Komets add five to roster
August 16, 2007The Komets announced Thursday that goaltender Kevin Reiter, skaters Matt Reynolds, Brandon Warner, Dustin Hughes and defenseman John Pence have been added to the pre-season roster.
Reiter, 25, will be starting his 4th pro year. The netminder completed 4 seasons at the University of Alaska-Anchorage 2000-2004 before making his pro debut covering 2 seasons with Missouri in the UHL 2004-05 and 2005-06. Last season Reiter started the year appearing in 7 games with Phoenix in the ECHL before joining Laredo and taking the CHL Southeast Division title with a career high 2.33 goals-against-average in 25 games. In the post-season Reiter led the Bucks to the CHL finals.
Reynolds, 26, will be entering his 3rd pro year after skating the last 2 seasons in the CHL. The left winger appeared in 64 games with Fort Worth during his rookie season 2005-06 scoring 11 goals and 24 points while accumulating 127 penalty minutes. Last year Reynolds registered 17 goals, 45 points and 78 penalty minutes in 56 games with Rio Grande Valley. Prior to his pro debut, the Athens, Ontario native had a 5-year stint with York University of Canadian Internuniversity Sport (CIS).
Warner, 24, is a Fort Wayne area native. A versatile player, skating primarily defense but also forward, Warner became only the second Indiana native to join the Michigan State Spartan program, completing 4 seasons from 2003-04 thru 2006-07. Prior to MSU he spent 2 years (2001-2003) playing juniors with the Pittsburgh Forge of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) winning the Junior “A” national Championship in 2003. Warner is a graduate of Carroll High School in Fort Wayne and played for the Fort Wayne Midget “AAA” Komets 2000-01 registering 20 goals, 48 points and 182 penalty minutes in 59 games.
Hughes, 23, is entering his rookie season after completing the past 3 seasons at the University of Manitoba, CIS. During 2003-04 Hughes skated 4 games of NCAA play with Quinnipiac University and 25 Junior games with Selkirk capturing the MJHL playoff scoring title and playoff MVP award.
Pence, 23, made his rookie debut last year appearing in 16 games with Fresno, ECHL (1g, 1a, 4pim) after completing 4 seasons with the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, in the NCAA from 2003-2007.
The addition of Reiter, Reynolds, Warner, Hughes and Pence brings the Komet roster to 12 players including 6 forwards, 5 defenseman and 1 goaltender.
August 16, 2007 at 12:18 pm
i am not impressed with these signings. Reiter yes. but the rest is questionable. At least we got a possible fighter with Reynolds haveing 16 fights to his pro career in two seasons.
August 16, 2007 at 12:26 pm
We need rookies on the team and the Frankes have an uncanny gift for picking good rookies. Not superstars mind you but good caliber team oriented rookies.
August 16, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Still think we need so tough guys if we want to beat Flint.
Is there true to the rumors about the toughness we will be getting and Chaz Johnson or are they just rumors.
August 16, 2007 at 12:44 pm
These are the guys that are going to competing for spots!!
I have no problems with them, lace ‘em up and let’s get going!! Maybe camp will be pretty competitive, unlike last year when our team was pretty much set in stone.
August 16, 2007 at 12:48 pm
at lest we got Reynolds that might fight but if they keep signing stuff like this we wont make it. We dont even have a tough guy yet. we got hansen, granbios, and reynolds who “might” fight. we need some guys that can stand up to these other players.
August 16, 2007 at 12:53 pm
Scrubs isn’t just a show on NBC anymore……
And hoping to get “toughness” from Chaz Johnson is just silly. He never goes toe to toe with anyone, he’s a cheapshot artist.
August 16, 2007 at 12:55 pm
If Flint is the olny thing we’ re worried about then there’s something wrong.
August 16, 2007 at 12:56 pm
nobody can do anything right according to all you doomsayers. we sign a good goalie and a few guys to fight for some roster spots and all you can do is put it down, simply amazing.
