Franck to Rio Grande Valley…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Been a busy few days in Tulsa, but I do appreciate several readers pointing out that former Blazers goaltender (and his unbelievable mask) Andy Franck has signed with Rio Grande Valley.
Franck was one of the few sure-bets had the Blazers played this season as he was signed for a two-year deal that began with last season.
A groin injury hurt him some and never quite got back into that early-season groove. But sure we can agree that whether it was Franck or Doug Groenestege, the Blazers were in every game because of the goaltending.
And if you’re wondering what’s up with Bob Funk Jr., well, tonight starts the X Games, so that’s where he is at.
Here is the official release from the CHL on Franck:
HIDALGO, TEXAS — The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees of the Central Hockey League (CHL) today announced that the team has signed goalie Andy Franck for the 2009-10 season.
The two-time CHL All Star joins the Killer Bees after playing last season with the Oklahoma City Blazers (CHL). He became a free agent when the Blazers ceased operations earlier this summer. In 32 games there, he finished with a 15-12-3 record along with a 2.68 goals against average (GAA) and a .894 save percentage. His GAA was good for fifth overall in the CHL.
He began last season with a 9-1-2 record before suffering an injury on Nov. 22 and missing seven straight games. That impressive start earned him Northern Conference starting goaltender honors at the 2009 CHL All Star game, marking the second straight season he garnered that right. Franck was also the Northern Conference starter at the 2008 CHL All Star game as a member of the Youngstown Steelhounds.
“I’m excited about coming down to the Valley,” Franck said. “Everyone I have spoken to has had nothing but good things to say about the city, the fans and the organization as a whole. It was unfortunate what happened in Oklahoma City but I’m definitely looking forward to the season and getting a fresh start in Rio Grande. I’ve played a few games over the past two seasons at the Dodge Arena and was always impressed with the attendance and fan support at the games. I’m thrilled to be a part of the organization and expect big things from us this year.”
The 28-year-old Lakewood, Ohio, native appeared in 41 games with the Youngstown during the 2007-08 season, posting a 26-10-4 mark, a 2.85 GAA and .906 save percentage. He earned a call-up to the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League and appeared in nine games, going 7-1-0 with a 2.71 GAA and .895 save percentage. After returning to Youngstown, Franck earned the Sherwood CHL Goaltender of the Month award in March 2008 after compiling a record of 8-0-1 with a 2.26 GAA and .929 save percentage.
“Andy is a key piece of our roster for the coming season,” Killer Bees Head Coach Chris Brooks said. “He has great experience and has been consistent everywhere he has played. I expect he’ll play a lot of minutes for us and be a leader on and off the ice.”
Before joining Youngstown, Franck played two seasons with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL. In those two seasons, he compiled a 50-41-9 mark, 2.78 GAA and a .910 save percentage to go along with eight shutouts. He also played three seasons of college hockey at Mercyhurst College (Erie, Penn.). With the Lakers he played in 81
Games and posted a 43-26-5 record, 3.12 goals GAA, .905 save percentage and four shutouts.
Groenestege joining Fleck…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Hey hey, Boneman is back. Did you miss me? Maybe a little? Well, not much to report in regards to the AHL situation, but another former Blazer has found a home.
Goaltender Doug “Goose” Groenestege has been signed by the Missouri Mavericks, it was confirmed Monday. Missouri also signed G Mike Gorman.
From the official release:
“Mike Gorman and Doug Groenestege are two goalies with very different styles,” said Hillman. “What they share is competitiveness and a commitment that they are coming here to support each other and our team’s goals for our inaugural season. Every team relies on their goalies on certain nights when things just aren’t going well, and both men have the ability to win hockey games on their own. Doug and Mike help us tremendously as we attempt to lay a solid foundation for this franchise.”
Groenestege (grun-eh-stedjh), 25 (1/11/84), is entering his fifth professional season and third in the CHL. The 6-foot-1, 201-pound netminder led the CHL last season with a 2.10 GAA and was third overall with a .922 save pct. He is 29-19-2 over the last two seasons in the CHL with a 2.34 GAA and .920 save pct. The Stratford, Ontario native has 55 wins and four shutouts in 118 games played as a pro.
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It might be slow here on the blog in the next couple of weeks. Bob Funk Jr. is busy with the X Games and won’t be able to be reached.
But I will be attempting for a Q&A with Edmonton Oilers president Patrick LaForge in the near future. And if any other Blazers sign or any other good stuff, you know I’ll be around.
