If you could have one player come back to the Komets who did not play here over the past two years, whom would it be? I’m not suggesting in any way this player should be at the expense of a current player, either. Could be anyone who is still active from the UHL or the IHL days, though there are a lot few of those. My choice would be Andre Roy. He’d be a star at this level and would have impact every time he skated onto the ice. How about Marc Magliarditi? Anybody see the numbers he put up in the ECHL this year? It’s also too easy to just say Sean Venedam, so try to stretch a little. We’d all probably like to see Vene, so that’s a given, OK?
On the other hand, and here you go Frank Littlejohn fans, who is one player you’d like to have play here from other teams in the UHL? I’d take Greg Labenski, but I’ve always been partial to defensemen.
How about from other Class AA leagues? Peter Metcalfe of Alaska, ECHL. Defenseman, 52 points in 69 games, plus 44 with 234 PIMs.
May 8, 2006 at 3:25 pm
Bogi?
He plays like he is 6′5 even though he is only 5′6 (well pretty close to it anyway)
May 8, 2006 at 3:34 pm
I also wouldn’t mind seeing Tom Lawson back.
Other leagues…
Well, Current Calgary Hitmen anf future Leafs goalie Justin Pogge, just turned 20 and was 38-10 with a 1.72 GAA, .92 save % and 11 shutouts.
May 8, 2006 at 5:29 pm
A healty Steve Parsons would rock! Obviously Andre Roy would be awesome. Gotta agree with Tony on Lawdog.
From a current roster??? Danny Freaking Stewart! Okay, just kidding.. How about Tyler Willis, Vandermeer from Richmond, or Dave VanDrunen from Muskegon.
May 8, 2006 at 5:38 pm
Jim Duhart anyone? He would have driven the yappers on Rockford nuts!
May 8, 2006 at 7:22 pm
Whatever happened to Vadim Sharapov? Played 14 games in the first UHL season, blew his knee out I think….and has disappeared. The guy was dynamite.
Offense: MIG line (was that awesome to watch?)
Defense: Freddie Bouchard (hard to argue the production you get)
Goalie: I’d roll with Pierre but Weekes was great for the K’s.
May 8, 2006 at 7:46 pm
boy oh boy…
Konstatin(sp) Shafranov…how would he be with Chaulker playing center..wow…
and from other leagues/teams..I’d take Vandermeer from Richmond, I’d love that guy wearing a K’s jersey…
May 8, 2006 at 8:27 pm
Dan Currie….I liked that guy alot…he had a good nose for the net. Slava Butseyev(SP). What an exciting player to watch. Doug Teskey…but I know it would never happen with current coach at the helm. Kelli Corpse…that guy was tough and gave his all.
Other teams guys…uh…give me a Chad Woollard..is that the guys name? Nelson from Muskegon, Drake from K-zoo, just to name a few.
May 8, 2006 at 8:45 pm
I want Brad Purdie back!! Strictly for the entertainment
Nobody could trip over the blue line and crash into the boards on his behind with more flair than that guy!
May 8, 2006 at 9:33 pm
I would love to have Jake Ortmeyer back as well as Marc Barlow. Also, I agree with Blake, in that I would love to see Greg Labienski in a Komet uniform. I think he was like a +70 this year or something! Thats pretty solid.
May 9, 2006 at 5:42 am
For a former Komet how about Igor Chibirev.
For someone from another team. Gotta go with Duhart, just one year to see if he can drive the opposition and the home team nuts with his all offense no defense style. He’d be great on the power play though.
May 9, 2006 at 7:19 am
No Duhart or Willis. The Komets are too classy for creeps like them. Wearing a K’s uniform or not, I wouldn’t cheer for them. Labenski might work. We always need help on defense.
May 9, 2006 at 9:18 am
ilovehockey, I would submit to you that the Jim Duhart of today is not the same person or player you would have gotten 6 or 7 years ago. He still gets under the skin of other players but he demonstrated patience and leadership and made a horrible Otters team competitive the last half of the season. The Jim Duhart of 6-7 years ago would have packed it in. I might be wrong but I think age and experience have made him a better person and player.
May 9, 2006 at 10:06 am
Blake, two platapuses on this list?
May 9, 2006 at 10:07 am
Make that platypuses
May 9, 2006 at 10:18 am
Tony,
Duhart is still the same stupid idiot that he was 6 or 7 years ago; I think he has gotten worse over the years and the Komets would be really stupid to put a player like that on our roster; He wouldn’t do us any good b/c he sucks at hockey and is a total jerk; he’s as bad as some of the players on Rockford; Willis is a NO GO AS WELL!! BIG TWIT!!!