August 16, 2007 at 12:59 pm
well if you look at other teams roster so far we are very behind and we dont got alot of good talent. we got chaulk and dupius that are good veterans and a few good players and some rookies. we need some people that score 30 goals a season and we need some tough d-men. Komets so far are not showing that. Its not just flint thats tough so far, you got PH and K-zoo with some tough guys too. Muskegon just signed Mike Watt too. So far we are not keeping up with signings these other teams are.
August 16, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Port Huron pretty much has the same team they did last year with the exception of goaltending. Flint just looks tough, but right now I doubt anyone outside of Beausoliel could put the puck in the net. Your concerns on Muskegon and K-Zoo are valid. I trust the Sims and the Komets now what they are doing.
August 16, 2007 at 1:35 pm
I’m happy to see Reiter finally showing up this season. I always liked him when he played for Missouri. As for the other guys, let’s give a chance and see what they’ve got before we start tearing them down. Be positive for a change! Go K’s!!!
August 16, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Blake, what do you think of the signings so far and do you think Sims and Chaulk can get some better scorers and toughness before season starts?
August 16, 2007 at 3:19 pm
I think everyone’s concern has a little validity although I am sick and tired of hearing about fighting and who’s gonna do it.
Some teams have stocked up proven point producers and others have stocked up on toughness/fighting. We are somewhere in the middle at the moment. Not alot of either one. I think people were expecting a little more out of the first major announcement in weeks in the hopes one of these areas would be addressed. We did address the goalie situation although I am not real sure Reiter will be handed the job. The rest of guys will seem to be fighting for a spot and maybe we’ll find a diamond in the rough.
August 16, 2007 at 3:56 pm
I think the Komets are taking something of a calculated risk, and it’s an interestig year to do it. I think they are holding back a few spots and some money for guys who fall out of AHL camps, which are usually the higher-skilled guys. Remember, last year they signed J.C. and Mario at the last second. Also, remember last year how hard it was to find rookies? They seem to have that covered so far, which also sets up the budget for the higher-priced guys. If you got a good deal on the rookies, you know you have more to spend on the vets that way.
I’d like to see them get Degagne done. With 13 three-in-three nights this season, they’re going to need two solid goaltenders.
BTW, Reiter’s record against the Komets is 5-10-3 which sounds terrible, but his GAA was 2.48 and his save percentage was .924. That tells you how bad the team in front of him was. I still remember the 05 playoffs when he almost beat them single-handedly.
Can the rest of these guys play? Who knows? But all this tells me that training camp could be pretty competitive for the first time in several years.
If they can’t play, David Franke has shown he’s not afraid to make deals and do whatever he has to do to give the Komets a winnng record. 50 wins three of the last four years — something that has never been done here before — and four division titles in five years earn a little benefit of the doubt.
In other words, it’s still very early. Off to do more football.
August 16, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Dustin Hughes will be a player. He doesn’t have good size, but he has impressive numbers in CIS league, which is where Gascon came from. Put him in the right place and I think he can be an impact rookie.
August 16, 2007 at 4:42 pm
I believe it’s Jake Pence not John Pence. He might be a solid defenseman playing against the talent he did in college like Vermont, Maine, BC, Boston, NH, Merrimack etc.
August 16, 2007 at 4:43 pm
And I believe it’s Jake Pence not John Pence. He could be solid because he went up against some great talent like Maine, NH, Merrimack, Boston, BC, Vermont etc.
August 16, 2007 at 8:13 pm
I always respected Reiter, nice to see Warner, a home town kid on the team.
Still waaaaaaaayyyyyyyy to early to form any opinions on this team.