Fleck to Missouri…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Got a call from the legendary John Brooks last night to let me know that the heart and soul of the Blazers, defenseman Tyler Fleck, has signed with the Missouri Mavericks.
It’s not breaking news concerning the AHL, but Fleck definitely deserves a post. This makes sense on many levels. 1. It’s a pretty good location in regards to Oklahoma City. 2. It happened like Fleck wanted it to. He told me last week he wanted to be done with this in the next couple of weeks, and he is. 3. He’s the only one from last year’s team that has a real history with team president Brad Lund. And it made sense Lund would want to snatch Fleck up.
Anyway, here is the release from the CHL yesterday as Missouri also signed defenseman Shaun Arvai and forward Travis Kauffeldt:
Fleck, 30 (1/20/79), is entering his 11th professional season and first outside of the Oklahoma City Blazers organization. The 5-foot-10, 210-pound defenseman has played in 545 professional games and tallied 172 points (34-138=172) while amassing 1,209 penalty minutes all with the Blazers. Fleck is a two-time CHL All-Star (2004, 2009) and was co-captain of the 2009 CHL All-Star team. The Carlyle, Saskatchewan native was a member of the 2000-01 Blazers championship squad. Fleck was named Best Defensive Defenseman in the CHL’s 2008-09 Best of the Best Poll, he was also voted Best Leader and finished third in the voting for Best Bodychecker. Off the ice, Fleck created a website for a former teammate of his, Les Borsheim. The website – TeamBorsheim.com – is dedicated to his teammate who was involved in a motorcycle accident in June of 2007 that left him nearly paralyzed and in critical condition.
“Tyler Fleck is recognized throughout the CHL as a leader, someone who is always willing to sacrifice for his team both on and off the ice,” said Mavericks’ coach Scott Hillman. “He brings a big physical presence to our blue line and is a great shot blocker. Tyler was one of the most sought after free-agent defensemen in the league and we are very fortunate to have him with us here in Independence.”
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Now back to vacation.
Fleck video…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
I was hoping to get a chance to go to Tyler Fleck’s camp today, and I did get that chance. I thought about doing a Q&A with him, but you know what? It means a lot more to hear it from him than to read it written by me.
Had fun at the camp, good to see Marty Standish and Sebastien Centomo again. I wasn’t there long enough to see Andy Franck, but I will have a Q&A with Matt Donovan up sometime Thursday.
Enough talking, enjoy the video. Special thanks to Fleck for taking the time out to do it as well.
Q&A with Bob Funk Jr…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Well, we’ve heard from just about everyone about the end of the Blazers and the prospects of an AHL franchise coming to Oklahoma City for the 2010-11 season. One major person who has been pretty quiet has been AHL Hockey Club, LLC manager and Express Sports president Bob Funk Jr. Funk took the opportunity to sit down with me Tuesday afternoon to address some of the issues and where we’ve been, where we are and where we’re heading.
Q: The city council approved everything today. It’s finally official. How are you feeling?
A: I feel really good right now. We’re glad to be moving down a different path. Hopefully, we’ll be able to do things with the AHL in Oklahoma City. We feel it’s going to be good for everybody involved. For us, for the city and for the fans of hockey in Oklahoma City.
Q: Why now when it comes to closing the door on the Blazers and opening the door to the AHL?
A: It’s unfortunate that we had to close our doors, but it just wasn’t financially viable. We’ve lost upwards to $6 million over the last nine years. We’ve lost a lot of money on it. There was really no other choice at this point. We made our management changes to do what we could to try to salvage it (in November). We simply gave away too many free tickets through the years. It’s great to be No. 1 in attendance but to do it at the expense of the ticket value is not good. It’s hard to recover from something like that. And it’s not fair to the season ticket holders.
Q: A lot of fans are wondering if a team couldn’t survive in the CHL, how in the world could a team survive in the AHL?
A: First of all, the deals are different. It’s a different business model. Moving across the street will give us a better opportunity to do what we want to do. Overall, honestly, we’re not going to get rich off of this thing. It’s not going to be a big money-making venture. But I believe in what the fans have given us over the last 17 years. Oklahoma City hockey fans deserve to have a team at the next level. We have such passionate and dedicated fans. Without them, this wouldn’t be possible. The models (CHL, AHL) I don’t know if they really compare.
Q: Are you afraid of losing fans because of the way everything went down in the last couple of months?
