Rivermen Open 2006-07 AHL Training Camp
September 21, 2006 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
Peoria, IL (September 21, 2006) - Peoria Rivermen General Manager of Hockey Operations Kevin McDonald announced today that 22 players will open the team's 2006-07 Training Camp, which will begin with morning physicals for camp invitees and the first on-ice practice session at 1:00 p.m. at Carver Arena.
Former Rivermen Captain Trevor Baker and Peoria native Aaron Dawson will add local flavor to the camp, which also boasts eight players who skated for the Rivermen last season in their inaugural campaign as the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the NHL's St. Louis Blues.
Baker, recently named one of the 25 Greatest Rivermen of All-Time, presented by U.S. Cellular, was a late addition to the camp roster from the United Hockey League's (UHL) Bloomington Prairie Thunder, for whom he will serve as player/assistant coach this year. Baker, who is entering his eighth professional season, is second all-time in Rivermen franchise history in penalty minutes (PIM-1099) behind Rivermen Hall of Famer Doug Evans (1,441) and tied for eighth in games played with 352, which came over six Rivermen ECHL seasons. Dawson, a 21-year-old, 6-foot-5, 220-pound rookie defenseman, completed a four-year career with the Peterborough Petes in the Major Junior Ontario Hockey League (OHL) last season.
The AHL Rivermen returnees are: veteran enforcer and forward/defenseman Rocky Thompson, who is entering his 10th professional season after leading the team in PIM (247) last season; goaltender Chris Beckford-Tseu; left wings Charles Linglet and Ryan Ramsay; and defensemen Doug Lynch, Zack FitzGerald, Patrick Wellar and Gerry Burke. Both Beckford-Tseu and Wellar were part of the 2006 ECHL Kelly Cup Championship won by the Alaska Aces, Peoria's ECHL affiliate.
Right wings Greg Mauldin and Konstantin Zakharov (3rd rd, 101st overall, 2003), center Alexei Shkotov (2nd rd, 48th overall, 2002), rookie left wings Michal Birner (4th rd, 116th overall, 2004) and Gino Guyer and rookie defenseman Ryan MacMurchy (9th rd, 284th overall, 2002) were all assigned to the Rivermen from the Blues on Monday, September 18.
Defensemen Stephen Wood and Steven Later and rookie right wing Kevin Croxton, who all signed two-way American Hockey League (AHL)/ECHL contracts with the Rivermen and the Aces, will also vie for a roster spot.
Rookie center Julian Talbot and rookie goaltender Isaac Reichmuth, who were signed by Alaska in the off-season, will participate as camp invitees, and second-year defenseman Jeff Mushaluk and rookie left wing Brock Becker, who were signed by UHL Bloomington this off-season, also arrive as camp invitees.
The current Rivermen training camp roster follows this release. For a complete training camp schedule, which includes four Rivermen preseason games, please refer to the outline below.
The Rivermen host the Chicago Wolves in preseason action on Saturday, September 23 at 7:00 p.m. at Carver Arena in the front end of a home-and-home set between the clubs. And on Tuesday, September 26, Peoria faces off against the Iowa Stars at 7:00 p.m. at Carver Arena in the opening salvo of a home-and-home affair.
The Rivermen open the 2006-07 AHL regular season on Friday, October 6 against the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights at Carver Arena at 7:30 p.m. It's Heritage Bank Magnet Schedule Night for the first 5,000 fans. On Saturday, October 7, Peoria welcomes the rival Chicago Wolves to Carver Arena at 7:00 p.m. on the first of two Maui Jim Sunglasses Night, in which 25 random winners will receive a free pair of Maui Jim Sunglasses.
Rivermen season ticket plans are on sale now with 1) a Full Season package (40 games), 2) the 25th Anniversary package (25 games), 3) a 12-game package, 4) a seven-game package and 5) undated voucher books (denominations of 20 vouchers). Packages start at just $75 per seat.
For more information, please contact Director of Ticket Operations Jim Small at 309-676-1040 x 106 or via e-mail at tickets@rivermen.net.
#### www.rivermen.net ####
2006-07 Peoria Rivermen Training Camp & Preseason Schedule
DATE EVENT TIME SITE
Wednesday, September 20 Player Arrival & Check-in
Thursday, September 21 Player Physicals 9:00 a.m.
Practice #1 1:00 p.m. Carver Arena, Peoria Civic Center
Friday, September 22 Practice #2 10:00 a.m. Carver Arena, Peoria Civic Center
Saturday, September 23 Pre-game Skate 10:00 a.m. Carver Arena, Peoria Civic Center
Preseason Game No. 1
vs. Chicago Wolves 7:00 p.m. Carver Arena, Peoria Civic Center
Sunday, September 24 Pre-game Skate 8:30 a.m. Carver Arena, Peoria Civic Center
Preseason Game No. 2
@ Chicago Wolves 3:00 p.m. Glacier Ice Arena, Vernon Hills, IL
Monday, September 25 Practice #3 10:00 a.m. Carver Arena, Peoria Civic Center
Tuesday, September 26 Pre-game Skate 9:00 a.m. Carver Arena, Peoria Civic Center
Preseason Game No. 3
vs. Iowa Stars 7:00 p.m. Carver Arena, Peoria Civic Center
Wednesday, September 27 Practice No. 4 10:00 a.m. Carver Arena, Peoria Civic Center
Thursday, September 28 Practice No. 5 10:00 a.m. Carver Arena, Peoria Civic Center
Friday, September 29 Pre-game Skate TBD Carver Arena, Peoria Civic Center
Preseason Game No. 4
@ Iowa Stars 7:00 p.m. Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, IA
*Schedule Subject to Change
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