Norfolk makes some cuts

According to Komets coach Al Sims, the Norfolk Admirals released defenseman Jason Beckett and goaltender Nick Boucher today.

Legault going to AHL camp

It’s been a pretty good summer for Komets forward Olivier Legault. First, he went to the Los Angeles Kings rookie camp, and now he’s going to camp with the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL. The Monsters are the farm team of the Colorado Avalanche and have a spot for some toughness.

That means the Komets still have Mathieu Curadeau, Nick Boucher and Jason Beckett in camp with Norfolk of the AHL and Dominic Osman with Worcester of the AHL.

DASANI Walk

The Down Syndrome of Northeast Indiana’s 10th annual Buddy Walk will be held Saturday at Foster Park. Registration starts at 9:30 a.m. for the two-mile walk.

Here’s another reason why you should care: fans can get autographs from Komet players, including captain Guy Dupuis and get their pictures taken with the Turner Cup.

Other events include live music and entertainment, a fire truck kids can climb on, the chance to walk with the Fort Wayne Derby Girls, IPFW athletic teams, a giant slide, games, face painting, tattoos and balloon release — so it’s a lot like a Komets game.

For more information, call 471-9964 or go to dsani.org.

Skating the rust off

(Photos by Ellie Bogue)

Training camp for the Fort Wayne Komets doesn’t officially open until Oct. 6, but some of the players started trying to skate the rust off Wednesday morning at McMillen Park Ice Arena. Colin Chaulk, Guy Dupuis, Konstantin Shafranov, David Hukalo, P.C. Drouin and Brandon Warner were joined by some friends with the unofficial start of their preparations.

“It wasn’t too bad, really,” Drouin said. “I guess my workouts and paying off. Nothing can get you ready for this. I’m glad we have another week and a half before camp starts because we need every single day.”

Several players said there’s no way to prepare for camp like skating, and this was the first chance many have had to take the ice since the Komets won the Turner Cup championship on May 13.

Asked how long it took them to get warmed up, Komets captain Dupius joked, “I don’t think we did yet. It was a lot of fun, though.”

As much as skating, the players spent time catching up and joking. The workout was mainly about getting their legs going and starting the process of regaining their touch with a stick.

“I feel terrible out there,” Chaulk said. “It would be nice to have a few more guys out here so we could play. I’d like to go three or four weeks before camp, but you have to do what you can to prepare. You should know what it takes by now to get ready.”

Most of the 90-minute workout, the Komets played four-on-four with equipment manager Mark Bradtmeuller serving as goaltender. When the ice got too chippy, they switched ends.

Two local players, Eddie Wright and Ryan Potts, are using the workouts as unofficial tryouts. Potts, the grandson of Komets legend Reggie Primeau, is a 6-foot-2, 184-pound left wing.

“I have to show them what I can do here,” Potts said. “If it’s eight days, it’s eight days and I’ll take it. My goal is to continually get better. Even if I go to camp and don’t make it, maybe I can show them I’m good enough to fill in if they get injuries or call-ups to come out and play a little bit.”

He didn’t look out of place and showed a steady skating stride. Warner, a Fort Wayne native, grew up playing with and against Potts.

“I told him he has to give it everything he’s got,” the defenseman said. “I’ve talked to him over the past three, four months now and just told him to keep working. Whether they give you a shot, you can’t control that, the only thing you can control is making sure you are ready if they do. He’s been training hard and we’ll see.”

Komets Game of the Week is ending

You can read about it here.

Two weeks until training camp

What are you most looking forward to?

Brent Henley is not coming back

Got a note from Brent Henley today that he has informed the Komets he will not be returning this season. He’s going to try out with Norfolk of the American Hockey League and if that doesn’t work out he has other opportunities in the Northeast.

“I cannot say enough good things about the organization and wanted to give them the opportunity to fill my veteran spot as soon as possible,” Henley said. “I have nothing but fond memories of my time in Fort Wayne and after speaking with David and Al hopefully have left the door open to returning for a future season.  My knee is completely healed and I am in the best physical condition that I have been in for the past two years and look forward to a strong showing in Norfolk.”

Some AHL teams have suggested that Henley play in the ECHL so they can call him up quickly.

“This is something he wants to do and we’re fine with it,” Komets general manager David Franke said. “We’re disappointed but maybe next year he’ll be back in Fort Wayne, who knows?”

Franke said the Komets will not fill their last veteran spot right away, waiting to see what becomes available later to fill a need. He said keeping the veteran spot open may allow the Komets to field a 20-man roster to start the season compared to a 19-man roster they were planning.

The Komets have also added goaltenders Sebastien Laplante and Tim Haun along with rookie forwards Rick Varone, Adam Shirley, Adam Sinewitz and Roy Stevens to the training camp roster. That gives them 28 players on the roster.

Sebastien, 27, will be entering his seventh pro season. He appeared in the CHL the last three seasons, splitting last year with Colorado and Wichita of the Central Hockey League. Sebastien totaled 45 CHL games last season and a 21-18-2 record. The netminder finished the season with a 2.77 goals-against average with Colorado. Sebastien began his career with Roanoke in the ECHL in 2002 and was selected by Los Angeles in round nine of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

Haun, 28, topped SPHL goaltenders last season during the regular season with a 2.45 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in 23 games. The rookie goaltender participated in two seasons with Augustana University of the ACAC from 2004 thru 2006 and appeared in games with Belgium in European play during 2006-07.

A new ice facility may be coming to town

You can read about it here. I’m a little skeptical about this because I’ve seen so many times over the years when folks have announced they are going to build a rink and then have never broken ground. They look at what the actual numbers need to be and realize Fort Wayne won’t pay for that. I once counted 11 or 12 times over a 25-year period when someone announced they were going to do it and it never happened.

I’m glad to see they are not closing McMillen, but I also wonder if it’s the best thing to have this new company managing the rink. What’s to prevent them from just shoving all the business to the new rink and then saying McMillen is unnecessary? Then what happens if the new rink fails financially, as is usually the case with ice rinks, including several that have been managed by this company? I just worry we may end up without any ice if everyone isn’t very careful.

You’re running out of time

To bid on the two Kan Men. The bidding ends at 7 p.m., Monday when Komet Kuarters closes. The current leading bids are for $65 and $100. All proceeds go to the Rob Guinn Memorial fund so it’s for a good cause as well. If we get more than two bids over $100, we’ll make some more of them, and the creater, Jerry Long is bringing some to Fort Wayne so you won’t even have pay for the postage.

News out of Muskegon

http://www.mlive.com/sports/chronicle/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1221228908179340.xml&coll=8