Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Recruiting Update, Bootland and Fraser Video Chat Interviews, Player Look Backs, DASH Auctions, Save of the Year, Another Costello Record, Oldest Allen Players

 - Another week with little to report in the way of recruitment for the 2020-21 Allen Americans team. The AHL formally announced the cancellation of their 2019-20 Season last week so now AHL teams can move full speed ahead on their recruiting process for 2020-21. The decisions the Wild make on the depth players they sign will have an impact on Allen's roster. Coach Martinson has been and will continue to work with the Wild organization on recruitment. Remember, the first day Martinson can sign players to ECHL contracts is still a month away (June 16).   



Tommy Daniels continues his video Zoom chats. Here are his latest with Darryl Bootland and Cole Fraser:






- Here are a few more look back stats for players past and present from another project I am working on:

Kayle Doetzel - Kayle was recruited by coach Martinson to fill a vital role on the team. Martinson was looking for a player with proven AHL experience who was a stay at home defenseman that could play against the opposing team's top line. Doetzel was a four year pro with 68 games of AHL experience. Kayle played a key role in Allen's defensive scheme as was a leader by example. He scored two goals all season and oddly enough they came in the same game when he led Allen to a win over Tulsa. He also had an assist in that game. His point total for the season was 10 (2G, 8A) and three of his points or 30% came in that one game.


David Strathman - David played just one season in Allen (2010-11) which was his rookie professional season after graduating from Northeastern University. His college teammates included other Allen alumni Wade MacLeod, Chad Costello and Drew Daniels. He played junior hockey for the USHL Cedar Rapids Roughriders with a bunch of future Allen Americans including Costello, Gary Steffes, Phil Fox and Steve Kaunisto. Playing on what I believe was the most talented team in Allen history, the 2010-11 team lost to Bossier-Shreveport in the Conference final. Strathman led all defensemen on that team in points with 41 (13G, 28A) in 66 games. He was one of two players on that team (Colton Yellow Horn the other) that did not miss a game all season. David was named to the CHL All-Star Team and was also selected to the CHL All-Rookie team where he was joined by another rookie, Gary Steffes, who was playing for Tulsa.


Trevor Ludwig - Trevor was a 6th round draft choice of the Dallas Stars in the 2004 NHL draft. He  played four seasons in Allen (2011-15) and was part of three championship teams. Trevor is top 10 all-time among defensemen in every category; games played (171), goals (20), assists (42) and points (62). Trevor retired after the 2016-17 season and moved back to North Texas and now owns a pool Serivice, Ludwig's Pool Service.


David Makowski - David played four seasons in Allen (2015-19) and was a member of the 2016 Kelly Cup championship team. He led all defensemen in scoring in three of his four seasons. He is Allen's all-time leader among defensemen in goals (55) and points (174). Makowski was selected to the ECHL First All-Star team in 2016-17 and 2017-18 and was second in the Defense of the Year voting both seasons. David retired after the 2018-19 season and lives in Allen. He went to corporate route and works for the McLane, which is a wholesale supply chain services company.



- There are no players that played on all four Allen Americans championship teams but there are six (Spencer Asuchak, Greger Hanson, Trevor Ludwig, Tyler Ludwig, Brian McMillin, Jamie Schaafsma) players that earned three rings in Allen. Here is the list by championship season:

2012-13 - Trevor Ludwig, Tyler Ludwig, Brian McMillin, Jamie Schaafsma
2013-14 - Spencer Asuchak, Greger Hanson, Trevor Ludwig, Tyler Ludwig, Brian McMillin, Jamie Schaafsma.
2014-15 - Spencer Asuchak, Greger Hanson, Trevor Ludwig, Tyler Ludwig, Brian McMillin, Jamie Schaafsma.
2015-16 - Spencer Asuchak, Greger Hanson


- There is another DASH auction taking place this week and the Zoom Video Chat Experience up for auction is with ECHL Defenseman of the Year Alex Breton. The current bid is $70 with the auction ending tonight. All of the proceeds from this auction go to the Players Relief Fund which has raised about $300,000 toward the goal of $750,000. The first Allen players fund auction was last week and brought in a whopping $1150 for a video chat with Spencer Asuchak. Knowing Asuchak he was marketing the auction to his many friends and family to help raise money for his fellow players.

Some ECHL teams are really stepping up to help the players fund. The Kansas City Mavericks are donating 50% of all team store sales in the month of May to the players fund. The South Carolina Stingrays just raised $15,190 from Stingrays fans through a game worn jersey auction and the principal owner contributed a two for one match with 100% of the proceeds benefiting players and their families. A total of $45,570 will be donated to the player fund. The Indy Fuel also held a jersey auction and raised $13,320 for the players fund.


- If you are interested in jerseys the Americans are having a few up for auction each week on DASH. The jerseys on the current auction include:

Jake Paterson autographed military game jersey - $330 current bid
Brett Pollock autographed military game jersey - $250 current bid
Stepan Falkovsky autographed red game jersey - $250 current bid
Jack Sadek autographed red game jersey - $250 current bid
Gabe Gagne autographed red game jersey - current bid $310

 This auction also ends tonight. If you are not sure of how to get to the DASH site an easy way is to go to the Allen Americans website and click on the blue tab "Click For Live Auctions" on the home page.


- The Americans are having a big DASH three day Memorial Weekend Clearance sale (May 23rd, 24th, 25th):
Merchandise bundles 40-50% off
Military Replicas 30-35% off
End of Season Clearance 


- The ECHL announced the save of the year yesterday and Allen was involved. Goalie Merrick Madsen of the Rapid City Rush received the award for a save on Jordan Topping.




- The Greenville Swamp Rabbits and Rapid City Rush have had ownership changes. Here is the ECHL press release with the details: https://www.echl.com/en/news/2020/5/board-of-governors-approves-transfer-of-controlling-interest-in-greenville-and-rapid-city


- Here is my ECHL Stats and Information post from this morning which you can find on Twitter and Facebook each day. Yet another record held by Chad Costello:

MOST ASSISTS, ONE KELLY CUP PLAYOFF YEAR

29 - Chad Costello, Allen, 2016*
26 - John Spoltore, Louisiana, 2000**
25 - Wayne Simpson, South Carolina, 2015**
24 - David Desharnais, Cincinnati, 2008*
23 - Brad Dexter, South Carolina, 1997*


*Team won Kelly Cup
**Team was Kelly Cup runner-up

In 2016 Chad Costello also set the playoff record for the most assists in a Kelly Cup final. Of Chad’s record 29 assists in the playoffs, 10 came in the finals series against Wheeling, breaking the previous record of nine set by David Desharnais of Cincinnati in 2008.
 
   


DID YOU KNOW: The oldest player that has ever played for the Allen Americans is Todd Robinson who was born on June 16, 1978 and is 41. Here are the oldest players from Allen's CHL teams (2009-2014) and the oldest players from the ECHL teams (2014-2020). I used a minimum of 50 games played for this list. Here are the oldest from each league with their birth dates:

CHL
40 - Daniel Tetrault - September 4, 1979
40 - Ryan Fairbarn - November 15, 1979
40 - Erik Adams - February 29, 1980
40 - Jason Deitsch - April 21, 1980
38 - Brett Clouthier - June 8, 1981
38 - Darryl Bootland - November 2, 1981

ECHL
37 - Kevin Young - July 16, 1982
37 - Jamie Schaafsma - February 11, 1983
35 - Adam Miller - November 1984
35 - Riley Gill - January 1, 1985
34 - Tyler Ludwig - May 24, 1985
34 - Trevor Ludwig - May 24, 1985   




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