August 16, 2007 at 9:14 pm
Lovelost what are you basing this statement on “we dont got alot of good talent” ? Have you seen any of these signed players play? If so what can you tell us about them? If you are basing you statements on raw numbers I am sorry but that is not a logical way to judge talent except for the very few “superstars” whose numbers stand out far above the rest of the general talent pool. What players would you like the Komets to sign that might have a real expecation of playing in the IHL and that could fit under the salary cap without taking up too much of the cap room? I know, you want a fighter but who and what else?
August 16, 2007 at 9:16 pm
Oh and Flints roster is a joke. What are those guys going to do in the playoffs (assuming they make it) when most of the goon types become irrelevant?
August 16, 2007 at 9:21 pm
im not the one witgh the resources. i thought that was SIMS job. Yes these guys might be good. but we dont have people who sand out like chaulk. These other teams are bringing in high scorers and tough guys. Thats something we dont have. Yes we alwyas have the team that has some really good scorers but we never have a tough team. If we can get some real legit guys who can score and that have leadership we can win championships. Last year we had a great team. We had the best scorers but we didnt have the toughness. We had Henley. Morency was always there to play tough. but who else? We cant keep up year after year because other teams have more tough guys and that have a better forecheck then us and thats why we are getting beat. I know the signings arnt over and i know komets are signing these guys becuase last year we had a problem with finding rookies but they need to step it up.
August 16, 2007 at 9:30 pm
flint has signed a couple 30+ scoreing players.
August 17, 2007 at 8:17 am
It is only August people!!
August 17, 2007 at 9:10 am
Lovelost, I am not trying to pick on you and I understand everyone is entitled to an opinion. I am just trying to understand you because you seem to be so outspoken and negative towards these signings. You can’t say you aren’t when you are quoted elsewhere saying “These signings suck”.
I ask you again, have you ever seen any of these players play (with the possible exception of Reiter)? There is a big difference from wanting the Komets to sign names you might recognize to insulting the new players before they have time to lace up their skates. I am sure the family of the local player who might very well check out the coverage of their kid signing will be pleased to hear that his signing sucked.
August 17, 2007 at 9:13 am
Look at it this way, when Chaulk and Dupuis broke into the pro ranks, I bet some people were saying “Who are these guys?” along with some of the other things you are saying. Just because a player is young or with little pro experience does not mean he sucks, has no leadership skills or can’t play. If you think the Komets management and coaches are that bad at picking players then I would suggest you not waste your money on tickets.
August 17, 2007 at 9:36 am
I don’t get some of crying either. We already have excellent established players already in Chaulk, Dupuis, Hansen and Hukalo to name a few. Reiter is a very good goaltender and everything I have heard about Degagne has been great.
One thing some of you forget is the Komets still have a lot of money to spend. There are 4 vet spots still open. Sims said he wants 30 players in camp and with only 12 signed the team is hardly set.
I am guessing none of these rookies will get an AHL tryout since nothing was mentioned. I thought, although I could be wrong that Al Sims said he had a few tryout spots to help recruit potential rookies.
August 17, 2007 at 10:21 am
I already vented on the other blog so I won’t go into it again… Let’s give some of these new guys a chance. How many of us had heard of some of our guys last year before the season started?
August 17, 2007 at 11:45 am
The same posters that are complaining have been doing it since the start of last years playoffs!! I would hate to see what you guys say about teams that you don’t root for.
August 17, 2007 at 1:57 pm
I am not really even saying this PLAYERS suck i am just dissapointed in them. You never once seen me complain on this board or the Cohns. I am always saying positive things but i am getting tired of Franke and Sims prominsing us toughness and good scorers when right now they are not getting it. Other teams have 2-3 top scorers and we have Chaulk. I am not syaing these other players cant score.
August 17, 2007 at 2:01 pm
you said they suck. so what is it you really mean??
August 17, 2007 at 2:24 pm
How can someone be dissapointed in players they haven’t even seen. Yes, Reiter we’ve seen, and I’ll go so far as to say some here might have seen Warner play in high school, but dissapointed in the others???? Come On?????
