The Hall of Fame is Calling - Time for the Allen Americans to Nominate Riley Gill and Chad Costello

 I am about to embark on a nature trip to the Pantanal Region of South America with my blog proofreader, aka my lovely wife. The Pantanal is the largest wetland in the world at over 75,000 square miles. The majority of this ecosystem lies within Brazil's borders but it also has parts in Bolivia and Paraguay. While the Amazon is more famous, the Pantanal is home to the greatest wildlife concentrations on the South American continent. In addition to the many bird species we will see on this adventure, we will hopefully see everything from the Giant Anteater, Ocelots, Tapirs, Pumas, River Otters, Anacondas, Caiman, Capybara and hopefully the elusive Jaguar.

 

- Since I will be mostly off the grid until early September, I will likely miss some important announcements regarding the Allen Americans. I expect by the time I return Allen's new affiliation will be announced, the Americans new assistant coach will be announced and several key players, both new and returning will be announced. Will be some very exciting news over the next three weeks. 

 

- I will also miss the 3ICE playoffs on Saturday. Chad Costello's team (Team Trottier/Blue Team) is the second seed and Jack Combs' team (Team LeClair/Black Team) is the third seed. That means they will play each other in the opening round (one game) in Las Vegas with the winner advancing to the championship finals and a chance to win $137,000 (each player). It is guaranteed either Jack or Chad will be playing for $137,000 on Saturday. 

 

- For the last blog before I head to South American I wanted to share my thoughts on the ECHL Hall of Fame process, which is currently in its annual nomination process. I am not sure what, if any, plans the Allen Americans have to submit nominations for 2023 but here is my take: 

 

- The Allen Americans won back to back Kelly Cup championships in 2015 and 2016 with two players that are locks to be in the ECHL Hall of Fame. A while back I contacted the ECHL to find out the process for selection to the ECHL Hall of Fame. Here is that process. 

 "We send out nomination forms to each team on August 1st of each year and the nominations are due into the league office by the Tuesday after Labor Day. At some point in late September or early October, the Hall of Fame Committee will have its initial meeting to discuss the candidates that have been nominated. Often times it takes two meetings to finalize the induction class."

"Only members of the selection committee, the Board of Governors, teams or persons affiliated with the ECHL may submit official nominations, which must be made in writing to the league office. Fans are encouraged to contact their team to propose names for nomination.    

 

- I have read accounts of ECHL teams long quest to get players into the Hall of Fame. It often takes several years of submitting a nomination before success, after all it is a subjective process and it is an exclusive club. 

- I think it is time for the Allen Americans to start the trek to the Hall of Fame for Riley Gill and Chad Costello. Gill's last ECHL game was in 2017 so it is clear he is done playing. Unfortunately his career was cut short when he was injured in his second game of the season on October 21, 2017. That would end up being the last game of his illustrious career.

 

- While Costello just retired to become coach and general manager of the Americans, he is still playing at a high level of pro hockey as evidenced by the fact he is one of four finalists for the 3ICE MVP. Some may say his Hall of Fame nomination should wait, but I say his ECHL stats are so compelling he should also be nominated this year.   

 

- Here is my case for the Gill and Costello

RILEY GILL

-  Riley was always good for Allen in the regular season, winning Goalie of the Year, leading the league in save percentage and leading the league in shutouts. Gill had two 30 wins seasons during his time in Allen. With all of his success during the regular season, Gill was made for playoff hockey. During his career he was in three Kelly Cup finals and won all three. For his first Kelly Cup (2013) with Reading he started the season in the SPHL and didn't join the Royals until the end of February. He went on to lead Reading to the Kelly Cup with a playoff GAA of 1.91 and save percentage of .930. His record was 13-3-1 and included four shutouts with two of the shutouts in the finals. For his effort he was named Kelly Cup playoff MVP.

 

Riley Gill - only goalie in ECHL history with 3 Kelly Cups

 

- This quote from coach Steve Martinson captures what Riley brought to the Americans. "It's nice to know you have a veteran back there who can step up when you need him, he gives you peace of mind." In 2015 Gill won game seven in the Western Conference finals over Ontario and game seven in the Kelly Cup finals over South Carolina.  

Action Shot - photo by Dianne Webster

 

- Gill owns almost every Allen goalie record, both regular season and playoffs and several ECHL all time playoff records. Here are the ECHL career goalie records that Riley ranks #1 all time:

90 - most playoff game appearances: Allen (51), Reading (20), Kalamazoo (19).

5094 - most playoff minutes played: Allen (2771), Reading (1274), Kalamazoo (1049)

53 - most playoff wins: Allen (30), Reading (14), Kalamazoo (9)

11 - most wins in Kelly Cup finals: Allen (7), Reading (4) 

 

CHAD COSTELLO

- Some (including Chad) may feel it is too soon for a Hall of Fame nomination since he just retired and is still playing pro hockey (3ICE) and could very well continue playing next summer. Chad told me the Americans should focus on Riley Gill's nomination. With that said, here are just a few of the reasons Costello is already Hall of Fame worthy:

 

- In August of 2018 the ECHL came out with the 30 greatest players in ECHL history. Chad was ranked #9 which was way too low in my opinion but quite an honor all the same. He is the only player in the top 10 not already in the ECHL Hall of Fame.

 

- In the history of the ECHL a player has won the scoring title by more than 20 points just six times. Three of the six are owned by Chad Costello. The other three happened in the 1990's. In 2014-15 Costello scored 125 points and won the scoring title by 45 points, the largest margin in ECHL history. He won the scoring title by 34 points in 2016-17 and 23 points in 2015-16.

 

- Costello has won the ECHL MVP award three times, the only player in history to win it more than once. He won back to back in 2016-17 and 2015-16. His third MVP was with Colorado in 2011-12.  

 

- Chad won back to back Kelly Cups with Allen in 2015 and 2016. In 2016 he became the only player in ECHL history to win both the regular season and post season MVP awards.

