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)