August 17, 2007 at 2:37 pm
people need to lern that complaining on here needs to be backed up by fact or reasons that make a liitle sense!
August 17, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Lovelost I am sorry but your credibility is out the door.
here are your quotes’
” You never once seen me complain on this board or the Cohns.”
Then……
“These signing suck”
“These other teams are bringing in high scorers and tough guys. Thats something we dont have”
“i am not impressed with these signings”
“at lest we got Reynolds that might fight but if they keep signing stuff like this we wont make it. ”
THEN we have ….
“I am always saying positive things but i am getting tired of Franke and Sims prominsing us toughness and good scorers when right now they are not getting it.”
FOLLOWED BY ” Other teams have 2-3 top scorers and we have Chaulk. I am not syaing these other players cant score.”
So let me understand…
The signings suck but the players dont? The Frankes and Sims made “us” promises (I would like to see those quotes because I don’t believe I was promised anything.
But let’s say they did you think Chaulk is the only scorer but yet are not saying the players who don’t suck just their signings suck might be able to score??
Man, Komet Warrior is starting to make sense to me now!
August 17, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Let me ask about your most recent statement (Blake I apologize for pulling quotes from elsewhere but I would like to understand this bloggers thinking)
You said
“we need more leadership than Chaulk and Dupius. ”
Why? Most teams would kill to have ONE of those two guys providing leadership. Why do they need MORE than BOTH of them. One of the toughest choices for the Komets next year is who to name captain!
August 17, 2007 at 3:21 pm
you guys dont get what im saying. i have seen Reiter, Reynolds and Hughes play. I was just expecting more from the signings then what we got. Im getting tired of thinking we are going to get these amazing players and we don’t. I dont know about Pence and Warner and from what you guys say Warner is good because he came from a winning team. When i heard about warner the FIRST time, i heard he was coming from carrol and i thought it was out of highschool thing and i was like what? then i was corrected after finding out he went to college. I like Reiter and Reynolds but i was expexting more from Franke and Sims the way the acted and then we got this. That does not mean anything towards these players. You guys are taking it in the wrong way. And yes Tony E, before these signings i havent said bad stuff about the Komets. Thats what i meant. I have heard people b!tch all summer about signings and downing the Komets and the league. Last year we had alot of good veterans that could score and we didnt even get it done.
August 17, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Tony E, So your telling me Jarrod Skalde, Don Parsons, Kory karlandar, Nick Bootland, Lucas Drake, Mike Watt, Philippe Plante, Dave VanDrunen, Tab Lardner, and some others are not top notch players and we have the two best players in the league and they wish to have someone high like Chaulk and Dupius?
August 17, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Please show me where I said the Komets ( I don’t play for them so I don’t refer to them as we) have the two best players. I have quoted you now please quote me. Show me where I said other teams would want Chaulk or Dupuis based on their playing abilities? You can’t because I didn’t. I said other teams would kill to have their leadership.
Do you think “best player” = leader?
Lets go down your list of players..
Jarrod Skalde = NHL washout, past his prime and you should not like him because in a nearing 20 year career had 100+ penalty minutes twice
Nick Bootland = mediocre career until the last two seasons where his linemates did most of the work for him
Lucas Drake = top player? No. But a proven playoff performer and a hard worker. Would take him anytime
Mike Watt = see notes on Skalde
Philippe Plante = to quote Ozzie Guillen .. “PSSSHHHT PLEASE!”
Dave VanDrunen = see notes on Skalde and Watt
Tab Lardner = decent second line player, nothing more
I see one guy on this list born in the 1980’s. The rest are past their prime average to above average players. Would I complain if the Komets had these players? No. Am I afraid of teams because they have these players? No.
August 17, 2007 at 3:42 pm
Oh I missed on. Don Parsons I would take on my team anytime. He might be the only one on that list who would provide the same type of quality leadership as Chaulk and Guy.
