Titans qualify four players

July 1, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Trenton Devils News Release


TRENTON, NJ (July 1, 2004) - The Trenton Titans announced today that they have extended qualifying offers to defensemen Jay Leach and Ryan O'Keefe, forward Bobby Russell and goaltender Alex Westlund.

Leach joined the Titans in a deal that sent Marty Johnston to the Long Beach Ice Dogs. The fourth-year pro had 13 points (2g, 11a) in 31 games before being called up by the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) for their Calder Cup run.

O'Keefe, a solid blueliner and a physical presence, appeared in 46 games for Trenton and finished third on the team with 141 penalty minutes.

Russell, acquired in a late-season trade from the Florence Pride, has played over 200 games at the ECHL level and over 100 games in the AHL.

Westlund, a local resident of Flemington Village, NJ, returned from overseas to don the Titans jersey for just 3 games. He was 2-1 with a 2.01 GAA before returning to play in the Russian Super League.

The Titans already have eight players under contract for the 2004-05 season: forwards Scott Bertoli, Philippe Choiniere, Vincent Hellemeyer, Chris Pittman and Matt Zultek and defensemen Ray DiLauro, Ryan Crane and Vince Williams.

Players who had already signed a contract by July 1 did not need to receive qualifying offers.

Each team was entitled to reserve rights to a maximum of eight qualified players. Of the eight qualified players, no more than four could be veterans (288 regular season professional hockey games played as of the start of the upcoming 2004-05 season). Players on open qualifying offers cannot be traded.

The qualifying offer must remain open for acceptance until August 1 at which time the qualifying offer becomes null and void and the team may sign the qualified player to any salary or may elect to take no further action. Teams that extend a valid qualifying offer to a non-veteran player shall retain the rights to that qualified player for one playing season.

A team that extends a valid qualifying offer to a veteran player will retain the rights to that veteran until August 1. After August 1, if the veteran player is not signed to a contract by the team, the veteran shall be deemed a restricted free agent and shall be entitled to seek and secure offers of employment from other ECHL teams. Restricted free agents may not be traded. When a restricted free agent receives a contract offer from a team other than the team with the player's rights and the restricted free agent wishes to accept the contract offer, the restricted free agent and the offering member must, within 24 hours, notify the ECHL, the team with the player's rights and the Professional Hockey Players' Association. The member with the player's rights shall have seven days after the date it is notified to exercise its right to match the contract offer.

If a restricted free agent is not signed to either an offer sheet or a contract by an ECHL team by August 31, the player shall be deemed an unrestricted free agent.

Join the Nation! St. Lawrence Rehabilitation Center presents Opening Night at the Sovereign Bank Arena as the Titans begin their sixth season of play versus the Reading Royals on Friday, October 22 at 7:30pm. Become a part of the Titans Nation by securing your full or partial season ticket plans now. Call a Titans Ticket Representative at (609) 599-9500. The Trenton Titans are a member of the ECHL - America's Premier "AA" Hockey League.



ECHL Stories from July 1, 2004


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