THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 18, 1995 TAG: 9510180540
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 191 lines
The East Coast Hockey League was a shaky operation when it began in 1988 with four low-budget teams in small markets.
Seven years later, the ECHL is booming. With 21 teams, it is the largest league in the history of minor league hockey and is located in the biggest markets this side of the International Hockey League.
And no longer is it confined to the East Coast. Expansion by four teams over the summer moved the league to the Gulf Coast (Mobile, Ala.) and west of the Mississippi (Lafayette, La.). It also expanded the horizon of hockey nicknames - adding the Ice Gators, Lizard Kings, River Frogs and Mysticks.
Most coaches agree that rapid growth in the ECHL, IHL and AHL has diluted available talent. Says Roanoke coach Frank Anzalone: ``It's never been more difficult to recruit players than it was this year.''
Richmond, with half of the cast returning from its Riley Cup champion, figures to win the East Division. Tallahassee, picked by The Hockey News to win the ECHL crown, should prevail in the South. Three Ohio teams - Dayton, Toledo and Columbus - will battle in the North with Wheeling.
EAST DIVISION
1. Richmond Renegades
Coach: Roy Sommer
Last season: 41-20-7, won East Division and Riley Cup
Outlook: The Renegades recruited aggressively in the offseason and, in spite of losing Blaine Moore, are the class of the East until somebody proves otherwise. They have solid goaltending, get leadership and scoring from player-coach Scott Gruhl, and added muscle in defenseman Brian Goudie, a free agent who played last season for Hampton Roads. Trevor Senn is one of the league's most feared fighters. Rookie Greg Hadden had four goals in an exhibition against the Admirals.
2. Hampton Roads Admirals
Coach: John Brophy
Last season: 37-23-8, 4th in East
Outlook: The Admirals suffered major losses from last season, including John Porco, the team's best player, who is playing in Italy. They've benefited from new working agreements from the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins and Portland of the AHL. Pittsburgh has sent three players from its 50-man roster - defensemen Alexei Krivchenkov and Sergei Voronov and center Serge Aubin. Veteran defenseman Bob Woods, forwards Dominic Maltais, David St. Pierre and Claude Fillion and goaltender Darryl Paquette were assigned by Portland, as were two stalwarts from last season's team, Corwin Saurdiff and Rick Kowalsky.
3. Roanoke Express
Coach: Frank Anzalone
Last season: 39-19-10, 2nd in East
Outlook: The Express Had the division's best goaltending last season, and that could be true again this year with Matt DelGuidice, a former Boston Bruin. Forwards Ilya Dubkov (75 points last season) and Jeff Jestadt (70) head a talented list of returnees. Michael Smith and Dave Stewart head up a rugged defense. They have a shot at overtaking Richmond, which beat them out by one point last season in the East Division.
4. Charlotte Checkers
Coach: John Marks
Last season: 37-22-9, 3rd in the East
Outlook: On paper, the Checkers are so talented they should be among the ECHL's elite. The top three returning scorers - Darryl Noren (64 points), Shawn Wheeler (73) and Matt Robbins (89) - are back. Nick Vitucci, a former Admiral, is solid in goal. The Checkers were embarrassed at home by the Admirals 4-2 in their opener, after which Wheeler said: ``We're not hungry yet.
5. Raleigh IceCaps
Coach: Kurt Kleinendorst
Last season: 23-39-6, last in the East
Outlook: The IceCaps were underachievers last season, but don't expect the same from Kleinendorst, who returns after a season in the IHL. He quickly lined up NHL affiliations that produced four contracted players and coaxed Lyle Wildgoose (73 points last season) out of retirement. Curt Regnier, who had 46 points for Albany of the AHL last season, is a talented newcomer. Raleigh also wooed junior star Steve Potvin away from the Admirals.
6. South Carolina Stingrays
Coach: Rick Vaive
Last season: 42-19-7, 1st in the South
Outlook: The Stingrays moved to the East from the South, and in so doing moved from the league's worst division to its best. Player/assistant coach Chris Foy, an IHL, ECHL and AHL veteran, leads a strong defense. Defenseman Scott Boston and right wing Mike Barrie split time between Rochester and South Carolina last season.
SOUTH DIVISION
1. Tallahassee Tiger Sharks
Coach: Terry Christensen
Last season: 36-25-7, 2nd in South
Outlook: Half the players are back from the team that reached the Riley Cup semifinals last season, including player-assistant coach Darren Schwartz. Standout goalie Mark Richards (31-16-7, 2.90 goals against) also is back.