August 17, 2007 at 3:43 pm
Kory karlander…might have been a better roller hockey player!
August 17, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Sorry guys, one more thing. Lovelost first you said that the Frankes and coach Sims promised you something. Now you say “Im getting tired of thinking we are going to get these amazing players and we don’t.” What made you think that? If the Frankes and Sims said so please post where.
Look, I understand you want recognizable names. It is comfortable and it gives the presumption that because you have heard of the player he is going to be good. But with the exceptions of Watt and Skalde, every guy you mentioned on your list started off as a relative unknown and worked their way to a “known” player. I applaud the Komets for trying to get young and putting their resources to work and going outside the box instead of bringing in a bunch of retreds.
August 17, 2007 at 4:03 pm
If I remember correctly I don’t think Chaulk can be captain because he is the assistant coach. At least I remember some sort of discussion last year about this because Richardson was usually always a captain everywhere he played, but with this being a new league maybe that has changed. It doesn’t matter the Komets leadership is as strong as any team.
I said this already the Komets DO have some premier signings, Chaulk is a 4 time all star and 3 time best defensive player of the year award winner, Dupuis is current dman of the year award winner and perrenial all star, Hukalo is one of the best PK in the IHL and reigning best defensive forward of the year and Kevin Hansen is a previous all star and is solid of a defensemen as you will find.
Plus if Degagne signs like everyone seems to think, with him and Reiter we have 2 goalies that are number one’s. The Komets have money and vet spots available. If they don’t bring in plenty of quality scoring and toughness come training camp…fine fire away.
August 17, 2007 at 4:11 pm
i can tbelieve you call thos guys retards after them being the best in the league year after year. As you said, Chaulk and Dupius are not about thier abilities but for there leadership, so how can you say those guys from that list do’t have leadership? And if its true that they worked there way to be a known player, Chaulk and Dupius did that also. Every does. You cant walk into Fame. So do not tell me those guys are retards. let me guess, You probably think the same about Goneau? And yes When Sims was signed as the coach he said he was going to sign tough players and people who could score. I think you are over rating Chaulk and Dupius over other top notch players playing in this league. I will not deny that Dupius is one of the best in this league and Chaulk the same. But you cant say those others players i said are not. I didnt think we are talking about talent but leadership here.
August 17, 2007 at 4:14 pm
i agree KM. Chaulk can not be captian. We will have to very good goalies if we get Degagne. But there is only so many good veterans out there. So far they said we are going to try to get some from AHL camp from people who won’t get signed. can we rely on that? i hope so. but its not promising.
August 17, 2007 at 4:20 pm
K.M. you are right about the captain thing. I forgot.
Lovelost, after you accuse me of calling these players OR ANYONE “retards” I am done addressing you. I am not in elementary school anymore and therefore understand just how offensive that term is! Good day!
August 17, 2007 at 4:22 pm
you need to stop cause youre starting to really show your ignorance now. no one called anybody retards. tony called them retreds. and hes right. we dont need more retreds like goneau on this team. we need young hungry guys and steady vets who can get the job done. we are komet fans and any team that wins 50 games a year in three out of four years cant be put together by a bunch of idiots. theres plenty of time left and we are willing to wait and hold criticizm till later. all you do is criticize and then come back and try to explain that you really didnt mean it that way but you meant it another… well if you cant say what you meant the first time, then we dont need to hear from you at all..just wasting our fun!!
August 17, 2007 at 4:48 pm
Sorry Tony E, my bad i missed what you said.
Chuckitt, I under stand what you are saying and i think the way i worded things wrong then what i meant. i under stand that you think i am criticizings things when you are dont understand what im saying and you are assuming someting before you know what i meant. i should have just said what i meant at the start so i wouldnt have to deal with you two. This was truly just a waste of my time and yours. You assumed before you knew.
