Published: October 10, 2008 10:32 pm            

QC Flames start AHL season with busy weekend

DAVENPORT - It often seems that minor-league coaches get little time before the season starts to see what kind of hand they were dealt. Second-year Quad City Flames coach Ryan McGill will learn a lot about his team quickly.

The Flames open the American Hockey League season tonight at Rockford, then head to the iwireless Center in Moline, Ill., for their home opener against Rockford at 7:05 p.m. Saturday and follow that with another home game at 5:05 p.m. Sunday against Peoria.

“It's kind of a feeling-out process,” McGill said, adding that the busy weekend should give him a chance to sort out things quickly.

“Everyone is trying to find roles and find the team identity,” said forward David Van der Gulik, one of the Flames' returning players. “Right now it's all about us. When we get to know about the other teams, we can build around them.”

Quad City has been built a bit differently this year. The Flames open the season with something they didn't have much of last year: players with plenty of NHL experience.

Defenseman Anders Eriksson has played in 552 NHL games and center Jamie Lundmark has 232 games of NHL experience. Both were late preseason cuts by Calgary who joined Quad City after clearing waivers.

Moments after he arrived in the Quad Cities on Wednesday, Lundmark talked about being a late cut and returning to the AHL. He played in 51 games for Lake Erie a year ago.

“It's not that tough; it's part of the job,” he said. “Unfortunately, I got sent down, but I'm staying real positive. It's still hockey.”

McGill said the addition of Lundmark should benefit the team.

“Adding Jamie Lundmark today is going to be a big boost,” he said Wednesday afternoon at the team’s preseason media luncheon. “With Jamie here, it should help. I feel we should have better leadership.”

Lundmark, who scored 13 goals and had 20 assists last season, agreed that his experience should help.

“I think it is big in a league like this,” he said. “I kind of know what to expect.”

So does tough man Peter Vandermeer, another newcomer who has played in 511 AHL games and ranks third on the all-league list with 2,496 penalty minutes.

“We've got a young team, but No. 1, it's a hard-working bunch,” the 32-year-old Vandermeer said. “But with the mix of veterans, I think this is going to be a team to be reckoned with.”

The 23-man roster includes 13 players who suited up for Quad City a year ago. Eight of them played in 65 or more games for the Flames. Right wingers Carsen Germyn (19 goals, 29 assists), Van der Gulik (19 and 23) and Kris Chucko (15 and 15) are the top scorers back. Center Warren Peters (11 goals, 13 assists) and left winger Cam Cunning (11, 4) also were double-digit scorers.

“I was hoping to get a better look in Calgary,” Van der Gulik admitted. “I think I've got so much to prove.”

Also back are defensemen Brad Cole, Brett Palin and Matt Pelech; forwards Brett Sutter, Dan Ryder and Adam Cracknell; and goaltender Matt Keetley.

“I think I learned a lot last year,” said Keetley, who was 10-8 with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage in 26 games last year with Quad City. “You learn the tendencies of shooters and how to position yourself.”

Quad City also will look for offense from two other players who spent last season in the AHL.

Forward Kyle Greentree, acquired in an offseason trade with Philadelphia, played in two games for the Flyers last year and also had 24 goals and 24 assists in the AHL with the Philadelphia Phantoms. Defenseman Dan Spang, a second-round draft pick in 2002 by San Jose, had eight goals and 23 assists for Worcester last year.

“From the top of the circle down to the goal, Greentree is a guy we will rely on,” McGill said.

“It's definitely a change of scenery,” Greentree said. “I have to establish myself down here and be consistent every day. I feel like I can contribute a lot. Scoring goals is something I take pride in.”

McGill will look at several newcomers, too. Hugo Carpentier, a 20-year-old center, had 27 goals and 38 assists last year in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League; 21-year-old Ryan Wilson led all defensemen in the Ontario Hockey League with 71 points (7 goals, 64 assists) last year; 22-year-old center Aki Seitsonen had 18 goals and 18 assists for Las Vegas of the ECHL; forward J.D. Watt had 13 goals and 24 assists in the Western Hockey League; and goalie Leland Irving, who will turn 20 next month and was rated as Calgary's second-best prospect by The Hockey News, had a 2.05 goals-against average and .925 save percentage in 195 games in the WHL.

Rounding out the roster is Jonathan Tremblay, a onetime Quad City Mallard, who played in 17 AHL games for Worcester last year.

One thing McGill is hoping for is a better start. The Flames won just two of their first 11 games last season.

“Part of the way of avoiding that is we've got more leadership, and, two, we have guys with a year of experience under their belt,” McGill said.

It won’t take long to find out how much that pays off.

        

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