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Archive for May, 2008

A Day at Florida Panthers Rookie Camp

May 31, 2008 - By Keith Wozniak

It seems rather odd to have spent the day at the Florida Panthers rookie camp, and then made it home in time to watch game four of the Stanley Cup finals.  The Panthers have begun planning for next season while the 07/08 season hasn’t even ended.

We made the road trip to not only get our fix of hockey, but to also check out many likely players that will fill the Rochester Americans lineup next season (assuming the Panthers become the sole affiliate).

Speaking of the affiliation, any player that was on the Amerks team last season showed a great sigh of relief when asked about last season.  All were happy that it’s over and are already focusing on next year.  I did ask if anyone had heard anything about the affiliation being made official and heard two responses, “it’s up in the air,” and “within a couple of weeks.”  All things that we have heard before.

One way to speculate that it’s more or less a done deal is that Amerk equipment manager Peter Bureaux was working the camp and dressed in Panther gear.

We had previously mentioned that it was a sort of “pre rookie” camp, but it in fact is rookie [...]Read More

Tags: Categories: Headlines, Panthers

Kaleta And Weber To Make Apperance At Red Wings Game

May 29, 2008 - By Alysoup

Two of the 2007-08 Amerks will be in attendance at the Rochester Red Wings baseball game tomorrow night (May 30th). Forward, Patrick Kaleta and defenseman, Mike Weber will be raising money for the Pirate Toy Fund.

Kaleta and Weber will sign autographs for free from 6:00 to 6:55 p.m. and then 7:15 to 8:00 p.m. There will be pictures available of the players to buy. Part of the proceeds from those pictures will go to the fund.

Both players will also be throwing out a first pitch to start off the game.

The game starts at 7:05 p.m. when the Red Wings take on the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees at Frontier Field.

Tags: ι Categories: Amerks

Panthers Hold Pre Rookie Development Camp

May 28, 2008 - By Keith Wozniak

The NHL and AHL are yet to crown a champion and the Florida Panthers have already started looking forward to the future. An annual pre rookie development camp is being held this week at the Teen Ranch in New Caledon, Ontario Canada.

The Florida Panthers have invited Lachlan MacIntosh from the University of New Brunswick, based on what we can find he is the player with the highest potential.

Courtesy of the Bugle Observer:

Right winger Lachlan MacIntosh, who had 227 points for Woodstock in three seasons (2003-2006), will be a special invitee by the Florida Panthers to its annual Teen Ranch pre-rookie development camp set for the May 26 weekend in New Caledon, Ontario.

The 22-year-old from Perth-Andover said last week he’s excited, and looking forward, to the opportunity to show his skills for the Panthers.

“It’s been a bit surreal,” said the University of New Brunswick skater, who stands 5′ 11” and weighs 184 pounds. “I’ve been told it’s the main pre-camp before the big rookie camp the Panthers hold every year. I will be going there to show them what type of player I am, to show my skills, and my physical game. Coach Tatarnic has [...]Read More

Categories: Amerks, Panthers

Panthers Sign Michael Frolik

May 28, 2008 - By Keith Wozniak

From “On Frozen Pond” by George Richards – As I’m sure you all have heard, the Panthers inked center Michael Frolik to an entry-level deal on Wednesday afternoon, days before the mandated deadline to get him under contract.

Frolik, Florida’s first round pick (10th overall) in 2006, spent the past two years playing for Rimouski of the Quebec junior league — the same team Sidney Crosby played for before he jumped into the NHL with much aplomb.

I would have the think Michael is going to have a very good shot at making next year’s squad out of training camp, and that’s probably the reason this deal took so long in getting done. The Panthers don’t have very many roster spots open at the current time, so look for some buy-outs to be on the way. I think Florida would like to have Frolik and Shawn Matthias — among others — to have a real shot to make it out of training camp.

Says Jacques: “We are confident he will help our organization for a long time. Michael has had two strong seasons with Rimouski and he is ready to compete for and earn a spot on our roster.”

