THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 16, 1996 TAG: 9606160143
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C11 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: ECHL NOTES
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 86 lines
The Hampton Roads Admirals might lose assistant coach Al MacIsaac to the Southern Hockey League or the fledgling Western Professional Hockey League.
MacIsaac has been offered head coaching jobs by Macon (Ga.) and Winston-Salem (N.C.) of the SHL and Waco (Texas) of the WPHL. He has not responded to the offers, saying he first wants to negotiate with the Admirals.
MacIsaac took time off from his summer job as head coach of the Philadelphia Bulldogs of Roller Hockey International last week to fly to Norfolk and meet with the Admirals' new owners. But after three hours with Mark Garcea and Page Johnson, nothing was resolved.
``I was very impressed with Mr. Garcea and Mr. Johnson,'' MacIsaac said. ``We had a good meeting.
``I love the area. I love the fans. They've been nothing but good to me. I feel like I'm part of that community.''
But MacIsaac wants a promotion. He routinely handles functions beyond that of assistant coach, including training camp, player housing, travel arrangements and player recruiting, and wants a title, such as general manager, he says would be more befitting his role.
``(Head coach) John Brophy and I have been a team for five years. I'd like to keep it that way,'' MacIsaac said. ``But it's still undetermined what my role would be. I would like my role to be more recognizable.''
Johnson said he hopes to have MacIsaac's status resolved early this week.
CAMP UP NORTH: Brophy has been given the go-ahead to find a rink in suburban Toronto for the team's training camp, Garcea said.
Scope will not be available when training camp opens in early October, and the Admirals figure they'll save money by going to Canada rather than using rinks in Raleigh or Roanoke. Most players who tryout with the Admirals are from Ontario, Quebec or New England, and can drive to Toronto. Moving camp there will save the team thousands of dollars in air fare, Brophy said.
``By going to where the players are, we'll have an advantage in recruiting,'' said Brophy, former head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. ``We'll generate a lot of publicity in Ontario. This will help us get better players.''
TAYLOR UPDATE: Rod Taylor, the Admirals' MVP the last two seasons, has been offered a two-year contract by the team. If he accepts, it might be the first multiyear contract signed by an ECHL player.
But Taylor isn't sure he'll accept. He is negotiating with an English hockey team that is pressing him to sign there.
``I could make about twice as much over there as I would make here,'' he said. The ECHL has a salary cap that limits salaries to a maximum of about $600 per week for the best players.
Taylor says he will give the English team, and the Admirals, an answer within two weeks. Forward David St. Pierre and goalie Mark Bernard already have signed with English teams.
ADMIRALS CHALLENGE: Many current and former Admirals will don skates to play nine roller hockey games in a row next Sunday.
The second Admirals Challenge, which benefits the Muscular Dystrophy Association, will begin at 11 a.m. at Cape Henry Plaza, at Great Neck Road and Shore Drive in Virginia Beach. Teams have paid $150 apiece to challenge the Admirals.
Former Admirals Kelly Sorensen, Brendan Curley, Dennis McEwen, Pat Cavanaugh and Bill Harrison will play, as will Taylor.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association was selected because of Curley's close association with Justin Sokolowski, an avid Admirals fan who has muscular dystrophy.
For Sokolowski, who recently graduated from Kempsville High, it may be his last time watching the Admirals. He is moving to Orlando, Fla., where his parents have purchased season tickets for that city's International Hockey League team.
NEW DIGS: The Admirals' front office will move to Virginia Beach in July. On Friday, Garcea and Johnson bought an office building at 1300 Diamond Springs Road, at the corner of Northampton Boulevard, and plan to move the front office there. The front office has been located underground in Scope for seven years. That office now will be used for game-day operations and by the coaches.
SLAP SHOTS: Former Admirals president Blake Cullen will be interviewed at 5 p.m. today on Cox Cable's Channel 11 on ``Time Out With Jack and Chic.'' . . . The Portland Pirates, the Admirals' American Hockey League affiliate, lost to Rochester 2-1 in the seventh game of the league championship series last week. Former Admiral Andrew Brunette was second in playoff points for the Pirates with 29. Defenseman Ron Pascucci and forward Sean Selmser, called up from the Admirals last season, skated regular shifts during the playoffs and apparently have earned spots on next year's roster. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Assistant coach Al MacIsaac wants to stay with the Admirals - but
wants a promotion. by CNB