Sunday, September 7, 2008

Roster Update

ICE have 27 players on the roster.

3 Goalies - Kris Lazaruk (20), Thomas Heemskerk (18), Nathan Lieuwen (17)
8 Defensemen - Ian Barteaux (20), Eric Frere (20), John Negrin (19), Brayden Mcnabb (17), Hayden Rintoul (17), Cason Machacek (17), Joey Leach (16), Tyler Vanscourt (16)
16 Forwards - Andrew Bailey (20), Dustin Sylvester (19), Tylan Stephens (19), Michael Stickland (19), Ales Frieb (19), Matt Fraser (18), Kevin King (18), Steele Boomer (18), Kris Foucault (18), Dominek Pacovsky (18), Joe Antilla (17), Michael Cassivi (17), Jesse Ismond (17), Jordan Bauer (17), Drew Czerwonka (16), Max Reinhart (16)

Overagers - Lazaruk, Barteaux, Frere, Bailey

Usually the club has 22 players on their final roster but may go with 23 this season.

The club will be making a trade as they have 4 quality overagers and are only allowed 3. Based on the depth chart the club needs to keep the defensemen but have many options at forward and goaltending.

My rankings based on training camp and 2 preseason games.
Goalies - 1. Heemskerk 2. tie Liewen-Lazaruk
One has to go.
Defense - Top 4 are the vets Negrin, Barteaux, Frere & McNabb
5. Rintoul 6. Machacek 7. Leach 8. Vanscourt
All 8 could stay unless they trade for a defenseman. Negrin's expected long visit at Flames camp is a concern.
Forwards - 8 players who ended last season with the club lead the way in Bailey, Sylvester, Stephens, Stickland, Fraser, King, Boomer & Foucault. The 2 rookie imports Frieb and Pacovsky make it 10 guys who can all play in the top 3 lines.
That leaves 6 guys competing for 3 or 4 spots. If the club keeps the 2 16-year-olds in Reinhart & Czerwonka that leaves 4 17-year-olds Cassivi, Ismond, Bauer & Antilla battling for 1 or 2 spots.