Chad Costello - 2016 league and playoff  MVP

 

 - The bottom line is Chad Costello is a lock for the ECHL Hall of Fame and if compared to his peers is the greatest player in the history of the league in my opinion. To have one Hall of Fame player on a roster is unusual, to have two as Allen did on its back to back Kelly Cups is quite an honor for the Americans. I know it won't happen but it would be great to see Riley Gill and Chad Costello got into the ECHL Hall of Fame together.

 

 - If you have an opinion on the Hall of Fame nominations I point you to the guidance from the ECHL on the nomination process, "Fans are encouraged to contact their team to propose names for nomination."

 

Allen Americans Weekly Update - Team Adds Two Players, Trade Kneen, Costello and Combs Reach #ICE Playoffs, Affiliation and Assistant Coach Close and More

 

The Allen Americans announced two more players for the 2022-23 roster yesterday with the addition of forwards Justin Young and Alex Aleardi. Young returns to the Americans for his rookie season after joining Allen for seven games at the conclusion of his collegiate career last season. Aleardi was acquired from Florida in a trade that sent defenseman Nolan Kneen to the Everblades. More on Young and Aleardi later.

 

- Here is the current announced Allen roster which is now at 10 players.. Remember, many more players are signed but not announced.

Goalies - None

Defensemen - 

• Nick Albano
• Lord-Anthony Grissom  
   

Forwards

• Jackson Leppard
• Jared Bethune (F/D)
• Zach Pochiro 
• Hank Crone
• Marcel Godbout
• Justin Young
• Alex Aleardi
  

- No changes on the status of the seven players qualified by Allen. 

• Ben Carroll - signed in Denmark
  
• Kris Myllari - unsigned
  
• Darian Skeoch - rights traded to Savannah
  
• Jake Kearley - unsigned
  
• Chad Butcher - signed in Northern Ireland
  
• Colby McAuley - signed in Northern Ireland
  
• J.D.Dudek - unsigned

 

-  Justin Young was one of several players I wrote about a month ago:

The third group of players from last season you have to assume are already signed include the following list. If they are not signed they are free agents and can sign with any ECHL team. My guess is they will be back with the Americans:

• Spencer Asuchak
• Jack Combs
• Nolan Kneen
• Luke Peressini
• Justin Young

Young signed with Allen last April after finishing his collegiate career at American International College. He played in 12 games for Allen (7 regular season and 5 playoff) and tallied two assists. He was primarily used in a defensive role, often playing against the opponents top line. As Chad Costello said in the press release on Young's signing, "He came in last season and made an immediate impact. With his great speed, we expect him to have an even bigger role this season." 

Young is a rookie but he is 24 and has plenty of experience with his four year junior and college career and he has been a scorer. Over his 167 games in junior hockey (AJHL) he had 157 points (66G, 91A) and last season at American International he was second on the team in scoring with 31 points (12G, 19A) in 36 games and led all forwards with a plus/minus of +18. You can also look for Young to have a key role on the penalty kill.

Here is the press release from the Americans with more info on Justin Young:  https://allenamericans.com/media/americans-bring-back-rookie-forward-justin-young/

 

-  The Kneen for Aleardi trade is interesting from a couple of different perspectives. The fact that Aleardi was even available is a head scratcher. He was a key member of the Florida Everblades Kelly Cup championship team last season. He was the second leading goal scorer on the team in the regular season with 31 goals in 61 games. His .51 goals per game led the team. Aleardi had 26 even strength goals which was second in the entire league. He had another eight goals in the playoffs which was also second on the team. There is no doubt Aleardi will be an impact player for the Americans. 

This trade raised two questions in my mind. Why was he traded and is there any chance he will forego Allen and sign in Europe? I bring up Europe because prior to last season, Aleardi had spent five seasons in Europe (2015-2021). I am sure coach Costello had this all figured out before he made the trade and made the call to go ahead.

 

- The loss of Kneen in the trade with Florida has the Americans with just two announced defensemen and several of you have raised a concern about shoring up the blue line. Between players Costello has recruited from 3ICE, a highly recruited college player and unsigned players from last season, he is comfortable where he is at with defensemen.

 

- In talking to general manager Costello this week it is clear good news is quickly approaching regarding an affiliation, an assistant coach and the mix of rookies and veterans that will be part of the 2022-23 Allen team. From my perspective everything is falling into place better than expected. The 2022-23 Allen team is shaping up to be a fast, skilled, hard working team, but as in the past will have plenty of toughness and grit as well.

 

- If you haven't been following 3ICE,  the regular season concluded last Saturday in Nashville and now it is on to the playoffs which take place in Las Vegas on August 20. The top four teams in the league qualify for the playoffs. Chad Costello's team (Team Trottier/Blue Team) is the second seed and Jack Combs' team (Team LeClair/Black Team) is the third seed. That means they will play each other in the opening round (one game) in Las Vegas with the winner advancing to the championship finals and a chance to win $137,000 (each player). It is guaranteed either Jack or Chad will be playing for $137,000 on the 20th. From what I understand the playoffs will be broadcast live on regular TV on CBS. (Channel 11 in Dallas).  

 

- Today is the last day to vote for the 3ICE awards. Chad Costello is up for the league MVP. It is quite an honor to be one of the four players in the league nominated for the MVP award which will be announced in Las Vegas. If you haven't voted go to  3ice.com/vote  and vote with every email address you can (one vote per email address).  

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: Here are the ECHL teams with the most and fewest fighting majors last season (2021-22). Seems like neither extreme spells success. Allen was ranked #7 with 38 fighting majors.

 

Most

50 - Iowa*

50 - Norfolk*

45 - Wheeling

 

Fewest

12 - Tulsa

19 - Worcester*

19 - Kalamazoo*

 

*Did not make playoffs

 

FYI, Kelly Cup champion, Florida, had 30 fighting majors and runner up, Toledo, had 27 fighting majors. 

Allen Americans Weekly Update

 

A quick update on all things Allen Americans:

 

- Here is the current announced Allen roster. Remember, many more players are signed but not announced. I will update this list at 11:30 when Allen will announce two more players. Per coach Costello, these will be new players to the roster, not returning players. UPDATE: Allen adds Marcel Godbout and Lord-Anthony Grissom.

