ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, December 31, 1996 TAG: 9612310090
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
WAYNE STRACHAN will be counted upon to provide the Express with some offense.
The Roanoke Express learned Monday that it is getting a player from the Manitoba Moose, only it's not Jeff Loder.
Forward Wayne Strachan, who spent all of last season in the International Hockey League, has been assigned to Roanoke from Manitoba and should be with the Express when it plays tonight at Charlotte.
Strachan, a contract player with the Moose, will replace Loder, who was Roanoke's second-leading scorer 10 days ago when he was called up by Manitoba. Loder, too, is under contract with the Moose and it is unclear if he will return to Roanoke.
``They told us they might keep Loder for a while, so they sent us Wayne,'' said Express general manager Pierre Paiement. ``I know he's a very smart hockey player with good hands who can score some goals. He may not be as fast as Loder, but he's a very, very good hockey player.''
Strachan, a 24-year-old center from Fort Frances, Ontario, has showed scoring ability at the highest level of the minor leagues, having scored 19 goals with 30 assists last season for the IHL's Los Angeles Ice Dogs.
Manitoba acquired him after the Ice Dogs relocated to Long Beach this season. He played from 1991-95 at Lake Superior State University - where Express coach Frank Anzalone won the NCAA Division I championship in 1988 - and had most recently been with Thunder Bay in the Colonial League for conditioning purposes. He had three goals in six games with Long Beach, none in six games with Manitoba.
``Wayne's numbers in the past suggest he will add to our offensive production and help to replace the loss of Jeff Loder to the Moose,'' said Paiement.
At least the Express is getting a player to fill Loder's spot, which demonstrates how Roanoke's affiliation with the Moose has matured in three years. Two years ago, when the Moose was based in Minnesota, the Express lost goaltender Dave Gagnon and defenseman Michael Smith on extended call-ups without getting players to fill their spots.
Gagnon eventually was called up for good in the middle of the 1994-95 season while Smith was promoted to Minnesota and re-assigned seven times.
This season, Roanoke has benefited from its affiliations with the Moose and the NHL's Calgary Flames. Manitoba signed Loder, then asked him to attend Roanoke's training camp. Calgary sent contract players Jeff Cowan and Bobby Brown to Roanoke.
``This year has been different than prior years because [Manitoba coach and general manager] Jean Perron believes in developing players,'' said Paiement. ``He's pleased to see the development of Jeff Loder and he believes Wayne will get the chance to get better here.''
LENGTH: Medium: 56 linesby CNB