A: Yeah, it’s definitely a concern. We were taking such massive losses. It’s better to try to start another organization anew. Start something fresh and do it right.
Q: AHL Hockey Club, LLC has been in existence since May, 2008. That’s almost 14 months now. How long have you been thinking about doing this?
A: The thought itself has been on my radar for quite a while. Did I think it would be a reality? Honestly, I’m taking a shot in the dark. I think we have a good opportunity in front of us. I’ve been thinking about this ever since the sports environment changed in Oklahoma City. It has matured as a market since we bought the team nine years ago. It’s a much more cosmopolitan city. The fact the Thunder is here proves that. People are more sophisticated about sports. So I felt we were ready for the next step. In my mind, that meant the AHL.
Q: The terms of the new lease is at the Cox Convention Center, was the Cox Center always the first choice?
A: We looked at both (Ford Center and Cox) and had to do what is best for everybody to try to give the Blazers a home or whatever we decide to call it.
Q: The name of the team is up to you guys. Will the Blazers name stay?
A: I’m of the mindset that we want to keep it. But I’m open to any options at this point. I’m trying to start and revamp an entire brand and what our hockey is. There is good and bad to both. We have such a long-standing tradition, but there’s a lot of baggage as well. I’m not sure if we want to carry that to the new team.
Q: The ice situation at the Cox Center has been a concern for some fans. Is that complete now, or does that still need to be done?
A: As far as I know, it is still in the process of being done. I don’t know the details, per se.
Q: There has been a lot of speculation that the negotiations will be with the Edmonton Oilers. Oilers president and CEO Patrick LaForge has already confirmed the team is interested in Oklahoma City as a market. Is Edmonton the team you’re negotiating with?
A: No comment.
Q: What’s going to happen with all the Blazers stuff (banners, merchandise, etc)?
A: The banners we are going to keep. We’ll liquidate what we can with the merchandise. It’ll happen Aug 7-9 at the Blazers Ice Centre. As far as I know, it’s just merchandise at this point. There are certain items that I’m going to purchase from the team itself for the new team. But the rest of the stuff will go on.
Q: What role will Blazers head coach Doug Sauter play in this? Is it up to him basically?
A: He’ll always be a part of our organizations. Whether it’s helping with the hockey team or doing other stuff, he’ll always be a part. As for the coaching, I’m not in a spot to comment on that.
Q: Since you’re the manager of the AHL Hockey Club, LLC and president of Express Sports, is it safe to assume this will be an Express Sports venture?
A: Not at this time, no. Probably not. It will be loosely affiliated. We will probably utilize the assets and resources as well as our other sport entities with Express Sports. There may be a loose affiliation with the RedHawks in terms of promotions and stuff like. But no, Express Sports is not a part of the official business structure.
Q: If it’s not Express Sports, how will the ownership work out?
A: It’ll be owned and mainly operated by me.
Q: I’ve reviewed the terms of the new lease, and it appears you got a lot of things you were looking for. Was there one thing in it that you really sought after and clinched the deal?
A: No, not really. Overall, thought it was a fair deal for us, for SMG, for the city. Everybody (Tom Anderson, Gary Desjardins, and Jim Couch) were all good to deal with. They’ve all been great through this process. Can’t say it’s been one thing. Getting something that made financial sense, not just for us, but that didn’t take away from the city or the building was important. It was a working cooperation to make our team as good as it can be.
Q: It’s not exactly defined in the lease, who will be paying for all the renovations to the Cox Center?
A: No comment.
Q: How will the expenses work? Will the parent team pay for everything? Has it been decided yet?
A: No comment.
Q: How does your dad (Bob Funk Sr.) feel about everything?
A: You know what, I can’t say. You’ll have to ask him. I just know he wants what is best for Oklahoma City and the fans. He always has.
Q: You’re involved in so many other things. Are you still going to be running all over the place?
A: No, I’m still going to have my hand actively out there in other areas. Honestly, working in conjunction with Express Sports, there is no better team to be operating with or working through the process with.
Q: Will you be centrally located here now, though (he’s been living in Nevada)?
A: I’ll be moving here in September. Hopefully, in September. As soon as I get a house. September is the goal.
Q: How crazy and/or stressful has this last week been?
A: Not really, actually. We planned appropriately so it hasn’t been very stressful. We’ve been very cautious more than anything. For us, it was more an inevitably to shut the Blazers down. It was a business decision. Not what we wanted to do but what we had to. Not really stressful, really just a sad thing. A very unfortunate, sad thing.