Goalies - None

Defensemen - 

• Nick Albano
• Nolan Kneen
• Lord-Anthony Grissom - Won SPHL championship with Peoria in 2021-22 after finishing his collegiate career at Aurora University where he was team captain for two seasons. At 6'4 and 250 pounds he will be an imposing presence on the ice. He was also on the NCAA All-Academic team in college. 
   

Forwards

• Jackson Leppard
• Jared Bethune (F/D)
• Zach Pochiro 
• Hank Crone
• Marcel Godbout - Won SPHL championship with Peoria in 2021-22 while scoring 61 points (33G, 28A) in 50 games. Selected as SPHL Rookie of the Year.
  

- Status on seven players qualified by Allen. 

• Ben Carroll - signed in Denmark
  
• Kris Myllari - unsigned
  
• Darian Skeoch - rights traded to Savannah
  
• Jake Kearley - unsigned
  
• Chad Butcher - signed in Northern Ireland
  
• Colby McAuley - signed in Northern Ireland
  
• J.D.Dudek - unsigned

- I have had some questions about the Darian Skeoch trade. My understanding is the Henderson Silver Knights (AHL) wanted to sign him to a two way AHL/ECHL contract but only if Allen would trade his rights, so if he was sent to the ECHL it would be to their ECHL affiliate (Savannah Ghost Pirates). Coach Costello wasn't going to stand in the way of a player getting an AHL deal. His exact quote to me, "I didn't want to lose Skeoch, but doing the right thing for the players is more important to me." The good news is Costello was able to negotiate fair value for trading Skeoch's rights. 

- I know I say this every week but in talking to Costello it is clear he is very close on two big ticket items he has been working on since he was named coach and general manager. Signing an assistant coach and an affiliation agreement. 

 

- Matt Register has signed with Idaho after playing in Europe last season and winning a championship. Since Matt first played in the ECHL in 2012-13 he has 19 more goals (91) than any other defenseman, 90 more assists (283). He will be adding to his Hall of Fame career in 2022-23 with the Steelheads. An ECHL career which includes three Kelly Cups and three Defenseman of the Year awards. 

 

- 3ICE (3-on-3 pro hockey) is down to the final regular season tournament this Saturday in Nashville. The top four teams after this weekend will go to the championship tournament in Las Vegas on August 20, with a chance to make some serious coin ($100,000+). Costello's team (Team Trottier) will be in the championship tournament no matter how they do in Nashville. Jack Combs' team still has a chance but will need a good result in Nashville. Here are the current standings. Teams can earn a maximum of six points if they win the tournament in Nashville.

• 26 points - Team Mullen
• 15 points - Team Trottier (Chad Costello)
• 10 points - Team Murphy
• 10 points - Team Carbonneau
• 8 points - Team LeClair (Jack Combs)
• 1 point - Team Fuhr. 

 

- Combs is tied for fourth in the league with 16 goals in 14 games. Costello has 12 goals and 12 assists in 12 games. He is one of only two players in the league averaging a goal and an assist per game. 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: How much has goal scoring changed in the ECHL? In the 34 year history of league, 50 goals in a single season have been scored 42 times. All but two of them were prior to 2000. Here are the two exceptions:

 

2008-09: Kevin Baker, Florida Everblades (57 goals)

2000-01: Andrew Williamson, Toledo Storm (52 goals)

 

The most goals scored in the last 10 ECHL seasons is 44 which was accomplished twice. Gary Steffes (Allen) scored 44 goals in 2014-15 and Mickey Lang (Orlando & Fort Wayne) scored 44 goals in 2013-14.

 

 

   

 

Steve and Michelle Martinson Update - A New Adventure Outside of Hockey

 

Not a day goes by that I don't get asked for an update on Steve and Michelle Martinson, It has been a month since Martinson's coaching contract with the Allen Americans ended. Steve and Michelle have been spending time at their home on the Rock River in Rockford, IL. 

 

As disappointing as it was for coach Martinson to not get a contract extension, the time spent in Rockford has given the Martinson's time to reflect on what they want to do going forward. Every ending is also a new beginning.

 

Anyone close to the Martinsons knows they have been talking for years about starting their own business they could grow after they were done with hockey. Michelle has many years of sales and marketing experience including running the Allen Americans Team Store the last five years. 

 

Steve Martinson just finished his 26th season as a head coach in AA hockey. It wasn’t the journey he planned after a 14-year playing career that covered leagues from the NHL, AHL, IHL and CHL. After his playing career was over, Martinson, whose college major was in business, went to work as a financial advisor for Smith Barney. He was coaching roller hockey in his spare time when San Diego brought minor league hockey to town in 1995. Martinson was recruited to coach the Gulls. He won the WCHL championship in each of his first three seasons. Ten championships later, including four straight in Allen, and with 1123 regular season wins under his belt, Martinson is the second winningest pro hockey coach in history. Martinson has won championships in four different leagues (WCHL, UHL, CHL, ECHL). 

 

The Martinson's have made the decision to leave hockey and living in apartments during the season, to move home and become their own boss. They have started their own business in the solar industry called American Family Solar, LLC. This opportunity came through contacts in Texas who have over 40 years experience in the industry. They will be doing business in Texas, Illinois and eventually Minnesota. Their market is residential homeowners looking for solar applications. 

 

As a coach and general manager, Steve Martinson was all in all the time. If you combine that work ethic with his business acumen along with Michelle's attention to detail and customer service, there is little doubt they will be successful in this new adventure. If you didn't get a chance to say goodbye to Steve and Michelle or want to talk to them about the new business and wish them well, here is their contact information. I am sure they would love to hear from you:

• 214-425-8968 -  Steve
• 815-975-4360 - Michelle
  
• Americanfamilysolar@gmail.com

- Also, the Martinson's will be spending time in Texas with the new business. A get together for Allen fans they didn't have a chance to say goodbye to will be planned on one of their trips to Texas.  