August 17, 2007 at 4:52 pm
OHHH gheesh that is why the poster thought I called them retards. Aw shucks. Whats a few little things like letters which turn one word into a totally different word with a totally different meaning have to do with anything? I already had to strain my brain to figure out a few of the words that poster invented. I certainly understand how he/she might spell retard retred. Someone call Vanna White and ask if I can buy an A and turn back the E.
LOL chuckitt all you can do is laugh.
August 17, 2007 at 5:53 pm
August 17, 2007 at 5:57 pm
OOOOOKKKK! Well, you sure spelled that correctly.
August 17, 2007 at 6:02 pm
good one. i really wish i was as illiterate as you. Sorry i dont like to put up with smart a$$’s.
August 17, 2007 at 6:11 pm
ut oh…an “f” bomb
August 17, 2007 at 6:19 pm
It could have been worse. They could have said “My dad can beat up your dad”
August 17, 2007 at 6:21 pm
Nice one. I really like one liners. i remember when i was in High School saying that stuff. But hey, you must have never grown up.
August 17, 2007 at 6:24 pm
So, Tony E. Do you always come here and pick on people?
-John
August 17, 2007 at 6:25 pm
haha
August 17, 2007 at 6:33 pm
Hi John D. Welcome to the blog.
This is a blog about the Fort Wayne Komets and not my posting habits. What do you think about the Komets?
August 17, 2007 at 6:36 pm
Lovelost your true colours have shown. You are not worth my time.
To all of the regulars I am sorry if something I said resulted in this individual and now his “supporters” taking this thread off topic. I simply was trying to understand where this person was coming from and I got my answer.
Goodnight all.
August 17, 2007 at 6:40 pm
dude you were still using those childish one liners in high school?
August 17, 2007 at 6:43 pm
so what is your answer Tony E. That you assume something but i said and didnt know the truth of what i meant? And how do i have supporters by that guys saying that? All you have done is bash what i have had to say. Which you probably dont know because when i do answer yo utend to find away to say im wrong. But hey, if you think every thing you say is right, whatever. You jumped on me when i said i wasnt impressed with the signings when you didnt even know why. You just assumed something and tried putting that on me to prove me wrong. But think what you will. Because you cant just take something like that and start bashing before you know the truth.
August 17, 2007 at 6:53 pm
Port Huron IceHawks form Affiliation with Detriot Red Wings. Kris Vernarksy and Neil Clark are invited to Red Wings camp. I am very impressed with both of these guys. Neil Clark is a up and coming fighter and is a very good forward.
August 17, 2007 at 7:23 pm
lovelost you say something then when someone disagrees with you you say we didnt understand you. well i understand the childish mentallity of someone who has to swear and call people names when they cant back up your point. keep it up and youll be off this blog if you havent been banned already for dropping the f bomb.
August 17, 2007 at 7:33 pm
If it happens it happens. I believe Tony E was doing childish things before i said. But hey i guess when you too do it its “ok” but if i said i cuss word its a big deal. I can understand if you or Tony E disagrees, thats fine, it happens, we are entiled to our own opinion but when i say something and someone comes back and says i am saying these players suck tahts not true. I said i didnt know about this Warner kid and i already explained why i was second guessing him. But thats all i have said. All i said was a was dissapionted. Yes i said these signings suck but i wasnt intending to say that to the players i was saying for the simple fact that we were promised toughness. Thats all. Tony E assumed i was saying something different and it was a misunderstanding tooken too far. But im not going to crap from someone when he is talking smack to me. he dont know anything about me. He dont know how old i am, where i live, whats my status, who i know and i dont. So he cant judge me without knowing me. so whatever.
August 17, 2007 at 7:39 pm
boring. say what you want i wont bother you anymore.
August 17, 2007 at 8:14 pm
And I thought it got out of control when Blake goes on vacation. Little did I know.
August 17, 2007 at 8:40 pm
wow….thats a first……someone needs to chill a bit…….
August 17, 2007 at 8:52 pm
What the heck did I just walk into?