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Around The SPHLSwider Swaps Helmet and Pads for Suit and TieKNOXVILLE, Tenn. — When you think about the Knoxville Ice Bears, or the SPHL for that matter, the first name that comes to mind is Kevin Swider. He lead the league in scoring six times, collected three SPHL championships with the Ice Bears, amassed 676 points (264 G, 412 A) in 374 regular season games and logged 71 points (20 G, 51 A) in 51 playoff games. Quietly and without fanfare, Swider retired from hockey at the end of last season. The task of replacing the league’s most prolific scorer will now fall upon the Ice Bears' new Director of Hockey Operations - Kevin Swider. The 32-year-old Livonia, Mich. native decided to make his retirement official after a tough year on the ice, with the team squeaking by the Fayetteville FireAntz in the first round of the playoffs only to fall to eventual President Cup Champion Huntsville Havoc. Swider's choice to retire wasn't easy, nor was it made quickly. “I’ve been thinking about it for a few years. I just wanted to get out of the whole playing world, the schedule and the travel, weekends in the winter, the holidays,” Swider said. “I thought it was the right time after last year. It was a long draining year; it just kind of fit. If we didn’t have the success we had before, then it would have been harder [to retire].” Just how draining had the season been? One day after Knoxville had been sent out of the playoffs, Swider came down with walking pneumonia. He spent more than a week in bed, leaving a question as to whether his season would have continued if the Ice Bears had forced a game three with the Havoc or had advanced to the finals. "I was drained [at the end of the season]. The day we lost out to Huntsville, the next day I got walking pneumonia so I was bed-ridden for ten days. If we had moved on, I would have been done anyway," Swider said. "There was no way. I couldn't move. It was just a weird feeling. I've never had anything like that. I think I was just worn out from all of the travel and all of the playing. We only had two lines. It was just tough." Swider knew he wanted to stay involved with the team in some capacity. When the opportunity to move into the front office opened up, Swider jumped at the chance to continue his hockey career with the Ice Bears. SPHL, Ryan Newman Foundation Team Up For Animal WelfareCHARLOTTE, NC (July 19, 2010) – The Southern Professional Hockey League today announced it will be partnering with the Ryan Newman Foundation for the 2010-2011 season to further the foundation’s goal of educating people about animal welfare. The joint venture will feature special, game-night events with each of the SPHL’s eight teams as well as a league-wide contest featuring a trip to the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Race to be held at Charlotte Motor Speedway. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ryan Newman and his wife, Krissie, established the Ryan Newman Foundation in January 2005. The mission of the foundation is to educate and encourage people to spay/neuter their pets and to adopt dogs and cats from animal shelters; to educate children and adults about the importance of conservation so the beauty of the great outdoors can be appreciated by future generations; and to provide college scholarship funding through the Rich Vogler Scholarship program to students interested in auto racing careers. “Not everyone knows this, but Krissie and I are huge hockey fans,” said Newman. “So, when the idea of a possible partnership with the SPHL was presented, we knew we had to make it work. The league can have up to 8,000 fans at a game, depending on the arena. I don’t know how many games we can attend, but I am sure you’ll see us in the stands at a few this season.” “We are excited to announce this partnership with Ryan and Krissie Newman in an effort to expand public awareness regarding pet adoption and animal welfare,” stated SPHL President Jim Combs. “The SPHL partnership should be exciting for the Foundation,” Newman added. “We are still brainstorming on promotional ideas and how we can make it exciting for the fans, but we have a few things in the works that I think they will enjoy. We are looking forward to working with Jim (Combs) and the SPHL this season.” The Ryan Newman Foundation is proud to be part of the NASCAR Foundation's family of charities. For more information, please check out the group’s website at www.ryannewmanfoundation.org. Further information about the partnership, including details on the Ryan Newman Foundation game nights and All-Star Race contest, will be released