Q: Will Express Sports still operate as normal?
A: Yes. We still have the PBR events and the agency. And then if there are any new things that pop up and make business sense, we’ll do it.
Q: Any chance of selling the Blazers?
A: I don’t know. I haven’t talked to the league honestly. Nor have I had any time to gauge any interest. Hopefully something can be worked out.
Q: Since you’re taking such a big role, are you at all nervous about laying it all out there?
A: It’s like any other business. You have a product, market it and sell it. Have to control expenses and revenues and try to max profit. There’s a risk in everything you do when it comes to business.
Q: From talking to you in the past, it feels like you would have liked to have had this done a lot sooner. Has this put you behind in terms of the schedule of getting things done?
A: No, it hasn’t. It did take a little longer, but I knew it would be a hard and long process. Now I’m ready to move forward.
***
Be back tomorrow with any further developments. Also, hoping to get a chance to visit Tyler Fleck and some of the boys at Fleck’s camp at the Blazers Ice Centre.
Blazer personalities weigh in on the news…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Wow, what a day. I just finished my night’s worth of work. I’ll give you that detailed account of today first thing in the morning. But right now this Boneman is tired.
Able to catch up with some familiar names about what’s going and how they’re feeling.
Blazers quote board
“This is sad news as I have a lot of great memories in Oklahoma City. It was because of their support that I stayed there the whole time. I had a lot of offers to play in other places, but the support was amazing. I hadn’t really heard of Oklahoma until I got there. It was a great thing.” – Blazers legend Joe Burton
“I feel sorry for the loyal and great fans of Oklahoma City because there won’t be professional hockey this season. I’m just kind of taking it all in right now like everybody else. I’m disappointed, but I know it’s nothing personal. It was a business decision. Today is a pretty sad day, but everything happens for a reason.” – Blazers head coach Doug Sauter
“Surprised, for sure. We knew there was some uncertainty, but we still had hope. It’s such a great organization with great tradition that it’s tough. I’m hoping to find another place to play, but I want to thank the Oklahoma City fans who treated me so well during my two years here. They helped make it special.” – defenseman Stacey Bauman
“I was pretty shocked. You never think something like this is going to happen. But it’s a business, and that’s what it was: a business decision. My head is still spinning about it, but you have to move on. Me and my brother (Ted) were both looking forward to coming back.” – forward Bill Vandermeer
“A little shocked but not totally. It’s difficult for me because of all the memories and all the great people. But it’s not like I haven’t been there before. I saw it happen after the 1972-73 season. Again in 1976-77 and in 1981-82. That’s just the way it goes.” – legendary Blazers announcer John Brooks
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Special thanks to all those who sent in comments. I don’t know how much room is being allocated for the quote board, but I had more than 20 e-mails from readers.
Also announced by the CHL is that the New Mexico franchise will close up shop this year, albeit for totally different reasons than the Blazers.
If nothing else happens tonight, back tomorrow morning.
Initial feedback on Blazers shutting down…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
The e-mails are coming in fast and furious about the announcement of the Blazers suspending their operations. Keep ‘em coming.
Whatever doesn’t make the paper, I will run in full on the blog tomorrow.
Had a chance to speak to some people about the situation:
Assistant GM Josh Evans said he (and the rest of the staff) were planning for business as usual. He even went to a corporate meeting Tuesday. It was a decision made by ownership Wednesday, by all accounts.
Head coach Doug Sauter said he was glad he was 1,600 miles away for such a tough day, but it’s still a very sad day. He’s not sure what the future holds for him, but that’s not his concern. His two biggest concerns are:
1. For the loyal and great hockey fans of Oklahoma City. He’s disappointed there will be no professional hockey for them this season.
2. His players. Sauter and associate coach Chris Dashney’s biggest job now is to notify the players and try to find new homes for those guys.
He said it was a rough last month, but he kept his fingers crossed hoping something would happen.
CHL Commissioner Duane Lewis is disappointed to be losing a team like the Blazers. He talked about the long-standing tradition the team has had and said the reality hasn’t set in yet. He said once a team like Oklahoma City has been what it’s been, that team and community becomes a fabric of the league.
But he realizes the CHL must move on. They’re still working on the schedule. And OKC isn’t the first team to leave before, so it’s not like this is totally new, but it still hurts.
Oklahoma City mayor Mick Cornett said the city has always been supportive of the Blazers and that it’s tough accept seeing the team go dark.