2. Nashville Knights
Coach: Mark Kumpel
Last season: 32-30-6, 3rd in South
Outlook: Nashville returns Derek Eberle, who had 58 points in 58 games, and goalie Craig Brown (3.48 goals-against average). Charlie Gaffney is joined by twin brother Joe, a star at Bowdoin College.
3. Birmingham Bulls
Coach: Phil Roberto
Last season: 26-38-4, 6th in South
Outlook: The Bulls traditionally are among the ECHL's most physical teams, as player-assistant coach Jerome Bechard proved last year with 427 penalty minutes and 48 points.
4. Knoxville Cherokees
Coach: Barry Smith
Last season: 30-30-8, 3rd in North
Outlook: Jimmy Brown, a former Admiral, had a hat trick in the Cherokees' opener and figures to lead the team in scoring. Stephan Menard in goal and forward Frank Evans from Las Vegas of the IHL are other key players.
5. Jacksonville Lizard Kings
Coach: Jeff Brubaker
Last season: Expansion team
Outlook: Jacksonville should be the best and the most physical of the expansion teams, thanks to Brubaker, whose Greensboro teams won nearly as much as they fought. Jacksonville's slogan this season: ``Cold Blooded Hockey.'' Brubaker recruited veterans Mark Saumier, Scott Drevitch and Stig Salomonsson.
6. Louisiana Ice Gators
Coach: Doug Shedden
Last season: Expansion team
Outlook: With two Central Hockey League titles in Wichita under his belt, Shedden, a former Pittsburgh Penguin, brings credibility, but the team lacks talent. Veterans Bob Berg, Jim Latos and George Maneluk are probably the best on the roster.
7. Mobile Mysticks
Coach: Eddie Johnstone
Last season: Expansion team
Outlook: The Mysticks are selling lots of tickets - a sellout crowd of 8,343 saw its opener - but probably won't win many games. Johnstone coached Johnstown the last four seasons and did well in the ECHL's smallest market. Matt Hoffman followed him from Johnstown.
NORTH DIVISION
1. Toledo Storm
Coach: Greg Puhaiski
Last season: 41-22-5, 3rd in the North
Outlook: Tradition gives the Storm the edge in a close race. Goalie Rob Laurie has been solid. Forwards Dennis Purdue and Rick Judson are among the best in the league. Rick Corriveau was an All-Star defenseman last season.
2. Dayton Bombers
Coach: Jim Playfair
Last season: 42-17-9, 2nd in North
Outlook: A promising season was put in jeopardy by the loss of goaltender Jeff Stolp (22-5-6 last season), recently suspended for leaving the team. Nonetheless, IHL veterans Sergei Sharin, Kevin Brown and Colin Miller are very talented.
3. Wheeling Thunderbirds
Coach: Larry Kish
Last season: 46-17-5, 1st in North
Outlook: Gone is successful coach Doug Sauter to Oklahoma City of the Central Hockey League. General manager Larry Kish named himself successor. Former NHLer Ron Wilson is the player-assistant, and figures to do much of the coaching.
4. Columbus Chill
Coach: Moe Mantha
Last season: 31-32-5, 4th in North
Outlook: Mantha had 30 rookies in camp, but vets will lead the way, including Derek Clancey, who had 87 points last season, and All-ECHL defenseman Aaron Boh, who spent much of last season in the IHL. Bill Pye, who did not play last season but has AHL experience, will be in goal.
5. Johnstown Chiefs
Coach: Nick Fotiu
Last season: 31-32-5, 4th in North
Outlook: The Chiefs had a change in ownership, hired a new coach and have only one player back from last season. Trevor Jobe, the ECHL's career goals-scoring leader, was a key addition from Raleigh.
6. Louisville River Frogs
Coach: Warren Young
Last season: Expansion team
Outlook: An expansion team finishing ahead of two established teams? It'll happen only because this division is weak at the bottom. Louisville brought back Sheldon Gorski, who played for Louisville's previous ECHL franchise and is fourth on the ECHL's career scoring list.
7. Huntington Blizzard
Coach: Grant Somier
Last season: 28-37-3, 5th in South
Outlook: The good news is that the nearly bankrupt team was finally sold late last summer - to former Greensboro owner Morris Jeffreys, who named a coach two weeks before training camp. The bad news is the Blizzard has no NHL or AHL affiliation and very few talented players. Dan Fournel, Van Burgess and Jim Bermingham are among the best.
8. Erie Panthers
Coach: Barry Smith
Last season: 18-46-4, 6th in North
Outlook: Like Winnipeg in the NHL, this franchise is on a death watch. The Panthers don't draw well, don't win much and lost their top three scorers from last season to other leagues. MEMO: Landmark News Service writer Ralph Berrier Jr. contributed to this
report by CNB