in the coming weeks through the sphl.com, individual team websites and the league’s FaceBook and Twitter pages. SPHL Releases 2010-2011 Regular Season ScheduleCHARLOTTE, NC (July 14, 2010) – The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) announced today that it will drop the puck for its seventh season on Thursday, October 21 as the Fayetteville FireAntz will host the Louisiana IceGators in the 2010-2011 regular season opener. The 2010-2011 campaign features the expansion Augusta (GA) RiverHawks joining the seven returning SPHL members from last year. The RiverHawks will kick-off their inaugural SPHL season with home games on Friday, October 22 against Louisiana and Saturday, October 23 against Knoxville. The Columbus Cottonmouths welcome Pensacola to the Columbus Civic Center for their home opener on Friday, while the Knoxville Ice Bears host long-time rival Fayetteville the same night. Finally, the Mississippi Surge will seek a measure of revenge in their home opener Friday as Huntsville travels to the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in a rematch of last season’s President’s Cup Final. The defending SPHL Champion Huntsville Havoc will open at home on Saturday, October 23 against Fayetteville. That evening, the Havoc will raise their championship banner, having captured the President’s Cup last season in a thrilling series over Mississippi. Also on Saturday, the Pensacola Ice Flyers kick-off the I-10 rivalries for 2010 by hosting Louisiana, while the IceGators open the doors to Blackham Coliseum on Friday, November 5 for a game against Mississippi. Each of the eight teams will play a 56-game schedule again this season (28 home, 28 road), concluding with the awarding of the President’s Cup to the 2011 SPHL Champions in April. The complete schedule is available as a PDF document on the SPHL website. RiverHawks Take Next Step Toward Ice
Pro Hockey News staff report The Augusta RiverHawks rolled out their new team logo and jersey designs in front of an enthusiastic crowd at Somewhere In Augusta. At the same time, they also introduced former Lynx player John Whitwell as the new franchise's Grassroots and Community Liaison. More than 100 fans stopped in to see owners Bob and Diane Kerzner, General Manager Gilles Richard, head coach Brad Ralph and the rest of the RiverHawks' staff unveil the logo that will adorn the red, white and blue jerseys on the ice. It depicts a river hawk, wings fully spread, clutching a hockey stick in its talons with the name "RiverHawks" emblazoned from wingtip to wingtip across its body. Chris Rucker and the design team from Kruhu was given the responsibility of creating the new logo for the RiverHawks. They came up with three options for the hockey team to look at after which the ownership and staff chose the design they would use. "This logo belongs to these folks, the fans," owner Bob Kerzner said. "We had the aim of coming up with a classic-feeling logo that the fans and players can take a lot of pride in. It sounds like we achieved that goal." The introduction of Whitwell as the newest member of the RiverHawks' staff was yet another nod to long-time Augusta hockey fans. He spent five seasons playing for the Lynx from 1998 to 2006. In that time, he played in 289 games for the ECHL club, establishing a reputation for being an intimidator on skates. Whitwell was also a leader in the locker room, earning the respect of his teammates and fans. Cottonmouths Sign Their First Two Snakes For Next SeasonBy Kathy Gierer, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer The Columbus Cottonmouths' 2010-2011 roster will feature several new names when the Snakes drop the puck on their seventh Southern Professional Hockey League season in October. But the first two players on board for the coming season are familiar faces: Forward Orrin Hergott is one of two remaining Cottonmouths from the first year in the SPHL, and goaltender Ian Vigier returns for his third season in a Snakes sweater. Hergott, along with fellow veteran Tim Green, helped launch the Snakes' SPHL tenure in the fall of 2004. The speedster now has one more reason to put down roots in Columbus. "I just got married to a girl from Columbus," Hergott said. "I love it here. This is home." Hergott usually returns to his native Saskatchewan for the off-season. "This off-season, I've been working with Craig (Stahl) doing odd jobs and helping people out," Hergott said. "It's a little different because I own a business back home and am used to being my own boss, but my brother is looking after it for me." Hergott has another compelling tie to the area. "I can't leave right now because I'm going through some immigration stuff. I've had a hard time adjusting because normally I'd be skating at home," Hergott said. Vigier can sympathize with Hergott, as he was in a similar position last summer, when he also married a local woman. Vigier recently returned to his adopted home after a month-long visit to his native Notre Dame de Lourdes, Manitoba. During his trip home, Vigier engaged in a variety of activities. Rodgers Lasts One YearBy Nick Gates, Knoxville News Sentinel Marc Rodgers is out as coach of the Knoxville Ice Bears after one season, according to president and general manager Mike Murray. It's not certain if Rodgers resigned or was fired by the Southern Professional Hockey League team after meeting with the team's owners and Murray on Monday. The 38-year-old Rodgers was beginning the second year of a two-year contract with the Ice Bears holding an option for a third season. If he was fired, there would be financial compensation in the form of a severance package he would not be entitled to if he resigned. "We're working on the details of that," Murray said Tuesday. "I don't want to do anything to damage to Marc. Marc is a good friend of mine - maybe not now - and as tough a situation that could possibly come up." Said Rodgers: "They have asked me to resign." Rodgers was an assistant under Scott Hillman, who coached the Ice Bears to consecutive President's Cups. Hillman, a former minor league defenseman, left to become coach the expansion Missouri Mavericks of the Central Hockey League and was replaced by Rodgers. Ice Bears Begin Most Critical Recruiting SeasonBy Nick Gates, Knoxville News Sentinel Six-time Southern Professional Hockey League scoring champion Kevin Swider has called it a career. That makes this summer the most important recruiting season in the history of the Knoxville Ice Bears. Marc Rodgers, who begins his second season as head coach, expects to have players who can pick up the scoring in Swider's absence on hand for the start of training camp at Civic Coliseum on Oct. 11, "All I'm recruiting are skilled, fast players," Rodgers said. "No matter if they're big, tall, small, out of shape. I don't care. As long as they're skilled and fast." Goalie Bryan Hince and forward Derek Hanson will be two of the rookies in camp. Hince played two seasons (2007-08 and 2008-09) at Plattsburgh (N.Y.) State, where he was one of the most celebrated players in school history. In 53 games with the Cardinals, he had a 44-7-2 record with a 1.98 goals-against average and .920 saves percentage. "You look at his stats and wonder why didn't he go somewhere last season," Rodgers said. Hince, who was coached by former Ice Bears coach Tony Martino, is expected to compete for the starting job with incumbent Andrew Gallant. SPHL Changes Overtime and Shootout RulesBy Kathy Gierer, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer Southern Professional Hockey League fans will see an increase in third-period drama when the league's seventh season begins this fall. The SPHL decided at league meetings in Las Vegas last week to no longer award a point for overtime and shootout losses. The move is designed to increase teams' motivation to take home a win. "We did this before," Columbus Cottonmouths general manager and coach Jerome Bechard said. "The year we won it (2004-2005) we did it this way, and we didn't mind it. The other way does put a positive spin on some situations, like keeping an unbeaten streak alive, but I think it will work out fine. I like the fact that everybody will be looking for a win." Teams will fight harder for a regulation win rather than roll the dice in overtime. The teams play a sudden-death, five-minute period of three-on-three hockey. With the wide-open ice, a turnover or lucky bounce often determines the outcome The newly adopted format would have been costly to the Snakes last season. When subtracting the points awarded for overtime and shootout losses from both teams' records, the Louisiana IceGators would have edged the Snakes for the final playoff spot, 46-44. Four of the Snakes' shootout or overtime losses came in a one-month span beginning Nov. 28. They were 3-1-4 that month, including a pair of losses in overtime and two in shootouts. Another new rule gives coaches an additional administrative tool. The teams still can carry 18 players on the roster, but only 17 will suit up for each game. The extra slot will be utilized at the coach's discretion. SPHL Keeps Playoffs Same, Changes Points SystemBy Don Money, ProHockeyNews.com ORLANDO, Fla. - The bright lights of Las Vegas have become an inviting home for hockey's off-season of league meetings and awards shows. This year, Vegas drew the Southern Professional Hockey League to hold its annual Board of Governors meeting ahead of year seven for the single-A level circuit. When the two days of discussions ended, fans had plenty to talk about based on changes made and not made for the upcoming season. Most of the banter centered around the playoff format and a new regular season points format. Arguably the biggest item on the table for the SPHL was how the 2011 playoffs would be conducted. Last year, the league reverted to a format that included six of the seven teams. The first place team was pitted against the sixth place team in a best-of-five series with the winner going straight to the best-of-five finals series. The other four teams paired off (two vs. five and three vs. four) in two best-of-three "quarterfinal" series with the winners meeting in a best-of-three "semifinal" to decide the other team in the finals. Fans and some of the players and coaches were not enamored with the format, believing that it rewarded the sixth place team for not playing hard in the regular season in order to get a possibly easier route to the finals. SPHL President Jim Combs said that after some long deliberations, it was decided that the playoff system will stay the same for the coming campaign. "We worked on it (playoff format) for three hours after the last couple of weeks going through all the different proposals," Combs said. "The Board evaluated several different scenarios in trying to come up with a format that gave equal weight to competition and economics. Ultimately, the Board voted to retain the playoff format that was used last season and while not perfect, we feel it offers the best overall balance for the teams involved." With Augusta joining the league, upping the membership to eight teams, Combs said the league governors agreed that maintaining the relevance of the regular season was a must. The idea of "play-in" games (a format that was used in the first year of the SPHL's existence) also wasn't a fair way to do things either. "We don't like it but it works out the best number-wise. If you go with eight teams then everybody makes the playoffs and the regular season becomes irrelevant. If you do four, there's not enough teams," Combs said. Sich Agrees To Terms With FireAntzBy Thomas Pope, Fayetteville Observer The Fayetteville FireAntz have agreed to contract terms with forward Rob Sich, the Player of the Year last season in the Southern Professional Hockey League. "We're excited that he'll be back," team president Kevin MacNaught said Friday. "Obviously, he's the first one we wanted to come to terms with, and we know he's excited about coming back." Sich has played 3 1/2 seasons with the FireAntz, joining them midway through the 2006-07 campaign via a dispersal draft when the Florida Seals folded. He was the league MVP that year as well, and helped lead the FireAntz to the SPHL championship. Sich has scored 327 points in the regular season and postseason for Fayetteville, and last year set an SPHL record with 63 goals during the 56-game regular season. He also tied an SPHL record with five goals against Pensacola on March 6. SPHL Concludes Annual Board Of Governors MeetingCHARLOTTE, NC - The annual meeting of the Southern Professional Hockey League Board of Governors concluded Wednesday in Las Vegas, NV with several topics being discussed, including finalization of the 2011 playoff format. 2011 Playoff Format: The top six (6) finishers in the league standings will make the playoffs: ROUND 1 · Series A - #1 Seed will play #6 Seed in a best-of-five series with the #1 Seed hosting Games 1, 3 and 5 (if necessary) · Series B - #2 Seed will play #5 Seed in a best-of-three series with the #2 Seed hosting Games 1 and 3 (if necessary) · Series C - #3 Seed will play #4 Seed in a best-of-three series with the #3 Seed hosting Games 1 and 3 (if necessary). ROUND 2 · Winner of Series A gets a bye to Championship Round · Winner of Series B plays winner of Series C in a best-of-three series with the highest-seeded team hosting Games 1 and 3 (if necessary) PRESIDENT'S CUP FINALS · The highest remaining seed will host Games 1, 3 and 5 (if necessary) in the best-of-five Championship. "By far, the playoff format was the most discussed topic of the meeting," stated President Jim Combs. "The Board evaluated several different scenarios in trying to come up with a format that gave equal weight to competition and economics. Ultimately, the Board voted to retain the playoff format that was used last season and while not perfect, we feel it offers the best overall balance for the teams involved."
Team Rosters Teams will still have an 18-man roster during the season, but will only be allowed to dress 17 players for games, one fewer than last season.
League Standings For the 2010-2011 regular season, teams will no longer receive a point for an overtime or shootout loss. The winning team will still receive two points in the standings. "We feel that eliminating the point for an overtime or shootout loss will increase the quality and intensity of play throughout the league," explained Combs. "In researching what effect the loss of the additional point would have had on past standings, we found that the point differential between teams actually decreased, making the overall standings much closer. 2009-2010 Standings (actual) Team (Points) xMississippi (76) xHuntsville (71) xFayetteville (65) xKnoxville (63) xPensacola (58) xColumbus (51) Louisiana (48) x-made playoffs
2009-2010 Standings (revised without OTL) Team (Points) xMississippi (68) xHuntsville (62) xFayetteville (62) xKnoxville (60) xPensacola (50) xLouisiana (46) Columbus (44) x-revised playoff teams
"In the past, teams that have been tied late in the game would change their style of play in order to finish the third period still tied, knowing they were getting a point by doing so," added Combs. "Now that it's either two points or none, the emphasis is back on playing to win instead of playing not to lose."
Election of Officers By unanimous vote of the Board, the following individuals were elected to serve as officers for the 2010-2011 season: Chairman: Tim Kerr, Pensacola Vice Chairman: Mike Murray, Knoxville Treasurer: Keith Jeffries, Huntsville Secretary: Doug Price, League Office
Roster Deadlines The SPHL trade deadline will be Monday, February 28, 2011 while the last day for SPHL teams to add a player who has played outside of North America during the 2010-2011 season will be Tuesday, February 1, 2011. SPHL To Look At PlayoffsBy Nick Gates, Knoxville News Sentinel Revising the President's Cup playoff format will be at the top of the agenda when the Southern Professional Hockey League's summer meetings open today at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. Knoxville Ice Bears president and general manager Mike Murray begins his second year of a three-year term as Chairman of the Board of Governors and will oversee two days of discussions. Each of the eight teams will be represented. The 56-game regular season schedule for 2010-11 likely will be finalized. The veteran rule - each team is allowed only three players with at least 225 games of pro experience - will not be revisited nor will the $5,600-per-team, per-week salary cap. League-wise marketing will be discussed as well as an expansion report from commissioner Jim Combs. The expansion Augusta (Ga.) RiverHawks start play this season. Murray believes at least two more teams will come on board for the 2011-12 season. FireAntz Coach Stewart Gets ExtensionBy Thomas Pope, Fayetteville Observer Tommy Stewart is the winningest coach in the Fayetteville FireAntz's history. That's not going to change anytime soon. Stewart, 84-66-16 in three seasons here, has re-signed as the Antz's coach. The team has made the playoffs in each of those seasons, and he guided the team to the Southern Professional Hockey League finals in 2008-09. "I know what Tommy can do," said Kevin MacNaught, the team's president and general manager. "Tommy would be my first choice of any of the coaches in the league." The Antz were the league's highest-scoring team last season and No. 1 in wins on their home ice. They were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, dropping a pair of overtime games to Knoxville after winning Game 1. "At the end of the day, it comes down to wins and losses," Stewart said. "But there's also the operating budget, dealing with 18 players, doing their contracts, their housing. Anything that involves the hockey side of it is on my plate, and takes a lot of the load off of Kevin. That's one of the reasons we get along so well." Ralph Returns To Augusta As CoachBy Don Money, ProHockeyNews.com AUGUSTA, Ga. - In 2002, Brad Ralph endeared himself to the fans of the Augusta Lynx with play that earned him their "heart and soul" award. Eight years later, the heart and soul are coming home as part of the rebirth of hockey in Georgia's second largest city. Wednesday afternoon, the Augusta RiverHawks announced that Ralph will be returning to Augusta to be the Head Coach of the SPHL expansion team when it hits the ice in October. It will be Ralph's first opportunity to be a head coach, a chance that he is grateful to be getting. "I feel very fortunate to get the opportunity to get back into hockey on the coaching end. I've been planning this (going into coaching) for the last two or three years of my playing career, been planning for the transition," Ralph said following the press conference introducing him to the media and fans. "It's a great situation for me. The fact that I played here, I know a lot of people here. I have a good relationship with the fans. I was fortunate enough to meet my wife here in Augusta. Things really seem to have fallen into place here." Just two seasons removed since he hung up the skates, Ralph, 29, impressed owner Bob Kerzner, General Manager Gilles Richard and hockey operations consultant Rick Allain from the outset with his preparedness and professionalism. "The first thing that really impressed me was his presence. He wore a suit to the meeting. He carries himself extremely well. That first impression - how players will look at coaches and the media, how he carries himself - was extremely impressive for a guy of his age," Richard said. The image was just the beginning. As the group began its interview, they quickly found that Ralph had already formed a game plan for how he wanted to build the team. Team Goes For Youth In First CoachBy Billy Byler, Augusta Chronicle For the past three months, Augusta RiverHawks owner Bob Kerzner has spent his time building a minor league staff full of hockey veterans. At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Kerzner went in a different direction by introducing a new, youthful face to the staff. Brad Ralph, a 29-year-old Canadian less than two years removed from his playing days, was announced as the RiverHawks' first head coach. As a former Augusta Lynx team captain, the young coach is no stranger to James Brown Arena and the local hockey community. "I'm real excited to be back here in Augusta. I have a lot of fond memories playing here, and I was fortunate enough to meet my wife here," Ralph said. "October can't come fast enough." The RiverHawks will begin their inaugural season in the Southern Professional Hockey League in October. RiverHawks Hire Brad Ralph As Head CoachAUGUSTA, GA- The Augusta RiverHawks announced Wednesday that Brad Ralph has been named
the franchise's first Head Coach. Ralph was introduced at a press
conference at "Somewhere in Augusta" Wednesday afternoon at 2 pm. SPHL Releases Expansion Draft SelectionsCHARLOTTE, NC (May 19, 2010) - The Southern Professional Hockey League today released the six players selected by the Augusta RiverHawks in the 2010 SPHL Expansion Draft: Jeff Martens, Columbus Cottonmouths - The six-foot-two, 215-pound forward scored 19 points in 22 games with Columbus (8g, 11a) before being recalled to the ECHL's Johnstown Chiefs, where he posted seven goals, nine assists and 74 penalty minutes in 39 games. Chris Myers, Huntsville Havoc - The six-foot, 180-pound forward tallied 13 goals and 15 assists in 40 regular season games, before registering one goal in eight playoff games. Grant Farrell, Knoxville Ice Bears - The six-foot-one, 208-pound defenseman played 15 games with Knoxville (2g, 4a) before being recalled to the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays. Farrell scored a pair of goals and added 17 assists in 42 regular season games with the Stingrays and appeared in four post-season games, picking up six penalty minutes. Darcy Rees, Knoxville Ice Bears - The six-foot-five, 195-pound defenseman played in six regular season games with the Ice Bears, picking up a pair of assists and 24 penalty minutes. Ryan Bartle, Mississippi Surge - The six-foot-two, 215-pound defenseman was second in the SPHL with 272 penalty minutes in 54 regular season games. Bartle also appeared in six playoff games, picking up 29 penalty minutes. Kevin Galan, Pensacola Ice Flyers - The six-foot-one, 210-pound forward scored 16 points in 56 regular season games (10g, 6a) and added one goal in three playoff games. RiverHawks Expected To Name Head Coach WednesdayBy Billy Byler, Augusta Chronicle Augusta's minor league hockey team is one step closer to signing multiple players and introducing a head coach. The Augusta RiverHawks have decided on a head coach and will most likely announce the hiring Wednesday, a team official said. The team wrapped up its Southern Professional Hockey League expansion draft Saturday afternoon. General manager Gilles Richard drafted six unprotected players from teams throughout the league. Grant Farrell and Darcy Rees, a pair of Knoxville Ice Bears defensemen, were drafted, along with forwards Chris Myers (Huntsville), Jeff Martens (Columbus), Ryan Bartle (Mississippi) and Kevin Galan (Pensacola). The RiverHawks now own the SPHL rights to those players and must sign them to tryout agreements. The RiverHawks' training camp starts in October. "We had to have the draft picks into the league office by today," RiverHawks assistant general manager Ken Vezina said Saturday afternoon. "Now we're going to pursue a training camp agreement with each of them and go from there." New Hockey Team In Building ModeBy Billy Byler, Augusta Chronicle Each SPHL team had to turn in its list of 13 protected players by the weekend, leaving at least five from each squad unprotected. Those remaining names made the list that arrived in the inbox of RiverHawks general manager Gilles Richard on Tuesday morning. "I've got the names and where they're from," he said. "I can contact anybody on the list." The list of unprotected players came from the league's seven other teams, and SPHL commissioner Jim Combs said the RiverHawks have an opportunity to build a strong team with the 48 players made available to them. Eleven players are considered league veterans. "As I started to look through the list, I said, 'There's some pretty darn good players on here,'" Combs said. "The draft itself is pretty non-eventful. We give the team plenty of time to contact the players." The team has until May 15 to make its selections, a time span that Richard said will allow the RiverHawks to contact several players and find out if they're willing to help build a team in Augusta. SPHL Releases Players Available For Expansion DraftCHARLOTTE, NC (May 5, 2010) - The Southern Professional Hockey League today released the names of the players who have been made available for the 2010 expansion draft. The Augusta RiverHawks can select up to six players in the draft, but no more than two from a single team. Players not selected in the draft become free agents and may immediately sign with any team (except their previous team, which must wait until August 1 to re-sign any players not protected).
Columbus Andrew Dwyer, D Blake Miller, D Chad Rycroft, G Craig Stahl*, RW Jeff Martens, LW Joe Debello, D Tim Hockley, D
Fayetteville Bryan Bridges, G Corey Hessler*, D Emery Olauson*, F Lawne Snyder*, D Murray Free, C Nick Bydal, D
Huntsville Andrew Schembri, F Brett Liscomb, F Chris Myers, D Jeff Winchester, D Travis Kauffeldt, F Vladimir Hartinger*, D
Knoxville Chad Collins, G Darcy Rees, D Grant Farrell, D John Halverson, D Mike Kneeland, RW Rich Zalewski, D Taylor Hustead, RW Tim Vitek*, LW
Louisiana A.J. Bucchino, G Drew Baker, D Erik Kent, C Jimmy Spratt, G Matt Ruberto, D Matt Smyth, D Mike Omicioli*, F Nick Penula, F Scooter Smith*, F Tobias Karlsson,D
Mississippi Andrew Boudreau, F Dan Earles, G Daryl Moor*, D Ryan Bartle, D Tom Boudreau, F
Pensacola Anthony Monte, LW Baylor Dieter, D Jamie Gilbert, G Kevin Galan, RW Lorne Misita*, LW Paul Falco*, D * denotes veteran SPHL Commissioner Promoted, Signed Through 2012-13 SeasonCHARLOTTE, NC (May 4, 2010) – The Southern Professional Hockey League
today announced the league’s Board of Governors has signed Commissioner
Jim Combs to a three-year contract extension and named him league
president. |
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