Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 23, 1995 TAG: 9511240026
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: HOLIDAY
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Mike Stacchi was no different than most of the other young men and women who matriculated with him at Dartmouth College when he sent letters and resumes to prospective employers. Like many of his fellow graduates, he considered a trip to Europe after acquiring his sheepskin.
Unlike his Ivy League brethren, though, Stacchi soon learned his credentials from Dartmouth were sniffed at by prospective employers. He was even let go by the first organization to give him gainful employment. Twice. Fortunately for him, he was re-hired by the same outfit both times.
Perhaps most Dartmouth graduates do not have this much trouble finding and holding a job. Then again, your typical Dartmouth graduate isn't trying to make it as a hockey player. Stacchi, a rookie left wing for the Roanoke Express, has seen how tough that can be.
In college hockey circles, Ivy League schools rarely get mentioned in the same breath as Boston University or the University of Maine. They do, however, produce thoughtful guys such as Stacchi who know drafting a business letter can be just as important as burying a slap shot from the point.
Stacchi estimates he sent more than 20 letters to coaches in the International, American and East Coast Hockey leagues in hopes of gaining a tryout after scoring 15 goals in his final season for the Big Green. He mailed a couple to teams in France and Italy.
``I guess you could say it was a hockey resume,'' he said. ``I just wanted to put my name into some coaches' heads.''
One of those coaches was Roanoke's Frank Anzalone, who received a letter from Stacchi early in the summer, then saw him play at a camp conducted by Boston Bruins scout Joe Lyons.
``To be honest, I had not recruited Dartmouth last year,'' Anzalone said. ``I got the letter from him. Then he wound up on my team at the Joe Lyons camp. That's how he became a recruit.''
Stacchi made the Express' roster, but struggled after getting hit on an ankle with a slap shot during training camp, an injury that slowed his progress. Anzalone wanted him to improve his skating and even considered sending him to the Southern League. Even though Stacchi stayed with the Express, the first month of the season proved difficult.
Stacchi has done the waive more times than the hockey fans in the Roanoke Civic Center have done the wave. He has been placed on waivers twice in the first month of his professional hockey career. The only thing worse than being waived twice is going unclaimed twice.
That's why Stacchi hasn't waved goodbye to Roanoke yet. None of the other 20 teams in the ECHL claimed him after he was placed on waivers. He hadn't done enough in his first month for anyone to notice.
That may have changed Saturday, when he finally got some new material to put on that resume.
Stacchi scored his first two goals as a professional, including the winner, in Roanoke's 5-3 victory over the Birmingham Bulls. The two-goal outburst came just a few hours after the Express re-signed him for the third time since training camp. Tonight, the Express entertains the Hampton Roads Admirals in a Thanksgiving suppertime special at 6 at the Roanoke Civic Center.
``I always thought being waived would be the worst thing that could happen,'' Stacchi said. ``Now, I realize roster moves are the nature of the business.''
Stacchi has answered nature's call, all right. But he's not the only Roanoke player to do a bungee drop on the waiver wire only to bounce right back to the Express. Fellow rookie Nick Jones also has been placed on waivers by the Express a couple of times only to go unclaimed.
The rationale behind the waiver approach to the rookies has been the salary cap concerns held by Express management. Even though ECHL rules permit teams to carry 20 players, Roanoke's current cap can accommodate only 19 players.
The salary cap has forced Anzalone to make some tough personnel moves. He has waived rookies such as Stacchi and Jones reluctantly, hoping he can retain them. The players have stayed around town and have continued to work out with the team.
``I've always told Mike what was going on,'' Anzalone said. ``I've had no choice but to waive him a couple of times. Even so, he's stayed on the team. He stayed here and he got his chance.''
Personnel moves, injuries and scratches have changed Roanoke's roster almost nightly and have prompted the Express to use more lines than a hard-luck bachelor in a singles bar. Stacchi was teamed with center Ilya Dubkov and right wing Jeff Jestadt on Saturday, but he knows he could soon be out of the lineup or even waived again.
Then again, he may just stick around for a while.
``I guess it's up to me, if I play well,'' Stacchi said. ``The bottom line is, if I keep playing well, I think I can stay here. I'm just glad Frank stuck with me.''
by CNB