It’s not an ideal situation, but he said he believes ownership has the city’s best interest at heart.
The idea of switching leagues (CHL to AHL) was not new, but the idea of sitting out this season was something that’s only been brought up very recently.
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Still working the horn and trying to get some player feedback. Be back later.
Updated story on Blazers shutting down…
I’ll be doing this all night, so keep checking back.
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The Oklahoma City Blazers have suspended operations after failing to renew their lease with Oklahoma City to play in the Ford Center or Cox Center, a team official said Thursday.
The decision comes as Oklahoma City officials have filed paperwork clearing the way to start negotiations with “a prospective AHL franchise afflilated with Express Sports,” according to city documents.
The city council is scheduled to vote Tuesday to approve a “Letter of Intent” between the city and AHL Hockey Club, LLC.
The Blazers did not renew their lease with the Ford Center after months of negotiations. According to city documents, the city and SMG were going to grant the Blazers a three-year renewal, but the Blazers have retracted the deal.
Blazers assistant general manager Josh Evans said it was purely a business decision and said the city and SMG were very accommodating in the process.
“It is not economically feasible for us to go on at this point,” Evans said. “We will evaluate our business and move on from there.”
The Blazers organization informed the CHL on Wednesday about the decision. All the players from last year’s team will now be free agents and can sign with any team they choose.
The Edmonton Oilers of the NHL own a dormant AHL franchise and there have been discussions in recent month about relocating that team to Oklahoma City.
The decision to suspend operations ends the Blazers’ 17-season run in Oklahoma City, a successful tenure that saw them win CHL titles in 1996 and 2001 and frequently lead all North American minor league hockey teams in attendance.
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Much later tonight, I’ll give the whole story of what has turned out to be one crazy, emotional day.
Meeting set for Thursday…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
No “real” news to report, except to say that I will be meeting with the Blazers brass tomorrow.
Don’t know if all the questions will be answered and/or if new ones will be developed because of what is said, but it should make for an interesting Thursday.
Appreciate the constant e-mails with your thoughts and opinions and a whole lotta “remember when” moments. Good stuff.
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And in other news, Tulsa got a good addition with the signing of Aaron Davis. I talked all last year about how Rocky Mountain improved dramatically after getting Davis. Might we see the same with the Oilers and Davis?
Davis was a sold contributor until being derailed by injuries during the mid-to-late season. He ended up with 16 goals and 20 assists in 35 games last year and played well down the stretch.
“Aaron will give us experience and great leadership,” Oilers coach Bruce Ramsay said in the press release. “He’s coming off a year with over a point a game, and finished really strong.”
How the Mavericks came about…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
As we still wait word on the Blazers future (still trying to confirm when I can meet up with Blazers brass), had a chance to catch up with former Blazers CEO Brad Lund about how things are going with his new team, the Mavericks.
He said everything has been going great, and the city’s response has been unbelievable. It’s a fresh start for Lund, who attended his first Kansas City Royals game last night.
As for the team name, here’s how that all came about: He said after narrowing it down to 10, it looked like Bullfrogs was going to come out on top. But after numerous focus groups with both youths and adults, Mavericks kept winning.
Mavericks isn’t that common a team name. Of course, there is the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA. But it’s not something you hear every day.
Lund said he will not wear orange in Oklahoma (you put it together), but he’s more than happy to wear orange in Missouri.
And though I tried to pry some info out of him with the Blazers, he doesn’t know anything and is trying to keep his name out of this one. Basically, doesn’t know anything and doesn’t want to know anything.
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It’s judgment time for Blazers enforcer Robin Gomez in his trial. This article says it better than I can, except for the fact the CHL is the Central Hockey League, not the Continental Hockey League.
Here are a couple of statements from Gomez and his testimony:
“That punch that I threw at Mr. Ferraro is part of the game,” said Gomez, 27, during testimony in provincial court. “I throw that type of punch all the time. Not every game but it happens a lot.”
Defense lawyer Jordan Watt – representing Gomez alongwith his father Alexander Watt – asked Gomez if he went onto the ice under his own power to hit Ferraro.
“(Salmon Kings coach) Mark Morrison told me to go out there,” said Gomez. “And (Jordan) Krestanovich too. It wasn’t until a few seconds before Ferraro skated up to me that I made the decision to hit him.”
Gomez should know his future soon as closing arguments will happen later this week and the decision should be reached not that long after.