 

 DID YOU KNOW: What did Steve Martinson accomplish in his 10 seasons as the coach and general manager for the Allen Americans. Here are the regular season finishes for all 10 seasons. The number rank is among all teams in the league:

• 2021-22: 10th
• 2020-21: 1st (in points), 2nd (points percentage)
• 2019-20: 3rd
  
• 2018-19: 27th
• 2017-18: 13th
• 2016-17: 2nd
• 2015-16: 5th*
• 2014-15: 2nd*
  
• 2013-14: 3rd*
• 2012-13: 1st*

*Won Championship

Past and Present Player News, Plus Chad Costello Coach's Corner

 

Noticed a lot of player announcements the last few days, past and present, near and far, so thought I would share some of them for those that don't keep up on a daily basis. 

 

HANK CRONE - The Allen Americans announced the signing of rookie forward Hank Crone yesterday. A local product who just graduated from Northern Michigan University (NMU) where he had 44 points (13G, 31A) in 32 games last season. Here are some details about Crone:

• Allen Americans press release: https://allenamericans.com/media/americans-sign-dfw-born-forward/  
• Story about Crone's signing from The Morning Skate: https://morning-skate.com/2022/07/19/echls-allen-americans-sign-homegrown-talent/
•  Story from March, 2022, "Former Cedar Hill Resident Has NHL Dreams"  https://www.focusdailynews.com/former-cedar-hill-resident-has-nhl-dreams/

 

- Here is the current announced Allen roster. Remember, many more players are signed but not announced:

Goalies - None

Defensemen - 

• Nick Albano
   

Forwards

• Jackson Leppard
• Jared Bethune (F/D)
• Zach Pochiro 
• Hank Crone

 

 BEN CARROLL - Ben has signed to play in Denmark for the Aalborg Pirates. Aalborg won the league championship last season. Carroll was one of seven players given qualifying offers so Allen will retain his rights for the upcoming season.  

Three of the seven players given qualifying offers (Carroll, McAuley, Butcher) have signed in Europe. The other four (Myllari, Skeoch, Kearley, Dudek) are still unsigned.

 

JOSH LAMMON -  After spending one year in Europe and winning the EIHL playoff championship with the Cardiff Devils, Josh Lammon has returned to the ECHL, joining the Kansas City Mavericks. Josh played two seasons in Allen before heading to Europe and in 121 games had 63 points (20G, 43A). 

COLTON YELLOW HORN - Colton just signed with the Coventry Blaze (EIHL) in Great Britain after playing for the Glasgow Clan (EIHL) last season. He played on the very first Allen team in 2009-10 and played three seasons for the Americans. The 35 year old turned pro in 2008-09 and has played for at least 15 pro teams all over the world, from Japan to Romania to Scotland to Czechia to Slovakia. The only player to ever have more points and assists in a single season than Yellow Horn in Allen franchise history is Chad Costello. Colton played in 167 games in his three seasons in Allen which is #16 all time. He is #7 in goals (67), #7 in assists (111) and #6 in points (178). 

TANNER EBERLE - I haven't seen this officially but the rumor is Tanner Eberle is also returning to the ECHL after spending the last four seasons in the EIHL with the Sheffield Steelers. Tanner played part of three seasons in Allen. He has supposedly signed with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.

PHIL BEAULIEU - Phil has supposedly signed with the Worcester Railers. Phil was traded to Worcester as the future consideration that brought defenseman Nick Albano to Allen, so it makes sense he has signed with the Railers. 

 

- I have always had a "Coach's Corner" section of the blog for quotes from the coach when we have conversations after practice, games and when the team is on the road. The alliteration with Chad Costello Coach's Corner cries out for a name like 4C's or Quad C's for this section of the blog. I did talk to coach Costello last night and got a couple of gems:

"3ICE has been a great place for me to network and recruit."

"I am hopeful we will be having some big news on signings and affiliation very shortly."

 

DID YOU KNOW: Chad Costello owns Allen's top three seasons in points and assists, but another impressive stat from his time in Allen has to do with plus/minus. Did you know in the history of the Allen franchise, just two players have ever finished a season with a plus/minus above +40:

• +47: Joel Chouinard, 2016-17 (led the ECHL)
  
• +43: Chad Costello, 2014-15 (#3 in the ECHL)  
  

Allen Americans Week in Review - Zach Pochiro Returns, Qualifying Offers Expire, Jack Combs Last 12 Days, 3ICE Update and More

 

-  The number of Allen Americans announced signings increased to four this week with the addition of forward Zach Pochiro. Zach is the first player announced that wasn't on the roster last season, but he is no stranger to Allen fans, having played for the Americans in 2017-18 and 2018-19. In his two seasons in Allen, Pochiro played in 105 games and scored 52 goals. In the history of the Allen franchise only two players have a better goals per game average (minimum 100 games).  

• .527 - Bruce Graham
• .503 - Greger Hanson
• .495 - Zach Pochiro

 

- Here is the press release from the Allen Americans on the Zach Pochiro signing:  https://allenamericans.com/media/zach-pochiro-returns-to-the-americans/

- Here is the current announced Allen roster. Remember, many more players are signed but not announced:

Goalies - None

Defensemen - 

• Nick Albano
   

Forwards

• Jackson Leppard
• Jared Bethune (F/D)
• Zach Pochiro
  

 

 

- The time period for signing players given qualifying offers expired on Friday. In talking to coach Costello he verified that none of the seven players given qualifying offers signed prior to the deadline. Here are the seven:

• Ben Carroll
• Kris Myllari
• Darian Skeoch
  
• Jake Kearley
• Chad Butcher
• Colby McAuley
• J.D.Dudek 

It is important to remember not signing a qualifying doesn't mean much. Allen retains the ECHL rights to all of these players for the 2022-23 season and can sign them at any time and salary. None have signed elsewhere except McAuley and Butcher, who signed with the same team (Belfast Giants) in the EIHL. The other players are still looking at opportunities in the AHL and/or Europe. There is little doubt in my mind one or more of these players will eventually sign with Allen. 

 

 

- Nothing new to report on an affiliation or AHL training camp slots but each week I check in with Costello he sounds more optimistic in the outcome of this arduous process. He feels confident something will get done soon. Stay tuned.