[...]Read More

Tags: Categories: Amerks, Panthers

More info on Martin Lojek

May 26, 2008 - By Keith Wozniak

As previously reported on May 1, 2008 about Martin Lojek signing in Europe, we finally have more info that he has signed with the Czech team named HC Ocelári Trinec.

Martin Lojek was drafted in the 4th round, 105th overall, 2003 Entry Draft by the Florida Panthers. With the end of the 2007/08 season Lojek was to become a restricted free agent and likely continue to play in the AHL if he had been resigned by the Panthers.

Lojek has played in at least part of the past three seasons for the Rochester Americans on defense. In 156 games with the Amerks he tallied 13 goals and 19 assists. He only played in 5 games for the Florida Panthers where he had one assist.

Lojek is a big player at 6’4″ and over 230lbs, he needs to learn to use his body and become more involved in plays. Unless he finds a way to do that, it’s unlikely we’ll see him return to North American hockey.

Tags: Categories: Headlines, Panthers

Mike Caruso Signs with Panthers

May 24, 2008 - By Alysoup

From GuelphStorm.com: Mike Caruso Signs with Panthers

The Florida Panthers signed defenceman Mike Caruso to an entry-level contract on Thursday.
The 20-year-old Caruso, a 2006 fourth-round pick by the Panthers, recently completed his fourth full season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Guelph Storm.

The Mississauga native totaled 34 points, 10 goals and 24 assists in 62 games played and led the team in plus minus with a +21 rating.

Assuming the Florida Panthers are the Amerks’ affiliate next season, there is a good chance that Michael Caruso could be seen in Red, White and Blue within the next season or two.The Florida Panthers have now signed all but one of their 2006 draft picks who need to be signed by May 31st.  This is important because if they fail to do so, they could lose those players and they go back into the draft-pool.

The last player they need to sign is left wing, Michael Frolik.  He was the Panthers’ 10th overall draft pick in 2006.  Frolik has 138 points (55 goals, 83 assists) in 97 games with the QMJHL’s Rimouski Oceanic over the last two Seasons.  Most scouts believe he will [...]Read More

Tags: ι Categories: Headlines, Panthers

Panthers Sign Brady Calla

May 21, 2008 - By Keith Wozniak

Assuming the Florida Panthers sign back on as an affiliate of the Amerks we should expect to see Calla be in an Amerks uniform in the 08/09 season.

SUNRISE, Fla. “ Florida Panthers General Manager Jacques Martin announced today (May 20, 2008) that the club has agreed to terms on an entry level contract with RW Brady Calla.

Calla, 20, played in 52 games with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League after being traded from the Moose Jaw Warriors, for Panthers prospect D Keaton Ellerby, 16 games into the 2007-08 season. With the Blazers, Calla had 30 points (10-20-30) and 52 penalty minutes. Calla played in 39 games for Moose Jaw during the 2006-07 season, scoring 32 points (12-20-32) in 39 games. In four playoff games this spring for the Blazers, Calla had two assists.

Brady is a young prospect who works hard, has defensive responsibility and plays with a physical presence, said Martin.  We are very pleased to have signed a high-character individual like Brady and we look forward to his continued development and growth into a complete player within our organization.

The 6-foot-0, 190-pound right wing, played for Team Canada and won the gold medal [...]Read More

Tags: ι Categories: Panthers

Sale of Rochester Americans Final

May 6, 2008 - By Alysoup

From the D&C:

The American Hockey League unanimously approved the majority sale of the Rochester Americans to Curt Styres today.

The board of governors voted on the sale this morning in Chicago at its annual spring meeting.

The sale clears the way for the Amerks to finalize a sole affiliation with the NHL’s Florida Panthers. The emergence of Styres as majority owner may also enable the team to negotiate a new lease with the city of Rochester at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.

Amerks President Steve Donner retains a 40 percent ownership share.

More details will follow this afternoon.

Categories: Amerks, Financial Issues, Headlines

Martin Lojek To Europe

May 1, 2008 - By Alysoup

Defenseman Martin Lojek is signing a one-year contract with a team in the Czech Republic.  In 72 games played in the 2007-08 season, Lojek scored 6 goals and 5 assists for 11 points.

Tags: ι Categories: Amerks, Transactions