Allen Americans Update - Ownership, Roster, Training Camp and More

 

I want to give one last update before I head off on the first of my two annual treks to North Dakota to pheasant hunt. You have heard me say it in the past and it is even more true now, two old guys (76) and a 12-year-old black lab named Jett (equals 84 in human years) stomping around fields and cattails is quite the sight. Luckily, Jett still has the nose of a teenager. I am unsure how much I will be able to post while on my hunting trip, but my plan is to try a few times.

Here is the latest info I have on a variety of topics with a lot of conjecture mixed in:

OWNERSHIP 

- Nothing new from the team officially. As I reported in my last post on the sale of the team the expectation is the formal announcement of the sale will happen before the start of training camp. Since training camp begins a week from today, look for something to happen next week. The ECHL Board of Governors has approved the sale.

 

- Several representatives of the new ownership group (Zawyer Sports and Entertainment) were in Allen this week.

 

- I have had several questions about my opinion on the new ownership group and if I am looking forward to the change. My opinion is Zawyer puts the Allen Americans in the best position in franchise history to be very successful. The company has proven success with the other teams it owns (Jacksonville and Savannah), knows the hockey business, brings financial resources to Allen, has experience not only in owning but operating ECHL franchises, will include local business leaders as minority owners and purchased the Allen Americans because of their desire to be in a top 10 market like DFW. Maybe most important for Allen fans is they believe a key to success is having a great on ice product. Everything won't be perfect, but fans will be appreciated, and coach Costello will have the resources and freedom to be successful on the ice.  

ROSTER 

- Allen still has a couple of players to announce before the start of training camp. One is a high-end scorer who played for another ECHL team last season. Coach Costello is still recruiting a defenseman that is trying to get an AHL deal but so far is unsigned. I get asked about Spencer Asuchak returning and I would expect he will be back. He returned for a few games at the end of last season after a season long injury and has had the summer to get stronger. I know he has been skating regularly with other local pros.

 

- If you paid attention to the recent Ottawa Senators Prospects Challenge you might have noticed a surprising standout player who got a last-minute tryout invitation and became the star of the tournament. Forward Tarun Fizer was under contract with Colorado (AHL) last season but played 62 games in Utah where he had 50 points (27G, 23A) in 62 games. In three games at the recent Prospects Challenge, Fizer scored a goal in each game, had a total of four goals including a shorthanded goal and led his team in points with five. His effort earned him a one year, one way contract with Belleville for 2023-24. This could be good news for the Americans in case Belleville decides to send him to the ECHL anytime during the season because will be assigned to Allen. Here is the press release announcing Fizer's signing: https://bellevillesens.com/belleville-sens-agree-to-terms-with-forward-tarun-fizer-on-a-one-year-one-way-ahl-contract/

 

- Here is a video of Fizer after the last game of the Prospects Challenge before he found out he was going to be signed:

 

 

- The names haven't been formally announced yet but four Allen players will be attending the Belleville Senators AHL training camp. It is great exposure for these players and an opportunity to get on the radar if they do well in camp. I have been told the plan is they will all get a chance to play in a preseason game with Belleville.

 

 

TRAINING CAMP

- Allen's training camp will get underway next week. I don't know for sure if the practices will be open to the public, but I think it is highly likely. With the change in ownership, you can't say with 100% certainty, but you can tentatively plan to attend practices if you are interested. The team should issue more details next week. Here is the schedule:

• October 5 (Thursday) - Players report to training camp for team meetings, registration, physicals, etc. Training camp roster due to league office by 3:00 pm EDT.
  
• October 6 (Friday) - First day of on ice sessions. Coach Costello plans to start camp with some captain's practices before he takes over. 
  
• October 13 (Friday) - Preseason game against Tulsa at NYTEX Sports Centre.
• October 14 (Saturday) - Preseason game in Tulsa against the Oilers.
• October 18 (Wednesday) - Opening day rosters due in league office (3:00 pm EDT).
  

- With some players off at AHL training camps, coach Costello will have to add tryout players (PTO) to Allen's training camp. There will be four players on PTO's at the start of camp.

 

 

OTHER PLAYERS

- Former Allen player Joshua Lammon announced his retirement this week after eight years as a professional. Josh played more pro games in Allen than any other stop. His totals in Allen included 121 games with 63 points (20G, 43A). He was voted as the best defensive forward in the league in college and that skill carried over to his pro career.

 

- Veteran Shawn Szydlowski has returned to the Fort Wayne Komets for the 2023-24 season after playing for the Orlando Solar Bears in 2022-23. The 2018 ECHL MVP & 2021 Kelly Cup champion played nine seasons in Fort Wayne before last season. Szydlowski returns to Fort Wayne as the ECHL’s all-time leader in points (519) & goals (194) among all ECHL currently active players. Since Fort Wayne joined the ECHL in 2012-13, Szydlowski is the all-time leader in games played (476), points (487), goals (179) and assists (308). He is #2 in penalty minutes (597).