 

 

 

3ICE

 

- It was off to London, Ontario for Chad Costello and Jack Combs as they competed in the fifth weekly tournament of the 3ICE eight week regular season. Chad's team made it to the second round of the tournament even though they lost in the first round. There are six teams in the league so the three first round winners plus the loser with the most goals scored advance. Chad's team (Team Trottier) lost to Jack's team (Team LeClair) 9-4 in the opening round but the four goals scored in a losing cause was enough to advance to the second round. 

 

 

- The tournament results had Chad's team eliminated in the second round and Jack's team losing in the championship final in a shootout. 3ICE shootouts are only one round so it is basically sudden death. 

 

 

- It was quite a tournament for Jack Combs who had seven goals in three games including hat tricks in the first and second round. Jack is second in the league in goals with 13. Combs is also fifth in the league in points with 17.

 

 

- Chad's team is still holding on to a slim lead for second place in the league and he is ranked #4 in assists (9) and #6 in points (16). 

 

 

- The 3ICE tournament next Saturday will be in Pittsburgh (2:00 pm CDT). You can watch it on CBS Sports Network.

 

 

JACK COMBS

- It is a foregone conclusion that Jack Combs will be back with the Allen Americans for the 2022-23 season though nothing has been announced. Talk about staying in game shape and travel shape for the upcoming ECHL season, check out Jack's schedule the last 12 days.

• July 6 - drove from his home (St. Louis) to Alabama for the World Inline Hockey Tournament. Jack has been on the USA team for many years.
• July 7 - World Tournament Opening Ceremonies
• July 8 - USA wins against Canada
• July 9 - Fly from Birmingham to Hershey, PA for 3ICE tournament. Jack's team wins 8-4 in the first round but loses in the second round
• July 10 - Fly back to Alabama, USA wins against Columbia
• July 11 - USA wins against Italy in semifinals
• July 12 - USA wins gold medal with a 2-1 OT victory over defending champion Czech Republic
• July 13 - Drive back home to St. Louis from Birmingham
• July 14 - Day off
• July 15 - Fly from St. Louis to Detroit, drive 120 miles to London, Ontario
• July 16 - Play three games in 3ICE tournament, lose in championship finals
• July 17 - Drive back to Detroit, fly back to St. Louis.
   

If you add it all together you are talking about nine games in 12 days, scoring double digit goals and traveling close to 4000 miles. Now that is a guy that still loves hockey in all forms. Last season for the Americans, Jack was second in scoring with 62 points (21G, 41A) in 60 games and was also second on the team in plus/minus (+15). 

 

 

 

ZACH POCHIRO

 

- In 2018-19 Zach Pochiro led to Allen Americans with 34 goals which placed him #3 among goal scorers in the ECHL that season. His 34 goals is also tied for #4 in franchise history for goals scored in a single season. Here are the top three:

• 44 goals - Gary Steffes (2014-15)
• 41 goals - Chad Costello (2014-15) 
• 35 goals - Greger Hanson (2016-17)
     

-  When players return to the Americans it is always fun to look back in the archives to see what I wrote about when they first arrived in Allen. Here is the blog from September, 2017 talking about Zach Pochiro.

ZACH POCHIRO: Zach is a 23 year old 6'2" forward that weighs 200 pounds. He was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the fourth round (#112 overall) in the 2013 NHL draft. He played two years in the WHL for the Prince George Cougars before signing a three year professional contract with St. Louis. But after playing a few pro games for Kalamazoo Wings in 2013-14 and Alaska Aces in 2014-15 he was sent back to juniors (Prince George) as a 20 year old. Here is a video that gives some background.

Here is another story that gives you some background on Zach: https://www.nhl.com/blues/news/pochiro-out-to-prove-hes-no-gamble/c-725775



What kind of player will Zach be for the Allen Americans. Here is one scouting report (McKeen's) prior to Zach being drafted by St. Louis that gives you a good idea of the type of player he is. Pochiro is an energetic hard working center that shows a good mix of speed, grit and skill. A good intense skater that reaches a top gear fast and boasts a terrific lateral step. Not belligerent yet ultra aggressive and fearless. Will sacrifice himself diving in front of pucks on the penalty kill and is a willing combatant.

There are many examples of talented forwards that seem to thrive in the Steve Martinson system and have increased production when playing for Allen. Jonathan Lessard, Gary Steffes, Spencer Asuchak and Bryan Moore are good examples. Zach Pochiro could be that kind of player this season. He played in Norfolk last season on one of the worst teams in the league and scored just three goals and had 24 assists in 42 games.

From my research it appears Zach is a fan of #13 but you can be assured that number will not be available anytime soon, if ever. That number is headed to the rafters once Chad Costello finishes his playing career.

DID YOU KNOW: In 2015-16 four former Allen Americans were teammates playing for the ECHL Quad City Mallards. Olivier Archambault, Zach Pochiro, Tanner Eberle and Kyle Follmer.

Allen Americans Weekly Update With Chad Costello and a Detailed Look at 3ICE Including Seven Allen Players on 3ICE Rosters

 

The 100 day barrier before the start of the 2022-23 season will be broken this week and I had a chance to talk to Allen coach and general manager, Chad Costello before he headed off to Hershey, PA for his 3ICE tournament (more on that later) to get an update on all things Allen Americans.

 

-  The announced signings increased to three this week as the Americans added Jared Bethune to the roster. Bethune played nine games in Allen in 2017-18 and three games in 2020-21 before before his breakout season in 2021-22 when he played 61 games and tallied 17 points (8G, 9A). When Allen was short defensemen last season Jared volunteered to go move to the blue line even though he had never played the position before. He did great and his versatility down the stretch playing both positions was a real asset for the Americans. Here is a scoop from coach Costello, "Jared played really well when he played defense last season. His training this summer, both on ice and off ice, is focused on primarily playing defense in the upcoming season."

 

- Here are the signed and announced players and the players who have been given qualifying offers:

• Signed and Announced
• Jackson Leppard
  
• Nick Albano
• Jared Bethune
   
• Seven players given qualifying offers
  
• Ben Carroll
• Kris Myllari
• Darian Skeoch
  
• Jake Kearley
• Chad Butcher
• Colby McAuley
• J.D.Dudek 

 

- None of the players given qualifying offers have officially signed elsewhere (AHL or Europe) but I have heard from several sources that Butcher and McAuley have signed in Europe. 

