Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Justin Pogge, No. 1
Age: 25 Position: Goalie Height: 6-3 Weight: 204 Hometown: Fort McMurray, Alberta History: Selected by Toronto during the third round of the 2004 NHL entry draft, Pogge compiled a 3.12 goals-against average while posting a record of 22-18-4 for the AHL's Charlotte Checkers last season. Coach's Comment: "I had Justin in San Antonio for about 40 games (in 2009-10), and I liked the way he played for us. He's a big goalie." |
Maxim Goncharov, No. 3 Age: 21 Position: Defense Height: 6-4 Weight: 215 Hometown: Moscow, Russia History: Selected by Phoenix in the fifth round of the 2007 NHL entry draft, Goncharov played his first two pro seasons for the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia. He had six goals and nine assists in 61 games with the AHL's San Antonio Rampage last season. Coach's Comment: "He's big and strong, a good skater with a high skill level, but he's still learning the North American game. Defensively, we're going to have to make sure he's doing the right things and managing the puck." |
Mathieu Brodeur, No. 4 Age: 21 Position: Defense Height: 6-6 Weight: 230 Hometown: Montreal, Quebec History: Selected by Phoenix in the third round of the 2008 NHL entry draft, Brodeur had one assist and 43 penalty minutes during 52 games last season with the ECHL's Las Vegas Wranglers. Coach's Comment: "He's come in great shape, but there's lots of work there to do. He's got to be a first-pass, simple player. He has such a long reach and range that he should be a real good defender." |
Chris Summers, No. 5 Age: 23 Position: Defense Height: 6-3 Weight: 209 Hometown: Ann Arbor, Mich. History: Selected by Phoenix in the first round of the 2006 NHL entry draft, Summers, a 2010 University of Michigan grad, had one goal and nine assists in 75 games with San Antonio last season. Coach's Comment: "Skating is his main asset. He puts himself in great position because of his skating. He's got to be a first-pass, first-option guy. He's a shut-down guy, but he can move the puck." |
Tyler Eckford, No. 7 Age: 26 Position: Defense Height: 6-1 Weight: 200 Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia History: Selected by New Jersey in the seventh round of the 2004 NHL entry draft, Eckford had 11 goals and 71 assists in 178 games during three AHL seasons at Lowell and Albany. Coach's Comment: "He's a puck-moving guy who plays a hard game. He has the ability to play on the power play. He makes smart decisions, quick decisions with the puck." |
Jordan Szwarz, No. 8 Age: 20 Position: Right wing Height: 6-0 Weight: 197 Hometown: Burlington, Ontario History: Selected by Phoenix in the fourth round of the 2009 NHL entry draft, Szwarz, who is recovering from injury, had 31 goals and 48 assists in 77 games with the Saginaw Spirit in the junior Ontario Hockey League last season. Coach's Comment: "He's a worker. He's going to be tireless on the puck. He has the ability to score some goals. He'll be a penalty killer for us, an energy type guy." |
Colin Long, No. 10 Age: 22 Position: Center Height: 5-11 Weight: 190 Hometown: Santa Ana, Calif. History: Selected by Phoenix in the fourth round of the 2008 NHL entry draft, Long, who averaged more than 95 points in his last two seasons in junior hockey, has missed most of his first two pro seasons because of postconcussion syndrome. Coach's Comment: "He really hasn't been able to play at the level he's needed to, and we're hoping he stays healthy. He's an offensive guy who protects the puck really well." |
Ryan Hollweg, No. 11 Age: 28 Position: Center Height: 5-11 Weight: 205 Hometown: Downey, Calif. History: Selected by the New York Rangers in the eighth round of the 2001 NHL entry draft, Hollweg, a veteran of four NHL seasons, scored 13 goals and had 14 assists while drawing 217 penalty minutes in 116 games with San Antonio the past two seasons. Coach's Comment: "He's a heart-and-soul guy, a leader. He's going to be a big-time penalty killer for us and a physical presence. He's an inspirational leader. |
Ethan Werek, No. 12 Age: 20 Position: Center Height: 6-2 Weight: 205 Hometown: Markham, Ontario History: Selected by the New York Rangers in the second round of the 2009 NHL entry draft, Werek had 89 goals and 97 assists during three seasons with the Kingston Frontenacs in the junior Ontario Hockey League. Coach's Comment: "He's a big, strong kid and he's got some offensive ability. He's going to have to understand the defensive side of the game and how to play without the puck." |
