DATE: Tuesday, July 22, 1997                TAG: 9707220115

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   70 lines

ADMIRALS, CAPS RE-UP; PEARCE SAYS HE'S RETIRING

There was good news and bad Monday for the Hampton Roads Admirals, who announced that their NHL and AHL affiliation agreements have been extended but learned that standout left wing Randy Pearce will not return.

The Admirals will continue working with the Washington Capitals and Portland (Maine) Pirates. It will be their ninth season with Washington and their fourth year with a formal affiliation with Portland. The Pirates and the Admirals worked informally prior to 1993-94.

Pearce has told coach John Brophy that he will retire to enter private business in Toronto, where he will sell medical equipment. Pearce was a member of the 1992 ECHL championship team. He returned to the Admirals a year ago after four years in the International Hockey League.

Last season proved to be a near-perfect swan song for Pearce, who had 27 goals and 45 assists in 70 games to help lead the team to its best regular-season finish ever. Pearce's 72 points were third on the team, and he was team captain.

Pearce's last season was marred only by a second-round exit in the playoffs.

``I wanted another championship,'' Pearce said. ``It was a huge disappointment because we had a championship-caliber team.''

Pearce will continue to work the Admirals' in-line camps at Tarrallton Park the next few weeks, then head to his native Canada. Brophy said Pearce leaves with his blessing.

``He's got to think about what he's going to do the rest of his life,'' Brophy said. ``All of our players want to move up in hockey or go into business. It's Randy's time. This is a great opportunity. He'll be very successful.

``He was one of the best players who ever played here, that's for sure. One of the best one or two players. This leaves a big hole.''

The agreement with Portland will provide the Admirals with seven to 10 players next season, Pirates coach Barry Trotz said. In 1995, the Pirates and Admirals began an innovative working agreement in which players were signed to two-way contracts.

The Admirals began last season with eight players under two-way contracts, which generally call for the players to be paid about $15,000 in Hampton Roads and about $30,000 if they stick in Portland. The Pirates also subsidize players of contracts of two-way players in Norfolk.

``We must be doing something right because everyone is trying to duplicate'' the two-way contract system, Trotz said.

``I think we've got the best relationship between an American and East Coast team there is. It's almost a pure farm-system relationship. There are a lot of jealous people (in the ECHL) who have come to us and asked us to change affiliations. We've had people come to us with better deals and better packages.

``But we wouldn't dare compromise our relationship in Hampton (Roads). We'd rather have the best people in the business helping us out rather than going for the easy dollar.''

Brophy and general manager Al MacIsaac will again work the Washington and Portland preseason camps. Brophy said the team will also maintain an informal working agreement with Cleveland of the IHL. Brophy attended Cleveland's camp last season and returned with Andy Weidenbach and Alain Savage.

``I'll be back at Cleveland's camp, and we'll just have to see what we come up with,'' Brophy said.

Goaltending is a priority for the Admirals. Darryl Paquette, last season's starter, has retired and Marc Seliger, who was the backup most of the season, has not been re-signed by Washington.

Trotz says it's likely the Admirals and Pirates will jointly sign at least one goalie. ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

Veteran left wing Randy Pearce had 27 goals and 45 assists for the

Admirals last season.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu