| |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
RoughRiders Set Roster After Tryout Camp
|
|
|
RoughRiders Set Roster After Tryout Camp
<P>June 5, 2005- The Clark Cup Champion Cedar Rapids RoughRiders set a preliminary 25-player roster for the 2005-06 season at the conclusion of the club’s three day tryout camp today. </P>
<P>“Last season and in previous years we have had success when we’ve been able to put together a good combination of speed, skill and grit on our roster,” said RoughRiders coach and general manager Mark Carlson. “I think we have that kind of mix again. This is a skilled group but also one that should be tough to play against.”</P>
<P>The RoughRiders’ corps of veterans consists of forwards Phil Axtell, Jordan Pietrus, Ted Purcell, Kyle Solomon and Gary Steffes, defensemen Brent Cornelius, Chase Ryan and Kevin Wehrs and goaltender Alex Stalock. </P>
<P>Purcell, who was not at tryout camp, set a club record with 67 points last season, while Stalock was named the Most Valuable Player of the Clark Cup playoffs after backstopping the Riders to the first United States Hockey League title in team history.</P>
<P>The Riders next season will do without the services of forwards Erik Felde and Hunter Bishop and defenseman Alec Martinez, all of whom played for the team in 2004-05. Martinez will begin his college career at Miami of Ohio in the fall, while Felde and Bishop are expected to skate in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League next season. </P>
<P>Nine players selected by the RoughRiders in last month’s USHL draft made the roster: forwards Ray Kaunisto, Jacob Cepis, Chad Costello, Phil Fox, Aaron Bendickson and Ian Slater, defensemen Scott Wietecha and Brett Dickinson and goaltender Pat McGann.</P>
<P>Veteran USHL defensemen Jeff Carlson and Evan Stephens also made the roster. Carlson split last season between the Green Bay Gamblers and Tri-City Storm while Stephens patrolled the blue line for the Sioux Falls Stampede last year.</P>
<P>Forwards Dustin Cloutier, Andy Miele and Nick Grasso and defensemen Steven Kaunisto and Matt Miller round out the Rider roster. Cloutier and Miele were added to the Riders’ protected list last week, while Grasso, Steven Kaunisto and Miller staked their claims to roster spots with strong play at camp this weekend.</P>
<P>Cloutier, 19, scored 13 goals and totaled 36 points in 45 games with the Sarnia Blast of the Ontario Hockey Association’s Western Junior B League last season. Cloutier is originally from Berkley, Michigan.</P>
<P>Miele, 17, was a prolific scorer in midget hockey last season. The Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, native scored 41 times and rang up 101 points for Detroit powerhouse Little Caesar’s in 2004-05.</P>
<P>Grasso (9-30-39) finished sixth in assists in the Atlantic Junior (B) Hockey League while playing for the New York Bobcats last season. The 17-year old is a native of Smithtown, New York.</P>
<P>Miller, 17, also skated in the AJHL last season, scoring six goals and totaling 12 points in 33 games with the New Jersey Rockets. </P>
<P>Steven Kaunisto (the cousin of forward Ray Kaunisto) had one goal and six points in 41 games with the Soo Indians of the junior A North American Hockey League last year. The 18-year old Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, native was also a teammate of his cousin last season.</P>
<P>Per USHL rules, the RoughRiders can carry 25 players on their protected list until late September, when they are required to reduce their roster to 23 players just prior to the start of the 2005-06 regular season.</P>
<P>Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Roster</P>
<P> </P>
<TABLE>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD>Name</TD>
<TD>P</TD>
<TD>Ht/Wt</TD>
<TD>DOB</TD>
<TD>Last Team</TD>
<TD>Hometown</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Phil Axtell</TD>
<TD>F</TD>
<TD>6-5½/238</TD>
<TD>8/13/86</TD>
<TD>RoughRiders</TD>
<TD>New Windsor, MD</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Aaron Bendickson</TD>
<TD>F</TD>
<TD>5-11/170</TD>
<TD>2/1/86</TD>
<TD>Bismarck Bobcats</TD>
<TD>Thief River Falls, MN</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Jeff Carlson</TD>
<TD>D</TD>
<TD>6-2/200</TD>
<TD>5/19/86</TD>
<TD>Tri-City Storm</TD>
<TD>Richfield, MN</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Jacob Cepis</TD>
<TD>F</TD>
<TD>5-7/150</TD>
<TD>12/21/87</TD>
<TD>Cleveland Barons</TD>
<TD>Parma, OH</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Dustin Cloutier</TD>
<TD>F</TD>
<TD>5-10/175</TD>
<TD>4/26/86</TD>
<TD>Sarnia Blast</TD>
<TD>Berkley, MI</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Brent Cornelius</TD>
<TD>D</TD>
<TD>5-11½/160</TD>
<TD>2/20/87</TD>
<TD>RoughRiders</TD>
<TD>Fairbanks, AK</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Chad Costello</TD>
<TD>F</TD>
<TD>5-9/170</TD>
<TD>7/22/86</TD>
<TD>Wichita Falls Wildcats</TD>
<TD>Johnston, IA</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Brett Dickinson</TD>
<TD>D</TD>
<TD>5-11/195</TD>
<TD>3/11/86</TD>
<TD>Mercer Chiefs midget AAA</TD>
<TD>Furlong, PA</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Phil Fox</TD>
<TD>F</TD>
<TD>5-11/205</TD>
<TD>8/17/85</TD>
<TD>Fargo-Moorhead Jets</TD>
<TD>Stillwater, MN</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Nick Grasso</TD>
<TD>F</TD>
<TD>6-1/170</TD>
<TD>4/88</TD>
<TD>New York Bobcats</TD>
<TD>Smithtown, NY</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Ray Kaunisto</TD>
<TD>F</TD>
<TD>6-4/185</TD>
<TD>2/7/87</TD>
<TD>Soo Indians</TD>
<TD>Sault Ste. Marie, MI</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Steven Kaunisto</TD>
<TD>D</TD>
<TD>5-11/170</TD>
<TD>10/2/86</TD>
<TD>Soo Indians</TD>
<TD>Sault Ste. Marie, MI</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Pat McGann</TD>
<TD>G</TD>
<TD>5-11/160</TD>
<TD>1/27/87</TD>
<TD>Team Illinois midget AAA</TD>
<TD>Evergreen Park, IL</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Andy Miele</TD>
<TD>F</TD>
<TD>5-8/150</TD>
<TD>4/15/88</TD>
<TD>Little Caesar’s midget AAA</TD>
<TD>Grosse Pointe Woods, MI</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Matt Miller</TD>
<TD>D</TD>
<TD>6-1/180</TD>
<TD>7/87</TD>
<TD>New Jersey Rockets</TD>
<TD>Bayonne, NJ</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Jordan Pietrus</TD>
<TD>F</TD>
<TD>5-10/180</TD>
<TD>9/20/85</TD>
<TD>RoughRiders</TD>
<TD>Winnipeg, MB</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Ted Purcell</TD>
<TD>F</TD>
<TD>6-2/172</TD>
<TD>9/8/85</TD>
<TD>RoughRiders</TD>
<TD>St. John’s, NF</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Chase Ryan</TD>
<TD>D</TD>
<TD>6-1½/198</TD>
<TD>11/9/86</TD>
<TD>RoughRiders</TD>
<TD>Algonquin, IL</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Ian Slater</TD>
<TD>F</TD>
<TD>6-1/185</TD>
<TD>4/18/88</TD>
<TD>Madison Capitols midget AAA</TD>
<TD>Satellite Beach, FL</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Kyle Solomon</TD>
<TD>F</TD>
<TD>5-10/172</TD>
<TD>8/21/87</TD>
<TD>RoughRiders</TD>
<TD>Aragansette, NY</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Alex Stalock</TD>
<TD>G</TD>
<TD>5-11/170</TD>
<TD>7/28/87</TD>
<TD>RoughRiders</TD>
<TD>St. Paul, MN</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Gary Steffes</TD>
<TD>F</TD>
<TD>6-1/190</TD>
<TD>5/20/87</TD>
<TD>RoughRiders</TD>
<TD>Grand Blanc, MI</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Evan Stephens</TD>
<TD>D</TD>
<TD>6-0/180</TD>
<TD>12/7/87</TD>
<TD>Sioux Falls Stampede</TD>
<TD>Bessemer, MI</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Kevin Wehrs</TD>
<TD>D</TD>
<TD>5-9/165</TD>
<TD>4/7/88</TD>
<TD>RoughRiders</TD>
<TD>Plymouth, MN</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Scott Wietecha</TD>
<TD>D</TD>
<TD>6-1/205</TD>
<TD>10/19/87</TD>
<TD>Victory Honda midget AAA</TD>
<TD>Wolverine Lake, MI</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> |
Posted on Sunday, June 05, 2005 (Archive on Sunday, June 05, 2005)
| | Return |
|
|
 |
|
|
| |
| Copyright (c) 2008 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders |
|
|
|
|