Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 29, 1993 TAG: 9309290180
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"The feeling is we'll probably get a couple of forwards and, almost for sure, a goalie by the time our camp starts," said Anzalone, whose team opens its season in three weeks. "Really, a lot depends now on what happens in Kansas City [the Sharks' top affiliate in the International Hockey League]. San Jose sends the players to Kansas City, then KC decides which ones are best suited for them.
"Of course, those players don't have to come here. They've got these things in their contracts; you never know how they can get out of things. Some players don't want to go to the East Coast league. But we're optimistic we're going to get three."
The Sharks, who lost an NHL-record 71 games last season in their second year of operation, invited some 70 players to preseason camp. Anzalone said he wasn't surprised by what he saw last week at the camp in Daly City, Calif.
"I think they're getting better," Anzalone said. "They've added some speed. I think their whole organization is looking at getting more size and maybe more toughness. I thought it was a competitive camp, with a fair level of talent. We're probably going to get a young goalie and maybe one or two guys who haven't done as well at the IHL level . . . this will be a chance for them to get their careers back on track."
Anzalone said he expects to invite 30 to 32 players to the Express' preseason camp, which starts with physicals and the distribution of equipment on Oct. 8.
"Right now, I think we've got a core of 10, 11, 12 pretty good hockey players coming," Anzalone said. "As of last look, [forward] Dave Morrissette [Roanoke's first selection in the June dispersal draft] should be coming, as Hartford has let him go. [Defenseman] Will Averill is still in Portland's AHL camp, but if he doesn't get a contract I expect him here."
Anzalone said the three Russian players - right wing Lev Berdichevsky, left wing Oleg Yashin and center-left wing Ilja Dubkov - signed by the Express in June are expected to fly into Roanoke on Friday. Anzalone also said he has invited two Czechoslovakian-born players to camp.
"Hey, we need to upgrade our talent here," said Anzalone, scoffing at any language problem the Europeans could present. "The Czechs are not signed. One played for Sparta-Prague, which won the Czech national championship. We're hoping that he's as good as the team he played for."
Anzalone, who has the unenviable task of building a team basically from scratch, hinted that no one should expect the Express to run over the rest of the 19-team ECHL, especially early in the season.
"We should be OK," Anzalone said. "We're still a couple of players away from being competitive, but hopefully those players will come along as camp goes on. We're doing optimistically well so far, as far as recruitment goes and commitments to come here. If we can pick up another defenseman or two, and if San Jose gives us a couple of decent players, we should be pretty decent up top."
The Express coach said the recruiting wars between ECHL coaches and general managers have been fast and furious.
"Some teams have done a hell of a job recruiting," Anzalone said. "Greensboro has some really good players going to their camp, like always. Charlotte is going to have a a lot of players in camp, and Boston has assigned them about six players already. And you've got our incumbents - like Raleigh, Wheeling and Toledo - who you know are going to be good."
\ FEMALE GOALIE II: Erin Whitten, a four-time collegiate all-star at New Hampshire, appeared in goal last week for the AHL's Adirondack Red Wings in an exhibition game.
Whitten is following in the footsteps of Manon Rheaume, who played in an exhibition last season for the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning and spent the season with Atlanta of the IHL. Whitten is hoping to attract an offer from an ECHL club. The ECHL's Toledo Storm, which is affiliated with Adirondack's parent club, the Detroit Red Wings, will have the first chance to bring her in for a tryout.
\ ICE CHIPS: Chris Lindberg, who played for the Virginia Lancers in 1989-90, scored the only goal in Quebec's 1-0 preseason victory over Edmonton on Saturday night. Lindberg was signed by the Nordiques as a free agent. . . . Curt Steele, a Norfolk Southern Corp. official, donated one of the railroad's train whistles to the Express Booster Club during Sunday's open house at the Roanoke Civic Center. The whistle, which includes three big horns, will be blown each time the Express scores a goal at home. . . . Express T-shirts, sweat shirts and pens are available. A full line of Express souvenir items should be on sale by the regular-season opener Oct. 9 against South Carolina. . . . After playing in the 11,000-seat Cow Palace their first two NHL seasons, the Sharks will make their debut in the 17,300-seat San Jose Arena on Thursday night in a preseason game against the New York Islanders.
by CNB