 

- The third group of players from last season you have to assume are already signed include the following list. If they are not signed they are free agents and can sign with any ECHL team. My guess is they will be back with the Americans:

• Spencer Asuchak
• Jack Combs
• Nolan Kneen
• Luke Peressini
• Justin Young

 

- Nothing new to report regarding an affiliation for the 2022-23 season. Coach Costello told me all of the NHL staffs were involved in the NHL draft this past week so nobody was interested in talking about affiliations. He is hoping progress can be made this week. 

 

- You may have read or heard the rumor that Seattle will not return as the Allen affiliate for 2022-23. If you notice the recent press release issued by the Americans, they have dropped the sentence that says Allen is an affiliate of the Seattle Kraken. My understanding is Seattle will affiliate with another team in the Mountain Division.

 

- Getting AHL training camp spots, whether from a new affiliate or through contacts with other NHL/AHL teams will be critical in recruiting players to Allen. It will be a big hurdle for Costello to overcome in recruiting high end young players that are looking to move up to the AHL, if he doesn't have training camp spots to offer

3ICE

-  If you haven't been watching or following the new 3-on-3 professional ice hockey league, 3ICE, it has taken summer hockey by storm. 3ICE is a nine stop summer touring circuit where six teams barnstorm to venues in the US and Canada playing a single elimination tournament every Saturday in about three hours. For this inaugural season the league has used a mix of NHL, AHL, college and junior arenas to see the best fit.

 

- Here is a lengthy story written by Sean Shapiro from The Athletic about 3ICE with many interesting details on the creation of the league, the business model, what it means for players and the future vision. A great read: https://theathletic.com/3397058/2022/07/05/three-on-three-summer-hockey-league-3ice-up-and-running-with-robust-prize-pool-tv-deals/ 

 

- The 3ICE rules guarantee nonstop action. Teams consist of six players and a goalie. Each game is two halves of eight minutes running time. Here are some of the rules that ensure a fast paced game of 3-on-3 hockey. 

• All penalties are penalty shots
• If goalie freezes the puck it is a penalty
• Pucks going into the netting remain in play
• Only faceoffs are to start the game and the second half
• Once the puck is advanced over the red line there is an over and back rule like basketball
  
• No open ice checking (will still be puck battles)
• No video replay stoppages
• No overtime, directly to shootout

 

- The league is built on television revenue and sponsorships more than attendance with the game televised in over 180 countries including on CBS Sport Network in the US. The players in 3ICE are a mixture of minor-league players, some with NHL experience, and a few younger players who are recent college grads. There are a lot of players familiar to ECHL fans. The biggest names associated with 3ICE are the six coaches who are all NHL greats:

• Joe Mullen - Team Mullen/Yellow Team
• Bryan Trottier - Team Trottier/Blue Team
• Larry Murphy - Team Murphy/Green Team
• John Leclair - Team LeClair/Black Team
• Grant Fuhr - Team Fuhr/ White Team
• Guy Carbonneau - Team Carbonneau/ Red Team
  

 

- Last night was the halfway point of the eight week regular season. Team Mullen has won three of the four tournaments thus far, including last night. Chad Costello's team (Team Trottier) beat Team Mullen in the finals last week in Grand Rapids.

- The remaining regular season schedule:

• July 16 - London, Ontario (2:00 pm CDT)
• July 23 - Pittsburgh, PA (2:00 pm CDT)
• July 30 - Quebec City, Quebec (3:30 pm CDT)
• August 6 - Nashville, TN (4:30 pm CDT)

- 3ICE will finish its season with a championship tournament on August 20 (6:00 pm CDT) in Las Vegas. The top four teams advance to the championship and have a chance for a $127,000 payday which goes to each player on the championship team. My understanding is the championship weekend will be on the main CBS channel.

- Here is how Chad Costello's team has fared in the first four 3ICE tournaments:

Week 1 (Las Vegas) - It was an inauspicious start for Team Trottier as they played the first game in league history and lost 5-0. Just 16 minutes of hockey (2 eights minute halves) and they were done. Chad told me it was a tough loss but it was helpful to lose first thing and watch the rest of the tournament.

Week 2 (Denver) - Team Trottier made it to the finals and lost to Team Mullen 

Week 3 (Grand Rapids) -Team Trottier won the tournament, beating Team Mullen in the finals.

Week 4 (Hershey) - Team Trottier unfortunately drew Team Mullen in the opening round and lost 4-2 so were eliminated right away.

After four weeks, Team Trottier is in second place in the six team league and has a good chance to make it to Las Vegas for the championship weekend. 

 

- There are no fewer than seven players on 3ICE rosters that have played for the Allen Americans:

• #13 Chad Costello - Team Blue/Trottier 
• #55 Jake Newton - Team Blue/Trottier
  
• #56 Jeremy Brodeur - Team Red/Carbonneau
• #9 J.C. Campagna - Team Red/ Carbonneau
• #19 Jack Combs - Team Black/LeClair
• #86 Corey Mackin - Team Black/ LeClair
• #10 Pete MacArthur - Team Yellow/Mullen

- Here is the full roster for each team that I received from the league. It shows up in black ink on the red background so may be difficult to read. You will notice many players have spent time in the ECHL. There are a few errors in the bios including the use of East Coast Hockey League instead of ECHL which 3ICE will change.

Team Red/Carbonneau

#56 Jeremy Brodeur (6-0, 185, 25 yrs) Essex Fells, NJ (Goalie), the son of Martin Brodeur, has over 11 years of goaltending experience, including three seasons with the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) where he became the franchise’s all-time leader in shutouts and won a championship in 2015. He later went on to spend four seasons in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) and another four in the American Hockey League (AHL).

#9 JC Campagna (6-4, 205, 28 yrs) Dallas, TX was a member of the OHL’s Sarina Sting where he spent two seasons before playing at St. Thomas University. He most recently played in the East Coast Hockey League where he has played 193 games and scored 138 points and over 11 seasons for nine different teams.