Matt Watkins, No. 14 Age: 24 Position: Right wing Height: 5-11 Weight: 190 Hometown: Aylesbury, Saskatchewan History: Selected by Dallas in the fifth round of the 2005 NHL entry draft, Watkins scored 27 goals and added 30 assists in 115 games with San Antonio over the past two seasons. Coach's Comment: "He's got dynamic speed. He's got a great wrist shot, and hopefully he'll create offense for us with his speed and his shot. He's a high-energy player." |
Marc-Antoine Pouliot, No. 15 Age: 26 Position: Center Height: 6-1 Weight: 195 Hometown: Quebec City, Quebec History: Selected by Edmonton in the first round of the 2003 NHL entry draft, Pouliot, who has played in 179 NHL games, scored 25 goals and had 47 assists to lead the AHL's Norfolk Admirals in scoring last season. Coach's Comment: "He's obviously put up numbers in this league and we're going to need him to create offense, but we want him to be a 200-foot player and he's going to have to lead us in the faceoff circle." |
Nathan Oystrick, No. 20 Age: 30 Position: Defense Height: 6-0 Weight: 210 Hometown: Regina, Saskatchewan History: Selected by Atlanta in the seventh round of the 2002 NHL entry draft, Oystrick scored 15 goals with 30 assists and 125 penalty minutes with the Peoria Rivermen in his fourth full AHL season last winter. Coach's Comment: "He's a top defenseman in the league, so he plays in every situation. He's going to be a shut-down guy. He's also a power-play guy. He's a leader, and he's going to have to be a leader of this group." |
Andy Miele, No. 21 Age: 23 Position: Forward Height: 5-8 Weight: 180 Hometown: Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. History: The 2011 Hobey Baker Award winner as college hockey's top player, Miele, signed as a free agent. He had 24 goals and 47 assists last year with Miami University. Coach's Comment: "Obviously, he's an offensive player and he's going to have some growing pains in this league. We look to him to lead us offensively, but he's got to learn to play in all three zones." |
Igor Gongalsky, No. 22 Age: 24 Position: Left wing Height: 6-0 Weight: 225 Hometown: Kiev, Ukraine History: A free-agent signing, Gongalsky scored four goals and had six assists in 54 games with the Pirates after starting last season with the ECHL's Greenville Road Warriors. Coach's Comment: "He's a weighty player that we need. He's a great teammate who will stick up for the guys, and that is the role he's going to play for us." |
Brett Hextall, No. 24 Age: 23 Position: Right wing Height: 5-10 Weight: 190 Hometown: Philadelphia History: Selected by Phoenix in the sixth round of the 2008 NHL entry draft, Hextall, son of NHL Hall of Fame goalie Ron Hextall, averaged 14 goals and 14 assists per season in his three years with the University of North Dakota. Coach's Comment: "He's a relentless worker. He's hard on the puck and he's going to be under guys' skin. He finds a way to get to the net and get ugly goals." |
Evan Bloodoff, No. 25 Age: 21 Position: Left wing Height: 5-11 Weight: 195 Hometown: Castlegar, British Columbia History: Selected by Phoenix in the sixth round of the 2009 NHL entry draft, Bloodoff scored 56 goals and had 47 assists during five seasons with the Kelowna Rockets in the junior Western Hockey League. Coach's Comment: "He's got NHL speed. He's a younger player though, so he's still learning, but I can see him being an impact player for us on the penalty kill." |
Mathieu Beaudoin, No. 26 Age: 27 Position: Left wing Height: 5-11 Weight: 190 Hometown: Rock Forest, Quebec History: In his fourth pro season, Beaudoin, a 2007 graduate of Ohio University, scored 21 goals and had 30 assists, both career highs, in 63 games with San Antonio last season. Coach's Comment: "The first 40 games last year before he got hurt he was on a pace for some great numbers. He's a penalty killer, a power-play guy, and his work ethic stands out." |
Spencer Bennett, No. 27 Age: 20 Position: Left wing Height: 6-4 Weight: 200 Hometown: White Rock, British Columbia History: Selected by Calgary during the fifth round of the 2009 NHL entry draft, Bennett scored 56 goals and had 54 assists during three seasons in the junior Western Hockey League. Coach's Comment: "He's a young player and we're trying to find out where he fits in. He's got to be stronger on the puck, but he has very good skills around the net." |
Michael Stone, No. 28 Age: 21 Position: Defense Height: 6-3 Weight: 207 Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba History: Selected by Phoenix in the third round of the 2008 NHL entry draft, Stone scored two goals and had 11 assists in 70 games with San Antonio last season. Coach's Comment: "He's going to look to to play against top players. He's a big, strong kid. We're going to look to him in all situations. He's going to have a great opportunity this year to show what he's got." |
