Future Prospects

[Shell]

Just came across this....

Nailers Sign Former NCAA Rookie of the Year Mark Kosick
Posted by staff on Monday, August 18, 2003 - 04:35 PM GMT

WHEELING, WV----The Wheeling Nailers have signed their fourth player for the exciting 2003-2004 campaign.

Mark Kosick, a consummate forward who spent four seasons with the University of Michigan and last year with the German Elite DEL League has signed to play this season for the Nailers under head coach Pat Bingham.

Kosick, a native of Victoria, BC is a 5’-11”, 180-pound forward who helped lead the Wolverines to a NCAA National Championship his freshman season, Kosick finished with 46 points on 14 goals and 32 assists on his way to being elected the NCAA Rookie of the Year. Kosick scored 35, 34 and 31 points in each of his three remaining seasons at Michigan, before taking his talent to Germany.

“Kosick excelled at arguably the best program in all of NCAA Hockey,’’ said Bingham of the Carolina Hurricanes 8th Round Pick in the 1998 NHL entry draft. “He’s a heart and soul player and you can’t get enough of those.’’

While taking the ice as a Wolverine, Kosick played with present Vancouver Canucks forward Brendan Morrison and Dallas Stars goaltender Marty Turco.

“The DEL is a very competitive league in Germany. We are excited to have a player of his skill, work ethic and background this season with our team.’’

[nccanes]

I hate to be stupid, but I suppose this means that Canes never signed him and he's signed a free agent minor league contract?

[cmw00]

Yep sounds that way, but seems that no other NHL team wanted him either, becasue once drafted a team has 2 years to sign sombody. So its been alot longer than 2 years, meaning nobody else in the NHL wanted him either for some reason.

[Shell]

ECHL: Everblades sign defenseman Esdale
Friday, August 29, 2003
Daily News staff

Defenseman Paul Esdale signed a two-way contract with the Lowell Lock Monsters, an affiliate of the ECHL's Florida Everblades, on Thursday, and team officials expect him to play at least part of the year in Estero.

Esdale had 26 points in 35 games for Brown University last year. Following his senior season, the Edmonton, Alberta, native was recalled by the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (AHL) and played in five games.

He becomes the fifth player to join the Everblades for 2003-04.

"Paul will immediately help our defensive corps," Blades head coach Gerry Fleming said. "He is a skilled, smooth skating defenseman who will see time on the power play."

On Saturday, tickets will go on sale for the NHL game at TECO Arena between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Atlanta Thrashers on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. and are priced at $30, $20 and $12. For more information, call 948-7825.

[Shell]

27-year-old defenseman signs with Everblades
By ED REED, ereed@news-press.com
Published by news-press.com on August 31, 2003

On paper, the Florida Everblades are going to have one heck of a power play.

Veteran defenseman Matt Pagnutti signed a two-way contract with the Everblades and their American Hockey League affiliate in Lowell, Mass. The 27-year-old with 413 games of professional experience had his best scoring season as a pro last year with the Arkansas RiverBlades, compiling career highs in goals (15) and assists (43).

Pagnutti’s 12 power-play goals tied him for first among ECHL defensemen last year.

“This year he was the leading power-play defenseman in the league, so he’s one of these guys who can play 25-30 minutes a game, kill penalties and play on the power play,” Everblades general manager Craig Brush said. “He’s the cornerstone of our defense.”

Pagnutti, who could not be reached for comment, is Florida’s sixth player signing and the fourth that should pay immediate dividends for a power play that ranked 19th out of 27 teams (17 percent) last season. Forwards Brian McCullough, John Shouneyia and defenseman Paul Esdale, who signed Thursday, are the others.

“I think this year we’ve taken steps to definitely improve the power play,” coach Gerry Fleming said. “It is a pretty good unit.”

• NOTES: Fleming will travel to Ottawa next week to take part in the Carolina Hurricanes rookie camp. The camp will run Sept. 3-9.

[moonstomper]

last season he played with the Riverblades, this year its the Everblades

[Shell]

wow, no more Petruk surprises me!

ECHL: Blades return Maund in goal
In the process, Randy Petruk has been reassigned
Friday, September 12, 2003
By ANDY KENT, ankent@naplesnews.com

Craig Brush is dipping into the pool of past Florida Everblades greats in the hopes of returning his ECHL minor league hockey team to its place among the league's elite.

With Thursday's signing of goaltender Jeff Maund, the Everblades team president/general manager has one of the strongest links to Florida's greatest season in 1999-2000 — the year the Everblades went 53-15-2.

The signing came one day after the ECHL submitted a new collective bargaining agreement proposal to the Professional Hockey Player's Association. The PHPA still is technically on strike but players continue to sign.

What turned out to be good news for Maund, however, came about as a result of some not so good news for another former Everblades goalie, Randy Petruk.

Florida's all-time leader in games played and total minutes still is under contract to the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, the parent club of the Everblades, but has been reassigned to the ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones.

Petruk, in his sixth year with the Carolina organization, talked with Hurricanes assistant general manager Jason Karmanos last week and was told the organization was "moving in a different direction."

"It's definitely disheartening," Petruk said. "I've had my opportunities and they've had their goaltending woes, but it wasn't always the best situation for me to take advantage of those opportunities."

Last season, Maund played over in Russia in a small steel mill town called Magnitogorsk for a team named Metallurg. He had two solid seasons in the American Hockey League prior to that.

"After we weighed our options, my wife and I decided if we were going to be back on this side of the pond (Florida) was where we wanted to go," said Maund, who first called Brush three months ago.

The two stayed in touch throughout the summer, and once Brush knew what Carolina's goaltending situation was going to be, he signed Maund to a two-way contract with Lowell in the AHL.

Rob Zepp, last year's rookie standout for the Everblades, will start the season in Lowell with a goalie supplied by the Calgary Flames as per their shared affiliation agreement with Carolina. Maund, 27, will be expected to help bring along rookie Daniel Boisclair, who missed virtually all of last season with anemia.

"In order to win in this league or any league you've got to have solid goaltending and certainly Jeff is a proven commodity," Brush said. "He has very quick feet, a very good personality and was very well-liked here not only by the fans but by his teammates."

Maund compiled a 26-6-1 record and a 2.60 goals-against average as a rookie All-Star with the. He sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee in the second game of the playoffs, and Florida went on to lose to Augusta in the first round.