Qualifying offers

Qualifying offers were made today to eight players: Barret Ehgoetz (F), Jean-Michel Daoust (F), Billy Irish-Baker (F), Scott Reynolds (F), Matt Syroczynski (F), Matt Macdonald (D), TJ McElroy (D), and Sean Perkins (D)

I can't really say any of them surprise me, or disappoint me. I figured Macdonald and Ehgoetz to be shoo-ins regardless. I'd love to see all three of the defensemen back. Perkins' progress as the year went on was phenomenal, so I think with a year & a Kelly Cup under his belt, he'll be even stronger come training camp in October.

I hope that it means better things will come for Irish-Baker... after the Wheeling game where he got the concussion, his ice time and play were never the same. If we could back get the intense, wanna-make-the-cut version of Billy (circa October) that we all fell in love with, we'd be in really good shape. But I hope for the best for BIBs.

All are great players, I can't say enough great things about Scott Reynolds... undervalued, underappreciated, but one of the hardest working guys on the ice. To some degree, Ehgoetz is much the same, but puts up a few more points. Syroczynski's a great player who put up great numbers quietly - by playing the small game, not the big, flashy way. But I question his focus at times. Sure, sticking up for your much smaller teammates is great, but there's a time and a place for everything. Sometimes it's just not necessary to be a gigantic tool and hit people.

McElroy, I don't have much to say about. His penalties can be an issue, but he's a solid defenseman when he's not in the box. Macdonald has come so far in his two seasons, and I wouldn't be entirely surprised if he spends a little more time in the AHL than in Cincinnati.

Daoust, on the other hand, was a different player when he came back from WBS. Provided, yes, the team was different when he came back than when he left. But he made a lot more boneheaded moves, but because the city of Cincinnati worships the ground he walks on for reasons unknown the way they do Cedrick, he could do no wrong by the fans. And I don't roll that way. I don't care how many goals you score, how many points you tack on, how many callups or trophies you get, you need to not act like a toolbox.

But that's enough about that. Where is Chad Starling's name on the list? Hm. Need to investigate. Unless they're not worried about him being gobbled up.

Side note: the ECHL rule for qualifying offers says that of the 8, no more than 4 can be vets. So I went looking into who we had in respect to veteran status (260 regular season games). From the final roster, it looks like Chad Starling may be the only player from last season who actually fits that bill... still. Ah, the joys of almost an entire roster full of 21 and 22 year olds.

Knock, knock... anybody home?

I know, I know. It's been three and a half months since I updated. I'm a bit of a slacker, sometimes, and it doesn't help that I kind of picked up and moved to Louisville... but never the less, I have good things to share:

2007-08 Weekly/Monthly/Yearly Awards Recap

ECHL All-Rookie Team: David Desharnais
All-ECHL First Team: David Desharnais
All-ECHL Second Team: Chad Starling

InGlasCo Player of the Week
- Mathieu Aubin: February 18-24

CCM Player of the Month
- JM Daoust: November 2007; December 2007

RBK Hockey Goaltender of the Week
- Dov Grumet-Morris: February 11-17

RBC Financial Group Saver of the Month
- Cedrick Desjardins: February 2008

PaysourceUSA Plus/Minus Performer of the Month
- Chad Starling: February 2008
- Scott Reynolds & Matt MacDonald: December 2007
- David Desharnais: November 2007

Vector/CCM Rookie of the Month:
- David Desharnais: March 2008, February 2008, November 2007

...more awesomeness forthcoming, I promise!

Musings from the Road

Hello from windy and cold Youngstown, OH. Our boys opened up preseason play tonight with a 4-1 win over the Steelhounds. The game opened slowly and after the end of 1 was tied at zero. Dov Grumet-Morris was in net and faced only 3 shots in the first period, but ended up with 14 on the night and only 1 (glove side high, of course) went in. He did look impressive, though. The team also did a simulated shootout after the game and Dover looked great. The Clones had something like 30 shots on former Wheeling netminder Andy Franck, and three of their four goals came in a 3 minute span. Two were by Matt MacDonald, two by newcomer Travis Fuller. Three of their goals were powerplay goals. In the second period, their power play looked incredible. Things clicked, passes were made. Very impressive. Hopefully that translates over into the regular season.

A few new players that made impressions: obviously Fuller with two goals; rookie Sean Perkins with two assists; former Storm forward Andrew Martin stepped up with some intense, high-speed play; Billy Irish-Baker was throwing his weight around well. One player I was not impressed with was defenseman Bryan Schmidt, he didn't skate well and looked like he was on a completely different page than the rest of the team. Sloppy.

Overall, they looked good. When I make it back to Cincinnati I'll be sure to link some pictures over if anyone's interested. Not sure if I'm making it to the Kettering game, if not - let me know how they look. :)

Hamilton demotes 4, MacDonald returned, Milwaukee sends 3 (UPDATED)

Matt MacDonald was returned by Rockford to the team on Monday. More here.

The team received four from Hamilton today - forwards Mathieu Aubin, David Desharnais, Thomas Beauregard, and goaltender Cedrick Desjardins.

• Aubin, 21, went 16-30-46 in 48 games with the Cyclones in 2006-07, including 9 points in 10 playoff games. He also had 5 points in 17 games with Hamilton.
• Desharnais, 21, finished a successful QMJHL career in 2007, finishing last season with an impressive 108 points in 61 games (374 points in 262 career games with Chicoutimi). He also suited up in 7 games with Bridgeport and went 1-1-2.
• Beauregard, 21, is also a product of the QMJHL and scored 124 points in 69 games with Acadie-Bathurst.
• Desjardins, 22, returns to Cincinnati for his second professional season after going 24-19-1 with a 2.54 GAA and .917 SPCT. He also went 0-2 in two games for Hamilton.

Milwaukee also assigned three to the team, goaltender Dov Grumet-Morris, forward James Sixsmith, and defenseman Bryan Schmidt.

• Grumet-Morris, 25, split the season between Cincinnati and three AHL clubs (Hamilton, Portland, and Manitoba). With the Cyclones he went 11-8-3 with a .909/2.77.
• Schmidt, 26, notched 18 points in 58 games with Manchester of the AHL. He also spent six games with Reading (ECHL).
• Sixsmith, 23, joins the team from the college ranks out of Holy Cross where he averaged 38 points per season. He also played three games with Bridgeport (AHL), and had was 2-1-3.

Current roster stands at 22:

• Goaltenders (4): Cedrick Desjardins, Dov Grumet-Morris, John Smith (PTO), Lee Lansdowne (PTO)
• Forwards (14*): Barret Ehgoetz, Scott Reynolds, Mathieu Aubin, David Desharnais, Thomas Beauregard, Jean-Michel Daoust, Avery Wilson, Travis Fuller, Billy Irish-Baker, Andrew Martin, Matt Rogers, Steven Doherty (PTO), P.O. Mouton (PTO), James Sixsmith
• Defensemen (7): Matt MacDonald, Chad Starling, Conrad Martin, Tyler Howells, Greg Gallagher, Sean Perkins (PTO), Bryan Schmidt

*Forward Gerard Miller is still with Hamilton.

Mac-Attack

Quick update... the team re-signed Matt MacDonald today. I'm not entirely surprised. Hope he can capitalize on his progress over the course of last year. I wasn't a big fan of his off the bat, but as the year progressed he seemed to know his position more. Apparently he attented Blackhawks camp, hopefully he comes back with a little more experience under his belt.

Chipotle!