 

Allen Americans Change Ownership

 

I have had a lot of questions over the summer and especially the last week about the Allen Americans changing ownership. This morning I can confirm Allen owner Jack Gulati has entered into an agreement  with Zawyer Sports and Entertainment (ZSE), the group that owns and/or manages the Jacksonville Icemen, Savannah Ghost Pirates, Atlanta Gladiators and the new ECHL franchise in Lake Tahoe.

 

- The process of changing ECHL ownership has many hurdles and is not official until the Board of Governors (BOG) vote to approve the transaction which has not happened. While Zawyer is very familiar to the ECHL, nothing is official until the BOG approves. What that means is you will likely not hear a formal announcement from the Americans, the league or new owners for a while, but I assume it will happen before the start of training camp in early October.

 

- It will likely be a very different ownership structure under this new group. While Jack Gulati is a one person owner that was not interested in minority owners, the Zawyer group is just the opposite. They typically have numerous owners with primary owners and minority owners. The Jacksonville franchise is a great example. In 2020 Jacksonville added three NFL players to its ownership family (minority owners) which numbered over 15 people. The three players were Tim Tebow (who recently became one of two primary owners of the new Lake Tahoe franchise), Myles Jack (linebacker with the Jacksonville Jaguars who retired this season) and Reggie Hayward (played nine NFL seasons with Denver and Jacksonville).

 

- When the sale is formally announced Allen fans will find out who are the primary owners and if the business model will be like Jacksonville, with local business leaders added as minority owners. If the sale goes through, which is a foregone conclusion, it should pump energy and financial resources into the Allen Americans franchise. If you look at last season, Jacksonville led the ECHL in average attendance (7749) and Savannah averaged 6802 despite a record of 28-34-9-1 (last in the South Division). Two good examples of what Zawyer brings to the table in managing ECHL franchises. 

 

- The ECHL has a long history of owners/ownership groups having multiple teams. When the ECHL started in 1988-89 with just five teams, two of them (40%) were owned by Henry Brabham of Brabham Cup fame. More recently the Steven brothers owned three teams in the same division (Allen, Tulsa, Wichita). Soon the Zawyer Sports and Entertainment group will own and/or manage five ECHL franchises.  

 

Allen Americans Update - Roster, Training Camp, Former Players on Other ECHL Teams and More

 

It has been too long since I provided an Allen Americans update, but to be honest there is not much happening with the team and around the league right now with under a month to go before the start of training camp. I have cobbled together a few items of interest after talking to coach Costello. I dedicate this blog to Michael Smith, who motivated me to sit down at the computer on this rainy day in Texas to pound out a blog. Blog posts will pick up shortly but be forewarned I have a pheasant hunting trip North Dakota planned the first two weeks in October.  

 

- Let's start with the current announced roster with the caveat more players are signed but not yet announced. Allen has now announced 16 players. I have included in parenthesis the number of games each player played with Allen last season:

 

GOALIES

• Chase Perry (22)
  

DEFENSEMEN

• Matt Brassard (0)
  
• Ty Farmer (10)
  
• Ryan Gagnon (72)
  
• Dalton Gally (37)
  
• Kris Myllari (72)
  
• Dalton Skelly (54)
  
• Eric Williams (16)
  

FORWARDS

• Chad Butcher (39)
  
• Liam Finlay (54)
  
• Jordan Ty-Fournier (0)
  
• Colton Hargrove (64)
  
• Grant Hebert (37)
  
• Colby McAuley (38)
  
• Brandon Puricelli (0)
  
• Mikael Robidoux (42)

 

 - Here are some roster related actions you can expect between now and the start of training camp.

• Several more players signed to Allen Americans contracts will be announced.
• Coach Costello will also sign several players to PTO's (professional tryout) and ATO's (Amateur Tryout) to supplement the training camp roster.
• A handful of Allen players will be attending AHL training camps.
• Discussions between coach Costello and Ottawa/Belleville will continue regarding players that will be assigned to Allen. If all goes as planned you could see a goalie, a defenseman and a forward assigned to Allen.

 

- Training camp schedule:

• October 5 (Thursday) - Players report to training camp for team meetings, registration, physicals, etc. Training camp roster due to league office by 3:00 pm EDT.
  
• October 6 (Friday) - First day of on ice sessions. Coach Costello plans to start camp with some captain's practices before he takes over. 
  
• October 13 (Friday) - Preseason game against Tulsa at NYTEX Sports Centre.
• October 14 (Saturday) - Preseason game in Tulsa against the Oilers.
• October 18 (Wednesday) - Opening day rosters due in league office (3:00 pm EDT).

