Muskegon Lumberjacks Open Training Camp
October 1, 2009 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release
MUSKEGON, MI.--- Freshly adorned in their 50th Anniversary Season sash, the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League are anxiously awaiting backstage as they prepare for the Golden Anniversary Year of pro hockey in Muskegon and the dawning of reveille for the start of training camp 2009-10 season style.
Under the auspices of the second coming of Head Coach Rich Kromm, the Lumberjacks latest edition will be unveiled come Monday morning, October 5th at their home of the L.C. Walker Arena, downtown Muskegon as the coach greets some 35-candidates for team roster positions. This season, Muskegon will introduce a new wrinkle to its annual rites of the early autumn season with the home town team joining forces with its new affiliate in the form of the AAHL Battle Creek Revolution. Potential roster members for both squads in the system will be represented when coach Kromm sounds his whistle to officially begin the season anew.
The actual official launching of the half-century milestone in franchise annals will commence with the initial training camp session of 9:30 am, Monday, October 5th. This year's training camp will be divided into two groups designated as "Team Black" and "Team Gold" with split morning workout sessions capped by an afternoon scrimmage which will feature both training camp teams at 2:00 pm.
All training camp sessions are open free to the public and the Lumberjacks organization encourages all fans to attend and become first-hand witnesses of their own pro team.
With the changing of the guard at the club's coaching summit comes a considerable makeover for this latest Muskegon pro hockey edition. The 2009-10 'Jacks training camp roster lists 6-players marking an encore performance from last year's squadron which qualified for the post-season league playoffs for an unprecedented 26th consecutive year, spanning over three decades and three different Muskegon pro hockey eras. In 2008-09, in the second incarnation of the "Lumberjacks" moniker, the club finished in a strong third place position in the final IHL standings with a record of 76(43-26-7) totaling 93-points. In the Turner Cup playoffs, Muskegon ousted second place Port Huron in the semi-finals in 6-games, 4-games to 2 before bowing to two-time kingpin Fort Wayne in the Finals 4-games to 1.
Topping the list of incumbents from that 2008-09 team is two-time league reigning MVP and two-time reigning league scoring titlist, center TODD ROBINSON who captured the point-producing pinnacle last year with 112-points, including a club record 89-assists. "T.Rob" ushers-in the new campaign a mere 9-points away from pro career 1,000 at 991. Certainly not to be overshadowed on the returning roster is "The Gun-Sling King," right wing Rockin' ROBIN BOUCHARD, who embarks on his 16th pro season and 13th festooned in the Lumberjacks frippery. The Lumberjacks all-time famous #32 stands on the precipice of minor pro hockey immortality, needing 38-more goals to become the greatest goal-scoring colossus ever. The countdown commences the campaign at 645-strikes stoked with the magic number for such majesty at 683.
Among the other returnees are 2007-08 Team MVP and Team Scoring Champion, center BILLY COLLINS and 37-goal cannoneer, left wing JOHN DIPACE, who ranked a lofty 6th in league-wide scoring last season with (37-45-82) and a team-high 3-SHG. Two members of the blue line brigade are back in the club's colors; MATT GENS, the IHL's second best-scoring defenseman last season with 73(9-44-53) and, his partner DAN BOESER 52(8-20-28), who is returning in a healthy state after missing the first 24-games of last season due to injury.
Though, not officially considered a holdover, defenseman JASON LAWMASTER marks his return to Muskegon following a three-year absence that saw the rugged rearguard perform in the CHL and UHL. Lawmaster comes back home where he starred for three seasons from 2003-2006 with the UHL Fury, sparking that Muskegon club to a pair of league championships captured in consecutive fashion.
Also on the roster is left wing BRYCE DALE who returns after a brief 6-games' stint with the 'Jacks last March when he was signed right off the campus of Utica College where he served as team captain in his senior season.
With the retooled and revamped roster spawns some sound and solid veteran standout performers as well as a phalanx of promising newcomers to the pro game and the Muskegon pro hockey scene. The veteran luminaries are led by top-flight goaltender SEBASTIEN CENTOMO, the former NHL Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender and former CHL Goaltender of the Year and perennial All-Star who comes over from the Laredo Bucks of the CHL. At the forward position, center TRAVIS BANGA, another CHL refugee, makes his Muskegon premiere as does rugged, rock-ribbed, ruffian left wing ROBIN BIG SNAKE with the latter making a comeback from a one-year hiatus from the pro game. Big Snake, an erstwhile Muskegon nemesis when he starred for UHL Rockford, fired 27-goals and amassed a league-high 423-PIM in the 2005-06 campaign with the IceHogs. Completing the imposing list of debuting veterans, on the defense, will be Slovakian import LUBOS VELEBNY and 34-year-old 15-year tower of power presence RUMUN NDUR who has accumulated over 2,200-PIM in his glamorous and clamorous career.
Some of the more promising first-year pros under the watchful eye of Coach Kromm and the team's hierarchy will be left wings MATT ROBERTSON, a 37-goal sharpshooter in the major junior 'A' WHL, JESSE BIDUKE, a product of the OHL in both Oshawa and Ottawa, defenseman JUSTIN DACOSTA, a standout in both the OHL and later the CIS at the U. of New Brunswick. In goal, the 'Jacks will feature rookie MATT LUNDIN who enjoyed a solid collegiate career at both the U. of Maine and Mercyhurst College.
Coach Kromm's training camp roster will consist of 4-goaltenders, 13-defensemen and 18-forwards.
As is always the case, the length of training camp is one of extreme brevity as the Lumberjacks almost immediately launch their pre-season game schedule.
This year's pre-season game dates are highlighted by the first-ever inter-squad scrimmage that will present the Lumberjacks in action against their Battle Creek Revolution affiliate, Wednesday night at 7:00 pm at Walker Arena with admission FREE to the public.
To conclude the pre-season agenda, it will be Turner Cup 2009 revisited when the 'Jacks rekindle rancor with the two-time defending league kingpins, the Komets of Fort Wayne. Muskegon will travel to the Indiana city Friday, October 9th for an 8:00 pm engagement before reciprocating and returning home the following night, Saturday, October 10th for a 7:00 pm return bout with the K's. This will be the Lumberjacks lone home pre-season appearance.
The home opening night for the Lumberjacks will be Saturday, October 17th at 7:00 pm when they celebrated the 50th Anniversary Season in special pre-game ceremonies with the Bloomington Prairie Thunder coming in town.
All Lumberjacks games, pre-season, regular season and playoffs are broadcasted live on exclusive flagship radio station WLAW 92.5 FM, "THE OUTLAW."
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