May 9, 2006 at 10:41 am
And yet teams still think Duhart can do some good or they wouldn’t sign him. I would say that he does seem to be, from what I’ve heard a bit of a locker room cancer and he palys absolutly no defense, but just once I’d like to see in the orange and black
May 9, 2006 at 10:59 am
Greg, the “cancer” thing is an old rumour. Probably true in the past, might still be true now. It might be a risk. I would rather take a risk on him than Robin Big Snake.
komets23fan how can you say he “sucks at hockey”? 60 points in 56 games this year, 50 goals 3 times in his UHL career and in the 30’s and 40’s goal wise most of his career. Sure he isn’t the best getting back on defence. Neither was D.A.B. but everyone loved him! It goes back to the fact that this is low minor hockey and everyone have flaws. Do you think if he scored 50 goals and played great defence he would have stayed in the UHL? You pair him with a couple of passing specialists who are responsible on the back end and you have a good line.
I like everyone here have spent many games screaming at this guy but I think he could have made a difference on this team during the 05-06 season. Hmmmm Duhart, Lance and Miller on the same line….would have driven Rockford nuts!
May 9, 2006 at 11:28 am
Robin Bouchard…
Yeah, he may yap his trap but he’s a player you love to hate!
He played with us a few games back in 1996.
May 9, 2006 at 11:53 am
I’d like to see Kevin Schmidt or Tom Lawson back in orange and black. As for a player from another team, how about Nick Bootland from K-zoo, Nathan Lutz from Rockford or Kevin Reiter from Missouri?
May 9, 2006 at 12:03 pm
Igor Malykhin
Gary Ricciardi
Ian Lampshire
Geno Parrish
Tom Kotsopoulos
Jason Deitsch
Preston Mizzi as much as I didnt care for him in the playoffs, he played with his heart
just to name a couple
May 9, 2006 at 1:06 pm
I myself would not have a problem with Jim Duhart becoming a Komet. I spoke to him briefly after his last game here. (The night everyone wore the T-shirts!) He was very polite, outgoing and thanked me for taking the time to talk to him and have a safe trip back home. He even spoke briefly with Michael Franke. I agree with Tony, that Duhart has become wiser with age. BTW does anyone remember how people did not want Scott Gruhl here….but Gruhl ended up being a fan favorite! Todays Lesson: One cannot always judge a book by its cover…One’s textbook might have a comic book in the middle!
May 9, 2006 at 1:22 pm
Today’s lesson: Komet fans change their minds more than they change their underwear. I’m telling you right now that if the Komets signed Tyler Willis there would be a slew of Willis jerseys in the stands. People would love the guy.
May 9, 2006 at 2:26 pm
Both Willis and Duhart are the type of player you love to hate when they are on other teams. When they are on your team, you just plain love them. Look at Lance this year. Other team’s fans hate him and we all love him. Same thing…
May 9, 2006 at 5:06 pm
Duhart has degenerated into nothing but a blueliner.
He couldn’t (wouldn’t) play the defense required of him.
May 9, 2006 at 7:16 pm
i think Massie or Kevin Kololock #28 (sorry for spelling) those guys could hit score and fight. they could do it all and the both were good
May 10, 2006 at 5:59 am
One more name I forgot that would cover both categories: HUGO BELANGER
May 10, 2006 at 9:53 am
This is for Bob, if you would have seen the Jim Duhart here after a Komet game that we did, you would know a leopard doesn’t change his spots. If you call flipping K’s fans off and telling them F you for wanting to take a picture of him outside of their locker room a changed man, I seriously question that.
May 10, 2006 at 10:11 am
ILH-You’ll have to help me on that one. I don’t remember him doing that. When was it and what was the circumstance of the game?
May 10, 2006 at 11:14 am
The Calvinator.
One Mr. Calvin Purinton.
There was never a dull moment with that Cal Purinton around.
May 10, 2006 at 11:21 am
Purinton.
Bob Gray. (By GOD, he protected the crease)
(The time he beat the crap out of Frank Golembrosky of Port Huron was a thing of beauty)
John Ferguson.
Con Madigan.
Fitchner.
Big Butters.
Gagnon (Sean) in his prime.
Teddy Wright, after he moved to defense.
Keating, when he was (angry).
Hilworth.
Chick Balon.
To name a few.
May 10, 2006 at 2:01 pm
I would love to see Steve Parsons back in town. He was entertaining. Player from another UHL team: but I don’t think he plays anymore, Mark Major.