  

 - Chad Costello and Aaron Gens recently attended the annual ECHL coaches meeting which took place in Greenville. The agenda includes everything from the paper processes between the teams and the league, rule changes and many other coaching related presentations by guest speakers. Here are the rule changes for the 2023-24 season:

• Rule #9 – Uniforms

Altered uniforms of any kind (i.e. Velcro inserts, over-sized jerseys, altered collars, etc.) will not be permitted. Any player or goalkeeper not complying with this rule shall not be permitted to participate in the game.
 

• Rule #9.6 – Helmets

A player on the ice whose helmet comes off during play will be assessed a minor penalty unless he immediately (a) exits the playing surface or (b) puts the helmet back (the chin strap may be unfastened if helmet is on player’s head).
 

• Rule #20.4 – Fighting Game Misconducts

An automatic game misconduct shall be applied to any player who has been assessed a second fighting major in the same game. The misconduct will be waived for a player if an opposing player is assessed a penalty for instigating.
 

• Rule #46.10 – Fighting prior to or at the drop of the puck

A player or players who enter into a fight prior to, at the drop of the puck, or immediately following any face-off during the game, shall be assessed an automatic game misconduct in addition to any penalties assessed.
 

• Rule #67.2 – Handling the Puck

A minor penalty shall be assessed for “Delay of Game – Face-Off Violation” to a player taking the face-off who attempts to win the face-off by batting the puck with their hand. The two players involved in the actual face-off (the centers) are not permitted to play the puck with their hand without incurring a penalty under this rule until such time as a third player (from either team) has at least touched the puck. Once the face-off is deemed complete (and a winner of the face-off is clear) hand passes shall be enforced as per Rule 80 – Hand Pass.
 

• Rule #74.4 – Faceoff procedure

At the eight face-off spots (excluding the center ice face-off spot), the defending player shall place his stick within the designated white area first followed immediately by the attacking player. When the face-off is conducted at the center ice face-off spot, the visiting player shall place his stick on the ice first.
 

• Rule #83 – Off-side

A player is on-side when either of his skates are in contact with the blue line, or on his own side of the line, at the instant the puck completely crosses the leading edge of the blue line. “On his own side of the line” shall be defined by a “plane” of the blue line which shall extend from the leading edge of the blue line upwards. If a player’s skate has yet to break the “plane” prior to the puck completely crossing the leading edge, he is deemed to be on-side for the purpose of the off-side rule.

- A lot of former Allen Americans will be playing for other ECHL teams in 2023-24. Here is a partial list that will get longer before the season starts. 

• Nico Blachman - Norfolk
• Jordie Stallard - Norfolk
• Ben Carroll - Orlando
• D-Jay Jerome - Orlando
• Justin Young - Norfolk
• Josh Thrower - Norfolk
• Chaz Reddekopp - Kalamazoo
• Darian Skeoch - Savannah
• Duggie Lagrone - Tulsa
• Gavin Gould - Wichita
• Jackson Leppard -South Carolina
• Tyler Poulsen - Tulsa
• Kelly Bent - Wichita
• Matt Register - Idaho 
• Zane Franklin - Idaho
• Lord-Anthony Grissom - Greenville
• Tanner Eberle - Greenville
• Chase Lang - Indy
• Theo Calvas - Kansas City 
  

 

- Allen has announced 16 players for 2023-24 which is mid pack compared to the other ECHL teams. 11 teams have announced more and 12 have announced fewer. The range goes from 24 (Fort Wayne) to one (Newfoundland). Newfoundland is particularly perplexing because they have signed just one player and have not named a coach. I have heard (not confirmed) the team is for sale and if it doesn't get sold the team may not play. 

 

 

 

- I posted on social media the other day the challenge coach Costello has in replacing the 200 points (85G, 115A) contributed by Hank Crone and Jack Combs. While there is a possibility Hank Crone could see time in Allen since the Americans hold his ECHL rights, you can't count on that. I can share that one of the signed Allen players that has not been announced is a point per game player. 

 

 

 

- The key to Allen's offense in 2022-23 will be to get more balanced scoring throughout the lineup. Last season Allen had four players with 30+ goals but nobody else had more than 14. With Crone (49 goals) and Combs (36 goals) gone, Allen will have to be more like Idaho last season. The Steelheads had just one 30 goal scorer but had 12 players with 14 or more goals. 

 

 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: ECHL teams with the most division championships over the last 10 seasons with Kelly Cups won since 2013-14 in parenthesis:

 

6 - Florida (2)

4 - Allen (2)

4 - South Carolina

4 - Toledo

3 - Cincinnati

3 - Newfoundland (1)