the rule because of that but when I look back at the season now, it fit right in with the season and I would not want to have had the season any other way.

I am favor of the shootout rule. I do not think that it will take a way from the excitement of the penalty shot at all. It will give people closure to a game. Fans will know who is the better team that night. Thank you for time and keep up the writings; they are very informative.

Don Palesky Gettysburg PA

Don, I'll catch you up. Paul Jerrard is still the assistant coach of the BEARS, Paul Fixter is still the head coach and smacking the heck out of golf balls in both the United States and Canada, and I'm still the broadcaster for the team and I can't hit a fairway iron to save my bloody life. As far as Eric Perrin goes, he hosted the Stanley Cup at his house in Montreal last week (first Lightning player to have Lord Stanley, by the way) but he'll have to wait to see if he gets his name on it. The engraving will officially take place some time in September.

I think a lot of people will warm up to the shootout. I'm the first to admit it will take some getting used to, but I think it will be accepted pretty quickly. The goalies appreciate your support for their cause, but I'm willing to give that one a wait and see attitude as well. In baseball, fans dig the home runs, and in hockey it's all about goal scoring. If it helps the offense, I think most people who don't wear chest protectors and oversized leg pads will like the changes.

Finally about your question regarding a secondary affiliate. At the moment, it doesn't appear that many NHL teams would need a place to house players. There could always be a couple of guys that an NHL team may not have room for with their primary team, but nothing appears to be happening on that front right now. Rest assured you haven't missed anything with your two-week absence.

Hi John

I'm wondering if you've heard anything about rules of the AHL changing if there is a lockout in the NHL....things such as if a player has played 75 games or more in the NHL they are not allowed to play in the AHL this upcoming season if there is a lockout.

Lauren Orie

York, PA

Lauren, that's just one of the many things that no one really has a good handle on yet. Up to the minute, there has not been anything handed down by anyone that dictates who could play in the AHL next season and who cannot. I wouldn't stray too far from the sports page from September 15th forward if there is a lockout, because there could be a pretty good spike in player movement. Otherwise, we'll just have to see what happens as we go along.

John:

I saw on the Flyers website that they are playing another exhibition game at GIANT Center this season. When will tickets go on sale, and how much will they be. I had a great time watching the game last year, I can't wait until they come back. Thanks.

Mike Johnson

Lancaster, PA

Mike, you are correct that the Flyers have scheduled an exhibition game for Saturday, October 2 at GIANT Center against the New York Islanders. However, there are a couple of reasons why it hasn't really been talked about. The first reason is that the game hasn't officially been booked with the building yet. No fear that it won't be, but there's nothing to announce (prices, etc) until all the details are hammered out. Secondly, with a lockout looming and training camps likely not to open on time, only the biggest optimist would believe that an October 2nd exhibition game would be played. For the good of the game, everyone certainly hopes that the NHL and the NHLPA can start camp on time, but I haven't talked to many people (okay, none) that think that's likely. At some point, there will be information released about the game on October 2, but it will have to have some language in it about what happens if the game isn't played. I hope we see Jeremy Roenick and the boys here on October 2 because if we do, it means the sport is up and running as it should be.

John:

Will Gavin Morgan be back in HERSHEY next season? I saw in the Dallas Morning News here that he is an unrestricted free agent.

John Wahala

Arlington, TX

John, thanks for the note from down south (or at least southwest of us here in Chocolatetown). You've asked a question that a lot of people have asked around here. Morgan is a veteran and an unrestricted free agent. Here's my take on Gavin. There were few guys on HERSHEY'S roster (and maybe the entire American Hockey League) that had more ups and downs than Morgan in 2003-04. He got off to a terrific start with three goals in his first four games and five in his first 11. He got called up to Dallas and played well at the NHL level as a fourth liner. On the down side, he went from November 9 to January 10 without scoring a goal. He took a truckload of bad penalties along the way as well and was even a healthy scratch February 27th at Rochester. To his credit, he rebounded and played well down the stretch when the BEARS were trying to get back into the playoff picture. Two goals at Lowell on March 7th, points in four of five from March 28th to April 7th were among his late season heroics. If Gavin Morgan were not a veteran, I don't think there's any question the guy would be back. Only time will tell.

Hi John:

I read where Mike Gaul's career ended because of another concussion overseas. What is the chance of someone like Rick Berry returning to HERSHEY this season?

Jennifer Stevens

Williamsport, PA

Jennifer, I suppose anything's possible. Berry is a free agent, so he is looking for a place to play. One of the obstacles would be that Berry is veteran status, which means he would have to take one of the five spots that HERSHEY has this season. Brett Clark already has one, while Dennis Bonvie will be the team's exempt player in 2004-05. If D.J. Smith returns, that's another veteran spot gone. You might want to have a couple of vets up front, so in reality there is only one veteran roster spot left if all goes to plan. You can have a third veteran forward or a third veteran defenseman, but you can't have both.

As always, drop me a line with your questions to jwalton@hersheypa.com. Have a great week, everybody.

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American Hockey League Stories from July 19, 2004


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