Published: October 16, 2009 12:13 am      

Drawn together | After an uneasy offseason, Chiefs players are united

When Ian Herbers unexpectedly accepted a position as assistant coach with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, the players who had skated for him with the Johnstown Chiefs were left in limbo.

Who would be the Chiefs’ next coach? Where would the returning Chiefs fit in under the new guy? Was it time to move on?

In this fast-paced information age, those questions were answered quickly by a nucleus of players bent on making up for the Chiefs missing the Kelly Cup playoffs by one miserable point last season. Cell phones rang. Text messages popped into inboxes. There was plenty of chatter, whether it was electronic or by word of mouth.

“A lot of us kept in touch,” said second-year Chiefs goaltender Kris Mayotte, a Pittsburgh native who won 20 games last season. “When that happened with Ian, guys started to get worried. The first couple days guys were calling each other all the time and asking, ‘What are you doing? Are you going to go back?’ But as it went along, (General Manager) Bill Bredin did a great job. He got in touch with everyone and assured everyone we would still have a good setup here. As it went on, we all settled down from the initial shock. We all stuck to it and came back.”

Herbers already had commitments from as many as 23 players when the Milwaukee position suddenly opened at the end of July, only a few days after he had appeared at the Ferndale Jubilee and at a Chiefstown meeting assuring fans everything was set for the upcoming season.

No one could blame Herbers for accepting the job at a higher level.

But back then, not too many people were talking about the season opener against rival cincinnati at Cambria County War Memorial Arena on Saturday night (7:30). At the time, there were concerns about the team’s future – period.

“The guys were all talking: ‘Are you coming back? Are you OK? If you’re back, I’m coming back,’” veteran Chiefs captain Mike Knight said. “I was comfortable with Ian. I knew what I was walking into. Everything was good. Two weeks later we find out he got the coaching job in Milwaukee. Congratulations to him. We know the business. He got a promotion.

“But it made us ask some questions,” Knight added.

“There was some uncertainty as far as the financial part of things also. There were a few weeks where there was confusion, but we didn’t hit the panic button. Bill Bredin held things together. He has worked really hard. If it wasn’t for him there wouldn’t be a team.

“We’ve never had so much community support. That’s a sign that (Bredin) is working hard to get the Chiefs’ name out there again and put a positive image out there. We have a good tradition on our backs. Now we have a good business side also. The city is supporting us on the corporate side, not only the fans.”

Bredin and owner Neil Smith did a thorough search for a new coach before hiring Jeff Flanagan early last month. Flanagan and newly named assistant coach Jason Spence built on the solid foundation Herbers had assembled, and the Chiefs began camp with 36 players.

Two weeks of practice and a pair of exhibition games later, Johnstown is ready to begin its 22nd ECHL season.

“Of course I’m nervous,” said Flanagan, who coached in Italy last season and previously had spent one year as an ECHL assistant coach in Reading. “I tell my players if you’re not nervous there probably is something wrong. I will do what I feel I have to do and make the decisions I feel are right for the team. On Saturday I will be prepared to be on the bench and prepared to make the adjustments we need to do. I’m incredibly excited. You get to this time of the season and everyone just wants to get playing.”

The Chiefs will bring a balance of experience and some new blood into the opener against the Cyclones, the same team that beat Johnstown three times during the final weekend last season to squash the Chiefs’ playoff hopes.

Mayotte will be the starting point. Last season he was named the ECHL All-Star Game starter and he won the goaltending skills competition at the midseason event. Mayotte not only was a 20-game winner, he was a leader. During his call-ups to Hershey and Bridgeport, the Chiefs were not the same team. Should Mayotte receive another AHL call, the Chiefs will rely on Shane Connelly, a Cheltenham native who played at the University of Wisconsin.

At forward, Johnstown has some established scorers and playmakers in Ryan Del Monte, Jarrett Konkle, Mike Bartlett, Matt Robinson and Sean Berkstresser. Former Mississippi Sea Wolves all-star Ryan Menei should provide offense, and Dan Collins is a Florida Panthers draft pick with past experience playing for ECHL power Florida Everblades. Marc Rechlicz added toughness, and Tyler Hirsch is back after sitting out last season.

Defensively, Knight leads an experienced group of returnees.

Also back are Greg Gallagher, David Schulz, Russ Sinkewich, Kyle Bushee and R.J. Anderson.

“Hopefully it gives us an advantage,” Mayotte said of the number of returning players. “A lot of times in this league teams have a lot of turnover. Early in the year guys are still getting used to each other because it’s a short training camp and you get right into the season. Our guys knowing each other a bit and having played with each other last year will give us an advantage. Plus the new guys come in excited and bring some new life to the team.”