#16 Chris Connor (5-7, 175, 38 yrs) Westland, MI has played 15 seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) where he appeared in 731 games, and scored 559 points. Throughout his career, he also played nine seasons in the NHL with the Dallas Stars, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Detroit Red Wings, the Phoenix Coyotes, and the Washington Capitals, in which he played 180 games in total.

#4 Zach Goberis (6-0, 194, 24 yrs) Arvada, CO played three seasons in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) where he appeared in 165 games, scoring 144 points. More recently he spent two years at Adrian College, scoring 49 points in 53 games.

#11 Samson Mahbod (5-9, 165, 33 yrs) Montreal, PQ, Canada was selected 75th overall by the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in 2005. After five seasons in the QMJHL, he played five seasons in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). Most recently, he has played over 10 seasons playing in various international leagues, including the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

#10 Tyler Nanne (5-10, 191, 26 yrs) Edina, MN was selected 142nd by the New York Rangers in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. In 2021, he played overseas for three seasons respectively at the Austria league with the Bratislava Capitals, in the SM-liga with the Sport Vaasa, and with Swe-1 with Bjorkloven IF. 

#8 Aaron Palushaj (6-0, 188, 32 yrs) Livonia, MI was drafted 44th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, played in four NHL seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes where he appeared in 68 games and scored 14 points. He also spent a number of seasons in the AHL and most recently played for HC Davos of the Hockey National League.

Team White/Fuhr

#3 Semus Donohue (6-0, 186, 26 yrs) North Oaks, MN spent a season with the British Columbia Hockey League and one with the North American Hockey League (NAHL) before spending three years at Michigan Tech where he played in 117 games and scored 48 points and two at St. Cloud State where he appeared in 66 games, scoring 25 points. Most recently he spent time with the East Coast Hockey League’s (ECHL) South Carolina Stingrays.

#22 Mitch Fossier (5-11, 174, 25) Alpharetta, GA played four seasons at the University of Maine. Most recently, he played overseas with Banska Bystrica HC 05 in the Slovak league, where he played 38 games and scored a total of 27 points. 

#5 Peter Lenes (6-4, 165, 36 yrs) Shelburne, VT played four seasons in the ECHL, and was selected as an ECHL All-Star in 2009-10 with the Ontario Reign. Prior to that, he was an outstanding player at the University of Vermont for four years where he played in 148 games and scored 92 points. More recently, he spent three seasons with Kitzbuhel EC of the Alps Hockey League where he appeared in 83 games, scoring 99 points.

#39 Mike Lundin (6-2, 191, 37 yrs) Burnsville, MN was drafted 102nd overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He played in over 250 games in six seasons in the NHL with the Lightning, Minnesota Wild and Ottawa Senators before joining the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) where he spent four seasons, appearing in 196 games and scoring 96 points.

#12 Ryan Malone (6-4, 219, 42 yrs) Pittsburgh, PA is a 10-year NHL veteran that was drafted 115th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. Over his time spent in the NHL, he has scored 370 points in 641 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning. More recently, he spent two seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL).

#20 Jeff Taffe (6-3, 215, 41 yrs) Hastings, MN was selected 30th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He spent nine seasons and played 180 games between six teams in the NHL, including 98 games with the Phoenix Coyotes and 53 with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He also played 13 seasons in the AHL and most recently, five seasons with various leagues overseas.

#31 Ryan Zapolski (6-0, 198, 35 yrs) Erie, PA (Goalie) spent four years at Mercyhurst College before joining the ECHL where he played six seasons. More recently, he went overseas for the last seven seasons, appearing in 306 games between Finland’s SM-liiga, the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and the Austrian League.

Team Black/LeClair

#19 Jack Combs (6-0, 201, 34 yrs) St. Louis, MO played five seasons with the Ontario Hockey League before playing in the ECHL where he played 11 seasons where he played a total of 280 games and scored 340 points. He also spent 5 seasons overseas playing for Sweden, Switzerland, and Germany. 

#8 Brandon Hawkins (5-10, 198, 28 yrs) Macomb, MI played two years at Bowling Green and two years at Northeastern University before playing four seasons in the AHL and three seasons in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) where he has appeared in 146 games.

#17 TJ Hensick (5-10, 203, 36 yrs), Howell, MI was selected 88th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2005. He played four seasons in the NHL, appearing in 112 games and scoring 38 points. More recently, he spent 13 seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) where he has appeared in 653 games and the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) where he appeared in 169 games.

#23 Alex Kile (6-0, 194, 27 yrs), Troy, MI played at the University of Michigan before spending six seasons in the AHL where he appeared in 76 games and five seasons in the ECHL where he appeared in 205 games and scored 168 points.

#86 Corey Mackin (5-8, 167, 27 yrs) Philadelphia, PA played two seasons with the British Columbia Leagues before playing four years at Ferris State University. before playing three seasons in the ECHL. Most recently, he spent time in the ECHL and overseas, playing for Vita Hastten HC in the Sweden 1st Division. 

#61 Dalton Skelly (5-10, 172, 26 yrs) Keller, TX Played three seasons in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) where he appeared in 106 games from 2014-16 and scored 48 points for three different teams before enrolling at Holy Cross College where he spent four years, playing in 116 games and scoring 34 points. After a brief stint in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL), he most recently played in 51 games for the Wichita Thunder of the ECHL.

#85 Blake Weyrick (6-3, 200, 26 yrs) Malibu, CA (Goalie) played four seasons in the United States Hockey League (USHL) before Joining the Janesville Jets of the NAHL where played in 38 games and made 843 saves. He more recently spent two seasons at Canisius College and one at Lakehead University where he totaled 628 saves in 26 games.

Team Yellow/Mullen

#11 Tim Coffman (5-11, 176, 34 yrs) Elverson, PA spent five seasons in the ECHL where he scored 163 points in  169 games. He later went on to play four seasons in Switzerland's Swiss League where he scored 227 points in 176 games,

#28 Kevin Fitzgerald (6-0, 180, 25 yrs) Hinsdale, IL played in 138 games in four seasons in the North American Hockey League (NAHL), including 59 points in 60 games with the Aberdeen Wings in 2016-17 before playing five years at St. Cloud State where he scored 103 points in 163 games.

