Allen Americans Weekly Update, Current Roster, Team for Sale, Greger Hanson Retires, Free Agent Players From the Past and More

There has been a lot happening around the Allen Americans and the ECHL both past and present so thought today would be a good day to cover a laundry list for those of you that don't follow on a day to day basis. Here goes:

- I received all kinds of feedback from the story I wrote last week about Jack Gulati selling the Allen Americans. If you haven't read that story here is the link: https://allenamericansblog.blogspot.com/2019/07/owner-jack-gulati-confirms-allen.html

I would emphasize the following from my conversation with owner Jack Gulati for the story:

The Americans are stable and profitable. Jack's reason for selling the team is because of health issues with his family.

If the team isn't sold prior to the start of the season Jack will remove the franchise from sale to focus on competing in the 2019-20 season.

There is no risk of the team leaving Allen.


- The number of player announcements around the ECHL has accelerated with almost 60 players announced in the last 10 days. The total is now over 140 ranging from 14 by Maine, 11 by Fort Wayne to three teams that have not announced any player signings (Brampton, Jacksonville, Kalamazoo). Brampton just filled their coaching vacancy (Spiros Anastas). The majority of teams have announced between five and nine players.


- The Americans official roster now stands at five players with the announcement last week that Braylon Shmyr has re-signed. Here is the Shmyr press release: https://allenamericans.com/americans-bring-back-forward-braylon-shmyr/

1. Spencer Asuchak
2. Ben Owen
3. Mike Hedden
4. Jacob Doty
5. Braylon Shmyr


- I had the chance to check in with coach Steve Martinson who is still at home in Rockford before returning to Allen next month. He has been very busy recruiting players he will sign and also working with Iowa on depth guys they will sign who will spend time in Allen. There are some old and new names being recruited that if successful will be very exciting for Allen fans.


- One player from the past that was rumored to be in the mix for Allen that won't return is Dyson Stevenson. It was announced earlier this week that Dyson has signed with the Utica Comets (AHL) where one of his teammates will be Vincent Arseneau. Being a depth guy for Utica, look for Dyson to spend most of the season in Kalamazoo, the ECHL affiliate for Utica. Here is a story written by blogger Cory Hergott which includes a section about Stevenson which says in part, "He has picked up 639 penalty minutes in 279 ECHL games, so I see Stevenson playing in Kalamazoo until someone like Vincent Arseneau gets dinged up in Utica."  https://canucksarmy.com/2019/07/23/utica-comets-add-depth-with-the-signings-of-defencemen-matt-petgrave-aaron-thow-along-with-forwards-dyson-stevenson-tanner-sorenson/


- Riley Bourbonnais has signed with the Odense Bulldogs in the top league in Denmark. Odense is the third largest city in Denmark with a population of about 200,000. Because Riley was given a qualifying offer by coach Martinson the Allen Americans will retain his ECHL rights for the upcoming season. 


- Greger Hanson's wife, Andrea, posted on social media, "After eight years of living the hockey life we are finally settling down! Greger and I are so excited to call Scottsdale our new home."

Hanson played four seasons in Allen and won three championships. Even though he is only 12th in regular season games played (195) he is tied for first in goals (98), fourth in points (225) and fourth in assists all-time.

Where Greger really excelled was in the playoffs. Between 2014-15 and 2016-17 Greger Hanson was #1 in the entire ECHL in playoff goals (30), #2 in points (60) and #4 in assists. In 59 ECHL playoff games, Hanson averaged 1.017 points per game with 30 goals and 30 assists. In addition to winning two Kelly Cups with Allen, Greger was the Kelly Cup MVP in the 2015 playoffs. Clearly one of the all-time greats in Allen Americans history.


- Richard Matvichuk, who was assistant coach in Allen for their first two championships has been hired as the Director of Hockey for the Burnaby Winter Club in Burnaby, British Columbia. Here is a press release: http://www.csshl.ca/leagues/newsletter.cfm?clientID=4542&leagueID=15269


- The Iowa Wild have announced that they have hired Alex Tanguay as an assistant coach. Tanguay played 15 seasons in the NHL and played in over 1000 games. He has been working as an analyst for the NHL Network. Here is the press release from the Wild with more detail:  https://www.iowawild.com/news/detail/iowa-wild-announces-alex-tanguay-as-assistant-coach



DID YOU KNOW:  Here is a list of Allen players from past seasons who are free agents. This is just a partial list with names I hear from fans they would like to see return to Allen. All but four are still available so if one of your favorites is on this list you can keep hoping.

Chad Costello - signed with Krefeld (Germany)
Jamie Schaafsma
Matt Register
Dyson Stevenson - signed with Utica (AHL)
Colby MacAuley
Greger Hanson - Retired
Gary Steffes
Bryan Moore - signed with Cleveland (AHL)
Olivier Archambault
Riley Gill
Casey Pierro-Zabotel
Dante Salituro