Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 18, 1993 TAG: 9306180121
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Dave "Moose" Morrissette, who accumulated 517 penalty minutes in 101 games the past two seasons with Hampton Roads, was the Express' No. 1 selection earlier this week in the East Coast Hockey League's dispersal draft.
"We're very happy because we got the guy we wanted," Express coach Frank Anzalone said Thursday. "Morrissette is a good checker who will give us some toughness right off the bat."
Morrissette figures to play the same role with Roanoke that made him a crowd favorite in Hampton Roads - an on-ice peacemaker who won't hesitate to drop the gloves.
The 22-year-old French-Canadian had 15 goals and 23 assists in two seasons with the Admirals. Morrissette fell out of favor with Hampton Roads coach John Brophy late in the 1992-93 season and saw little ice time in the playoffs.
"I've already talked to Morrissette and he's excited about coming here and playing for our French-Canadian ownership," said Anzalone, referring to Express president John Gagnon and general manager Pierre Paiement. "Unless he gets an NHL contract somewhere, he'll be here."
The Express, which chose behind Charlotte, South Carolina and Huntington in the draft to stock the ECHL's four expansion teams, selected defenseman Will Averill of Richmond second. Averill, 23, had 10 goals and 52 assists in 86 games the past two seasons with Richmond.
Anzalone, who said when he was hired Monday "that a good goalie can be worth 10 wins in the ECHL," chose a pair of netminders next - Mike Millham from Erie and Pat McGarry from Louisville.
Millham, 23, had a 16-11-1 record and a 4.22 goals-against average last season for Erie. He was 17-14-2 with a 4.12 GAA in 1991-92 with Winston-Salem.
McGarry, 21, was 7-6-1 with a 5.05 GAA last season for Louisville.
/ "I figured we'd better get us a goalie or two while we could," Anzalone said. "I'd say, overall, we did pretty good in the draft. We got more than I expected to get."
The Express chose a trio of ECHL veterans - players with three or more years of pro experience - with their final three picks. Roanoke selected left wing Brett Barnett of Birmingham, left wing Kevin Alexander of Columbus and right wing Peter Buckeridge of Erie.
Many of the veteran players taken late in the draft may or not report to the four expansion clubs. Some are considering retirement, which was the main reason they were left unprotected by their former clubs.
The 30-player dispersal pool consisted of two players left unprotected off each of last season's 15 club rosters.
\ ICE CHIPS: The Charlotte Checkers took defenseman Doug Evans of Dayton with the No. 1 pick in the dispersal draft. The South Carolina Stingrays took left wing Dan Wiebe of Jack Riley Cup champion Toledo second, and the Huntington Blizzard chose Toledo defenseman Alex Roberts third. . . . Former Roanoke Valley Rebels right wing Wayne Muir was drafted by Charlotte. Huntsville's Chris Smith and Peter Sperenza, both of whom played with the Roanoke Valley Rampage last season, were taken by Charlotte and South Carolina, respectively. . . . Former Philadelphia Flyers star Tim Kerr reportedly is the leading candidate to become South Carolina's first head coach.
\ ROANOKER PICKED: Daniel Gold, a 16-year-old Cave Spring High School junior, is one of a select group of youth players across the country to receive an invitation to USA Hockey's national development camp next week in Lake Placid, N.Y.
The top players from next week's camp will be chosen to play in upcoming festivals. Teams will be selected from each festival to compete in international competition.
by CNB