May 10, 2006 at 3:15 pm
I.L.H. Please tell me when this incident with Duhart took place. Was it this past season? I was not aware of this taking place. I have only spoken to Duhart perhaps two or three times, but he has always been civil towards me and the wife.
May 10, 2006 at 3:56 pm
What about Bob Fitchner?
I didn’t see it, but I’ve heard the stories of him challenging the Flint Generals bench in the 1972-73 Turner Cup playoffs, then beating the —- out of the poor guy who jumped onto the ice.
Also, in their prime, John Hilworth and Steve Fletcher.
They played on the same team in 1982-83 and NO ONE messed with ol’ Jasper or Fletch.
For a goalie, what about Don Cutts or Brian Holderness? Both goalies were known for using their sticks – Holderness slashed a referee one year in the playoffs after a disputed goal against Toledo and got tossed out – I had never seen that before.
May 10, 2006 at 4:03 pm
My buddy Neal will appreciate this -
Why not, for a “real grudge-match type game,” bring out Ogie Oglethorpe, Clarence “Screaming Buffalo” Swamptown, Randall Poodleluceau (I’m guessing on that), Tim “Dr. Hook” McCracken, and the rest of the Syracuse Bulldogs in for a one-time game.
For those of you who don’t know, those were a few of the character names in the Slap Shot movie – as I was typing this, I couldn’t remember the name of Con Madigan’s character, only that he never went anywhere without his attorney, “Small Print” Lymon. I need to watch the movie again to get it right.
Anyway, just a thought.
May 10, 2006 at 6:50 pm
Jeff
Con Madigan’s character was named Ross ” Mad Dog” Madison. Let’s not forget another former IHLer Blake Ball as Gilmore Tuddle. The sad thing is though, at ages 72 and 68 ,they would still be tougher than anything wearing a Komet jersey.
May 10, 2006 at 7:21 pm
Neal, I don’t doubt that Cal is tough, and one of the nicest men I’ve met, but were the fans getting on these guys all the time for not dropping the gloves enough back then? Cal only had over 200 PIMs in a season once and he always led the team by a wide margin. Con Madigan had the team record for several decades with 272 in one season, and then he never had another season with over 200 PIM again. The big year Fitchner was with the Komets, he had 157 PIMs.
So A) How tough were these guys? B) How often did they fight; C) Were they pretty much the only guys on the team who fought? D) Was the game just that much different then and how?
Not trying to be a smarta– but this is something that has always been curious to me because these players are among those always talked about how vicious and tough they were. I don’t doubt them personally, but the numbers don’t add up from that era for any of the tough guys on any team. I’m just wondering.
May 10, 2006 at 7:27 pm
Bob I was wondering the same thing. I would also ask, IF the story is true, what were the fans yelling at him. Granted that doesn’t make it right if the story is true but he is human and if folks were shouting vulgarities at him, like many other people, he probably responded in kind.
That is the problem with the “reputations” players have. One person starts a rumor and quickly that becomes how a player is labeled. Everyone knows Jim Duhart is an on ice antagonist both with his mouth and his stick at times. He has even been seen to visibly react towards fans while on the ice. I do believe though, like many players, once the game is over a different personality emerges. Look at Steve Fletcher. If all you looked at was his on ice demeanor, you would think the guy threw old ladies onto Coldwater Road during rush hour. However once the game was over, I can’t think of a nicer player that I have ever talked to postgame.
May 10, 2006 at 8:04 pm
being tough has nothing to do with how many penalty minutes those players got. those guys were willing to give themselves up to protect teammates and they threw the most visious checks you could ever see or hear. their low penalty minutes were due to the fact that no one would mess with them. just their presence on the ice made the other teams back down and play less tough. they made their reputations and they backed them up. you didnt touch a star or run a goalie unless you were ready to face purinton or fletcher or any of our tough guys.
May 10, 2006 at 9:07 pm
Chuckitt…..you must mean like Ryan Jorde, huh? His presence sure was something, right? LOL
May 10, 2006 at 10:23 pm
Tony, Guys like Duhart and Fletcher are always either being bashed or praised. In my nearly 20 years of going to games, I have yet to hear anything other than one extreme or the other. But you are right about Fletcher….one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. The last time I got to talk to him was at a party at my brother in law’s house a few years ago. By the way, isn’t technology wonderful? How everyone can “add fuel to the fire” at the speed of light? LOL! I think this will make some folks very happy: KZOO 3, Piggies 1 KZOO wins series 4-0
May 10, 2006 at 10:55 pm
That’s kind of my question Chuckitt. Was the game called that differently, because I can’t imagine them being that physical in today’s game and only earning 200 PIMs in one season. It just wouldn’t happen. So what was different?
