Phoenix Sign's Schlemko

[Tiger Trauma]

Coyotes Sign Schlemko

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – The Phoenix Coyotes, parent club of the San Antonio Rampage, announced today that the Coyotes have signed defenseman David Schlemko to a three-year entry level contract. As per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Schlemko, 20, registered 8-50-58 and 78 penalty minutes (PIM) in 64 games with Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League (WHL) last season. The Edmonton, Alberta native led all WHL defensemen in assists and ranked 5th among league blueliners in points. He was also named to the WHL’s Eastern Conference Second All-Star Team.

Schlemko helped lead Medicine Hat to the WHL Championship as well as the Memorial Cup final where the team fell to Vancouver last season. In 23 playoffs games, the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Schlemko collected 3-13-16 and 12 PIM.

In 198 career WHL games, Schlemko registered 22-109-131 and 145 PIM with Medicine Hat. Schlemko also collected 5-21-26 and 39 PIM in 49 career playoff games.

Now WIll schlemko be back next season?

[Tiger Trauma]

Schlemko joins parade to the pros
By COLLIN GALLANT, Medicine Hat News


Just when days seem darkest for David Schlemko, something seems to turn it all around.
Last month’s NHL entry draft was the final time that the soon-to-be 20-year-old defenceman could have heard his named called out.
He didn’t.
But the sting was soothed by a same-day phone call from Los Angeles Kings’ head coach Marc Crawford who invited the Medicine Hat Tiger all-star to the Kings’ prospect camp.
Schlemko attended the July 9-14 camp in L.A., but couldn’t skate due to the still-lingering effects of a groin injury suffered during the Tigers’ run to the Memorial Cup final.
Bummed out, he flew back to his hometown of Edmonton, where a message was waiting from his agent regarding a possible contract offer.
Soon there’d be a bidding war for the rearguard’s professional services.
“It seems like it kind of came out of nowhere,” said the mellow-minded defenceman, who entertained offers this week from the Kings, the Philadelphia Flyers and eventually agreed to a three-year entry-level deal with the Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday.
“In the end we decided to go with Phoenix. It seems like a better fit,” said Schlemko.
“I thought that I had a pretty good camp there last fall, and they knew what kind of player I am. Depthchart-wise I felt like it was the best opportunity.”
Schlemko become the eighth member of the 2006-07 league championship team to sign a professional contract.
Like the five others who have junior eligibility remaining, his return to Medicine Hat for this upcoming season is unlikely.
The power-play specialist, who played solid defensively, racked up 50 assists and eight goals last season, plus chipped in with 16 points in a long successful playoff run.
He could be assigned to the American Hockey League’s San Antonio Rampage — the same team for which graduated Tiger winger Chris Stevens will try out for in September.
“You don’t go where we went without a lot of good people,” said Tigers head coach Willie Desjardins.
“David’s been a big part of our team and it’s great to see him get a chance to go to the next level.”
September will also see a raft of changes on the Tigers lineup card.
Memorial Cup all-star centre Darren Helm will assuredly head for the pro-ranks, along with captain and WHL MVP Kris Russell and defencemen Michael Sauer.
With veteran blueliners Gord Baldwin and Schlemko on the bubble of minor-league assignments, the Tigers could bid farewell to four elite defenceman.
“I think we’ll basically be the same,” said Desjardins. “Hard work covers up for a lot of things and our team has always been built around hard work.”

Blazers for Sale?
The not-for-profit society which operates the Kamloops Blazers has called a special meeting for Aug. 7 that could pave the way for a sale of the club to River City Hockey, Inc. — a group is headed by Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi and includes ex-Blazers Jerome Iginla and Shane Doan. They offered $6 million for the Blazers in June 2006 but were rebuffed.
The Swift Current Broncos have hired Tim Kehler, a Canadian under-17 and B.C. Junior A coach, to fill the assistant coaching vacancy made open when Dave Hunchak left the team. The Lethbridge Hurricanes have added Brad Robson to the staff as director of Scouting and player personnel. Robson’s spent the last 17 years as the Western regional scout of the Dallas Stars. Robson replaces Brad McEwen who quit the post last month.

-Medicine hat News

[bandwagonboy]

Sounds like unless he has a bad camp or is injured or the like he'll be in the AHL next season. Dunno, I still think he could benift from another year here. I'm sure he'd rather be elsewhere, why would any 20 year old prefer to make $900 a month (or whatever OAer's get) instead of making a decent pro salery?