Dean Arsene, No. 29 Age: 31 Position: Defense Height: 6-2 Weight: 205 Hometown: Murrayville, British Columbia History: A veteran of 10 pro seasons, Arsene scored a goal and had 10 assists in 77 games with the Peoria Rivermen last season. He also helped the Hersey Bears win Calder Cup championships in 2006 and 2009. Coach's Comment: "We're going to look to him to being a simple, smart, hard defender, and he's going to have to lead this group, on and off the ice." |
Curtis McElhinney, No. 31 Age: 28 Position: Goalkeeper Height: 6-2 Weight: 197 Hometown: London, Ontario History: Selected by Ottawa in the sixth round of the 2002 NHL entry draft, McElhinney spent the past two seasons in the NHL, splitting time with Calgary, Anaheim and Ottawa. Coach's Comment: "We look for leadership from him. He's a veteran of his game. Hopefully, he'll have a real calming influence on our guys." |
Ryan Duncan, No. 32 Age: 26 Position: Left wing Height: 5-6 Weight: 170 Hometown: Calgary, Alberta History: The 2009 Hobey Baker Award winner after his fourth season at the University of North Dakota, Duncan scored 43 goals and had 68 assists in 99 games during two seasons with Salzburg EC in the Austrian Elite League. Coach's Comment: "He's really smart with the puck in the offensive zone. I think he's a guy who can score goals. We've just got to put him with the right guys in the right situations." |
Nick Ross, No. 42 Age: 22 Position: Defense Height: 6-1 Weight: 206 Hometown: Lethbridge, Alberta History: Selected by Phoenix in the first round of the 2007 NHL entry draft, Ross scored two goals and had 15 assists while splitting last season with the AHL's San Antonio Rampage and the ECHL's Las Vegas Wranglers. Coach's Comment: "He's a crafty player and he makes good plays. He's got good vision and he can make a play offensively. He likes to hit people in open ice; hopefully, we'll see some of that this season." |
Ashton Rome No. 44 Age: 25 Position: Right wing Height: 6-1 Weight: 202 Hometown: Nesbitt, Manitoba History: Selected by San Jose in the fifth round of the 2006 NHL entry draft, Rome, younger brother of former Portland defenseman Aaron Rome, scored eight goals and had 11 assists for the Hershey Bears last season. Coach's Comment: "He's a hard, weighty player. He's good at getting pucks out, getting pucks in. He's got a great shot, but he needs to use it and be consistent with his game." |
Garrett Stafford, No. 55 Age: 31 Position: Defense Height: 6-0 Weight: 195 Hometown: Los Angeles History: A 2003 graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Stafford scored 14 goals and had 32 assists for the San Antonio Rampage in his eighth AHL season last winter. Coach's Comment: "He's a top power-play guy in the league, so we'll obviously look for him to create offense but also be a leader back there defensively." |
Ray EdwardsHead coach A native of Hanover, Ontario, Edwards is embarking on his second full season as a head coach of an AHL team. Last season, he guided the San Antonio Rampage to a 40-33-0-7 record, just missing a spot in the AHL's Western Conference playoffs. Edwards, 41, played seven seasons for three different ECHL teams. In 1996, he began his coaching career as a player/coach for the ECHL's Huntington Blizzards. |
John SlaneyAssistant coach A native of St. John's, Newfoundland, Slaney moves into the coaching ranks after 20 professional seasons as a player. In 2001 and 2002, he received the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL's top defenseman. In 2005, Slaney, 39, led the old Philadelphia Phantoms to the Calder Cup championship. Slaney once held the record as the AHL's career top-scoring defenseman. |
Mike MinardGoalie/Video Coach A native of Owen Sound, Ontario, Minar, 34, was the senior instructor at the Grainger/Minard Steel City Hockey Goaltending School in Stoney Creek, Ontario, after playing 13 professional seasons. During the 1999-2000 season, he stopped 33 of 36 shots while recording a win for the Edmonton Oilers in his only NHL game. Minard received the AHL's Yanick Dupre Memorial Award twice for his contributions to the community. |
Mike BooiAthletic Trainer A native of Lake Odessa, Minn., Booi, 29, is in his first season with the Pirates. After earning a degree in kinesiology from Michigan State and a master's in athletic training at Kentucky, Booi spent last season as trainer for the ECHL's Greenville Road Warriors. |
John KrouseEquipment Manager A native of Rome, N.Y., Krouse, 35, is in his fourth season as equipment manager of Phoenix's AHL affiliate. When he was 19, he became head trainer for the Winston-Salem Polar Bears in the old Southern Hockey League. In 2004, while with the Pensacola Ice Pilots, Krouse was named ECHL equipment manager of the year. |
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