If you look at the PIMs of other tough guys of that era, the numbers were about the same. Again, I’m not disputing their toughness, just wondering how physical the game really was then, and what happened to change it. Maybe they didn’t drop the gloves at every perceived slight. I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking. It has just always fascinated me hearing how rough and tough these guys were but the PIMs are so low compared to today’s game. How can that be?
May 10, 2006 at 11:08 pm
Blake go to bed!!! Oh wait. I should be in bed at 2 in the morning with a long drive tommorow ahead of me lol. Sleep….double overtime….I guess I know what is more important!!!
May 10, 2006 at 11:19 pm
anyone else up at 2:25 with me watching this soon to be triple OT game?
May 10, 2006 at 11:39 pm
Horcoff scores!! Good guys win! Goodnight now!
May 11, 2006 at 5:27 am
Way to go Wings! They fried a little bacon last night!
May 11, 2006 at 7:45 am
Greg, it was this last season. A couple friends of ours went down to their locker room after the game because they wanted to get a picture of him just because he was the one that the fans always hated. I don’t remember the date of the game. They were not nasty towards him. They were wearing K’s shirts and asked him when he came out if they could please get a picture. That’s when he did his stuff. I have never been a Duhart liker, but that just turned my stomach. If they would have been hasseling him or jeering, I could have at least understood a little attitude. What he did was uncalled for. These people were a mother father, and small daughter of 6 yrs old. Didn’t make a good impression, believe me. How do you explain that to a 6 yr old?
May 11, 2006 at 11:02 am
WOW, well there is at least one bad story on Duhart. That is the first time I’ve heard that. I can’t dispute that it happened, it just seems to be not the norm for Duhart. Not that I condone what he did and not to say you don’t have a right not to like the guy for it, but I would chalk it up to a bad evening.
May 11, 2006 at 11:17 am
Hey Blake, any truth to the rumor flying around that Frenchy has been traded or let go? What’s the scoop?
May 11, 2006 at 11:54 am
It’s hard to pick just ONE Komet from the past…Ian Boyce…a healthy Robin Bawa…Kevin Weekes…Tommy Lawson…Fletch (of course)…Andre Roy…Bobby Stewart…would all be good choices. But I’m going to have to go with Kelly Perrault. Helluva blueliner, killer slapshot.
As for a player from another UHL team…Hugo Belanger? I don’t know if he plays anymore, but Charlie Blythe would be another pick.
May 11, 2006 at 1:01 pm
Teresea-Check out Justin’s blog. Some good info there. Not that you don’t good info either Blake. Lot of wild specualtion going on about Chaulk and Frenchy.
May 11, 2006 at 1:02 pm
Sorry Blake. That should read “…not that you don’t have good info either.”
Sometimes my fingers work faster than my brain.
May 11, 2006 at 1:51 pm
What about Chaulk? I haven’t heard that. Please tell me it ain’t so!
May 11, 2006 at 1:53 pm
Look what happens when I try to take more than one day off in a row. Sigh. How dare I?
I talked to Frenchy last night and he said he has a no-trade, no-release, his option only contract. Haven’t had a chance to talk to Chaulker yet.
May 11, 2006 at 2:07 pm
The Frankes would be flat out stupid people to even consider letting Chaulk…
May 11, 2006 at 2:11 pm
Former Komets: How about Brad Twordik, Ryan Coole, or Kelly Perrault?
As for other teams, I would like Hugo Belanger, Willy (how could you NOT like his style), Big Snake (take a hard look at his numbers. If you could prevent the stupid misconducts he could be a GREAT player), or DANNY STEWART!!!!!
May 11, 2006 at 2:11 pm
the Frankes would be flat out stupid people for even considering letting chaulker go…..oops forgot to finish my train of thought lol
May 12, 2006 at 10:03 am
I don’t think that players who received misconducts had 10 minutes added to their PIM totals.
Plus, misconducts were rare in the old days. Now, every game it seems someone gets 10 just because the ref doesn’t want to deal with them.
I pay to see guys on the ice, not ejected.
May 14, 2006 at 2:15 pm
Andy Bezeau was fun to watch. However he’s 36 now. I’m just dreaming but Andre Roy and Eric Boguniecki from the Penguins or Kevin Weeks from the Rangers would be awesome. I think there’s a reason why they play in the NHL.
May 15, 2006 at 8:06 am
The incident with Duhart did really happen and the family was not saying anything derogatory to him. Actually, they were being very nice. I don’t condone that and will have a negative image of him.Even if he was having a bad night, there is no call for that.