Rivermen Add All-Star Rennette, Defenseman Durak to Training Camp
October 7, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
Peoria, Ill. (October 7, 2003) â Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jason Christie of the Peoria Rivermen of the ECHL announced today that Rivermen All-Star center Tyler Rennette and defenseman Miroslav Durak have been added to the training camp roster.
Rennette â a 6-foot-1, 180-pound center â has just returned from training camp with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL). He notched 42 goals last season with the Rivermen, tying him for second in the ECHL in goal scoring with Mississippi's Steffon Walby and setting a new Rivermen ECHL record for goals. Rennette, who will be entering his fifth professional season and fourth with the Rivermen, is the first 40-goal scorer the Rivermen have had since the 1991-1992 International Hockey League (IHL) season, when Steve Tuttle netted 43 and Yves Heroux tallied 41.
The 24-year-old native of North Bay, Ontario shined in the first All-Star appearance of his career this past January, netting the Northern Conference's first goal in an 8-2 rout of the Southern Conference. He also won the Hardest Shot Contest with a 95 mph slapshot during the Skills Competition.
Defenseman Miroslav Durak has also been added to the Rivermen training camp roster. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound native of Topolcong, Slovakia collected 16 points (3g, 13a) with 72 penalty minutes (PIM) in 51 games as a rookie in 2002-2003 with Rivermen archrival â the Toledo Storm. The 22-year-old backliner also enjoyed a one-game call-up to the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) last season.
Twenty-four (24) skaters (14 forwards & 10 defensemen) and three goaltenders are in Rivermen training camp. There are currently nine Rivermen returnees (center Trevor Baker, center Brendan Brooks, defenseman Scott Crawford, right wing Bret DeCecco, forward Josh Kern, center Mike Nelson, Rennette, left wing Randy Rowe & left wing Alex Zinevych) with the club. Key newcomers include: tough man Craig Brunel (Trenton Titans), defenseman Craig Olynick (Humboldt Broncos, SJHL), defenseman Garry Toor (Arkansas RiverBlades) and defenseman Joe Vandermeer (Lexington Men O' War).
On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week, the team will engage in 8:00 a.m. workouts followed by 3:30 p.m. on-ice sessions, which will consist of a scrimmage or team system work. On Wednesday, October 8, the team will continue its morning routine but follow with a Blue/White scrimmage at 6:00 p.m. All on-ice activities at Carver Arena are open to the public. The Rivermen will not participate in any preseason exhibition games.
The majority of player cuts will be made after practice on Thursday, October 9. After a Friday practice, the remaining players will enjoy a day off on Saturday, October 11 and participate in a team-building exercise on Sunday, October 12.
During the week of October 13, the team will participate in 10:00 a.m. practices at Carver Arena Monday, Tuesday & Thursday and then depart on Thursday, October 16 for its first road game in Cincinnati the following day. The team will then face off against the Cincinnati Cyclones in a season opening matchup at U.S. Bank Arena on Friday, October 17 at 6:30 p.m. CT, before returning to Peoria for their home opener against the archrival Toledo Storm on Saturday, October 18 at 7:05 p.m. CT.
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