AHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen invite nine to training camp

Published on September 22, 2005 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


Peoria, IL (September 22, 2005) - General Manager of Hockey Operations Kevin McDonald of the Peoria Rivermen, proud new primary affiliate of the St. Louis Blues, announced today that the team has invited nine players to its 2005 American Hockey League (AHL) training camp: forwards John-Scott Dickson, Chris Durno, Cam Keith, Mike Lee, Charles Linglet, Justin Maiser, and Kris Vernarsky; defenseman Gerry Burke; and goaltender Matt Underhill. Along with the 25 players that were assigned to Peoria by St. Louis on Tuesday, September 20, these nine training camp invitees bring the total number of players on the Rivermen training camp roster to 34.

Dickson, a 21-year-old native of North York, Ontario, spent his entire five-season junior hockey career with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. Last season as a Spitfire, the 6-3, 214-pound winger tied his career high in games played (68) and established a career high in every other major statistical category (34 goals, 42 assists, 76 points, and 48 penalty minutes).

Durno, 24, has played two seasons of professional hockey with the Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL. In 66 games with Gwinnett during 2004-05, the 6-4, 205-pound center out of Scarborough, Ontario, notched 20 goals for the second consecutive season and recorded 36 assists, 56 points, and 101 penalty minutes, all career highs. Before he entered the professional ranks in 2003, Durno played four seasons of college hockey at Michigan Tech University.

Born in Nelson, British Columbia, Keith split his first full professional season of 2004-05 between the ECHL's Pensacola Ice Pilots (67 games) and the St. John's Maple Leafs (three games) of the AHL. The 6-3, 214-pound center registered 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) and 54 minutes in penalties in 67 games played for Pensacola last year. At the end of the 2003-04 season, he appeared in four AHL games as a member of the Hartford Wolf Pack after completing his collegiate career at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks.

Lee, a 25-year-old product of Anchorage, Alaska, has played the vast majority of his professional career in the ECHL. Last season with his hometown Alaska Aces of the ECHL, the 6-0, 230-pound right wing scored six goals, dished out four assists, and incurred 136 penalty minutes in 44 appearances. He also saw action in seven AHL contests last year for the Utah Grizzlies, collecting 29 minutes in penalties.

The 2005-06 season will be the third professional campaign for the Montreal native Linglet. A 23-year-old left wing who measures 6-2 and 212 pounds, he skated in a career-high 72 games for the Alaska Aces in 2004-05, posting a career-high 62 points (28 goals, 34 assists) along with 44 penalty minutes. Linglet appeared in seven AHL games and registered two penalty minutes during a stint with the Utah Grizzlies in 2003-04.

Maiser, 22, signed an AHL contract with the Rivermen on August 19, 2005. A winger from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he split his rookie professional season of 2004-05 between the ECHL Peoria Rivermen (59 games, 19 goals, 13 assists, 87 penalty minutes) and the AHL Worcester IceCats (nine games, one goal, and two penalty minutes). The St. Louis Blues chose the 6-0, 190-pounder in the 5th round, 165th overall, of the 2002 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft.

The 23-year-old center Vernarsky enters his fourth professional season in 2005-06. Last season with the Florida Everblades of the ECHL (53 games) and the Providence Bruins of the AHL (five games), the 6-3, 210-pound native of Detroit, Michigan, scored a combined 37 points on 16 goals and 21 assists and registered 49 penalty minutes. Since being taken by the Toronto Maple Leafs with the 51st overall selection of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Vernarsky has appeared in 17 NHL games for the Boston Bruins, recording one goal and two minutes in penalties.

Burke, a 23-year-old defenseman out of Milton, Massachusetts, just finished his collegiate career at Brown University. In 127 total games at Brown, the 6-4, 225-pounder collected six goals, 15 assists, and 135 penalty minutes.

Underhill, 26, is a veteran of three professional seasons. Born in Campbell River, British Columbia, he has seen action in 18 career AHL games with the Manchester Monarchs, Norfolk Admirals, Providence Bruins, and St. John's Maple Leafs. Originally selected by the Calgary Flames in the sixth round, 170th overall, of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, the 6-2, 225-pounder played one NHL game for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2003-04.

The Rivermen are a proud new member of the AHL. Founded in 1936, the AHL now serves as the primary development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams and will celebrate its 70th anniversary season in 2005-06.

Season tickets for the Rivermen's inaugural season as a member of the AHL are now on sale! To obtain more information or to purchase season tickets, please contact Rivermen Director of Ticket Operations Jim Small at (309) 676-1040, extension 106, or tickets@rivermen.net. Listen to the live broadcast of all Rivermen games on HOPE 98.5 (WPIA-FM).

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