#10 Pete MacArthur (5-10, 180, 36 yrs) Clifton Park, NY played four years at Boston University before going to the AHL where he spent six seasons. He has also played five seasons overseas and seven in the ECHL, scoring 240 points in 265 games.

#7 Patrick Mullen (5-11, 186, 36 yrs) Boston, MA is the son of Joe Mullen, most recently played for UK’s Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) and started his career playing junior hockey for the Sioux Falls Stampede, which later led to him attending the University of Denver where he spent four years. Undrafted from college, he signed a two-year free agent contract with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings in 2009. He went on to play 10 seasons in the AHL where he appeared in 394 games before spending four seasons overseas.

#72 Tyler Murovich (5-9, 185, 32 yrs) Pittsburgh, PA is an 11-year ECHL veteran that also spent five seasons in the AHL, as well as three in the OHL. During his time in the ECHL, he appeared in 396 games and scored 221 points, while playing for six different teams.

#19 Jacob Theut (Goalie) (6-3, 190, 28 yrs) Washington, MI has played four seasons in the ECHL where he has played 44 games with three different teams. 

#79 Joe Whitney (5-6, 165, 34 yrs) Reading, MA played two seasons with the NHL’s New Jersey Devils (2013-15). He also played 10 seasons in the AHL where he scored 311 points in 450 games for seven different teams. The last four seasons, he has spent time in the Swedish Hockey League, as well as in Germany’s Deutsche Eishockey League where he appeared in 87 games, scoring 83 points.

 

Team Green/Murphy

#12 Mark Auk (6-0, 194, 27 yrs), Grosse Point Park, MI played four seasons at Michigan Tech where he registered 84 points in 150 games and captured back-to-back WCHA championships in 2017 and 2018. He later spent four seasons in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) with three different teams, totaling 100 games and 56 points and most recently played with Denmark’s Odense Bulldogs, scoring 26 points in 42 games last season.

#96 Tim Davison (5-10, 183, 28 yrs) De Pere, WI spent four years at the University of Wisconsin before joining the ECHL where he scored 81 points in 154 games for four different teams in five seasons.

#7 Colton Hargrove (6-1,202, 29 yrs) Dallas, TX was selected 205th overall by the Boston Bruins in the 2012 NHL Entry draft. After playing three years at Western Michigan University, he played four seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL), scoring 113 points in 259 games. He most recently played two seasons in the Austrian League where he has scored 69 points in 92 games.

#27 Eamon McAdam (6-2, 185, 27 yrs) Doylestown, PA (Goalie) was selected 70th overall by the New York Islanders in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. After three years at Pennsylvania State University, he spent four seasons in the AHL and five seasons in the ECHL where he played in 113 games and had 3,096 saves.

 

#17 Griffen Molino (6-0, 185, 28 yrs), Trenton, MI played in one season with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. He also spent four seasons in the AHL and two seasons in the ECHL where he scored 59 points in 50 games with the Utah Grizzlies in 2019-20.

#19 Chris Mueller (5-11, 196, 36 yrs) West Seneca, NY played five seasons in the NHL between 2010 and 2015 where he saw action with the Nashville Predators, Dallas Stars and New York Rangers. He has also logged 15 seasons in the AHL, playing with a number of teams and winning two Calder Cups (Texas Stars 2014, Toronto Marlies 2018), as well as earning an All-Star appearance in 2012 as a member of the Milwaukee Admirals.

#47 John Schiavo (5-10, 181, 28 yrs) East Patchogue, NY has spent seven seasons in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) where he has played in 192 games. He most recently played for Kansas City Monarchs of the ECHL, scoring 25 points in 51 games last season.

Team Blue/Trottier

#21 Cam Brown (5-7, 155, 29 yrs) Natick, MA played four years at the University of Maine before joining the Eastern Hockey League (ECHL) where he has played for four total seasons. He also played three seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) and most recently three seasons overseas in Denmark and Sweden.

#13 Chad Costello (5-9, 185, 35 yrs) Johnston, IA is a two-time ECHL Kelly Cup Champion and two-time league MVP, as he led the Allen Americans to titles in 2014-15 and 2015-16. During his eight seasons in the ECHL, he has played in 375 games and posted 576 points. Prior to his ECHL career, he played at Northeastern University and has since spent time in the AHL and Germany’s Deutsche Eishockey League. 

#71 Sean Dhooge (5-3, 150, 23 yrs) Aurora, IL played three seasons and appeared in 102 games at the University of Wisconsin before transferring to Arizona State University where he played in 54 games.

#46 Bobby Farnham (5-10, 188, 33 yrs) North Andover, MA spent four seasons in the NHL, playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens. In 2015-16, he played in 50 games with the Devils. He has also played eight seasons in the AHL and most recently spent a season in the British Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL).

#1 Parker Milner (6-1, 187, 31 yrs) Pittsburgh, PA (Goalie) played four years at Boston College before joining the AHL where he spent seven seasons. He also has seven years of  ECHL experience where he has appeared in 245 games.

#55 Jake Newton (6-3, 205, 33 yrs) San Jacinto, CA spent a year at Northeastern University before joining the AHL where he spent three seasons. In addition to his AHL experience, he played one season in the ECHL and most recently spent his last seven seasons overseas, including four years in Finland’s SM-liga where he has appeared in 140 games and scored 70 points.

#93 Colton Saucerman (5-8, 191, 30 yrs) has played seven seasons in the ECHL and six seasons in the AHL. More recently, he has spent time overseas playing for the Austrian and the Slovak league.

Taxi Squad

Pavel Barber

Matt Salhany (5-10, 179, 29 yrs) Warwick, RI played five seasons in the ECHL where he appeared in a total of 148 games with three different teams before joining Denmark League’s Soenderjyske where he has spent the last two seasons.

Tomas Sholl (6-0, 180, 27 yrs) Hermosa Beach, CA (Goalie)  played for two seasons in the North American Hockey League before playing three seasons with the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. He then moved on to spend four seasons with the ECHL and eventually played overseas with the Slovak and the Austria leagues.