Tipped Off
09-21-2005, 10:05 AM
Silvertips cut roster by two
Everett releases wings Michael Szczachor and Matt Meropoulis Tuesday.
By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer
EVERETT - The Everett Silvertips did some trimming to their roster Tuesday, but they didn't clip away quite as much as expected.
Everett released left wing Michael Szczachor and reassigned right wing Matt Meropoulis, bringing the roster down to 29 players.
"We'd like to get down to 25 or less, but because of the number of injuries, it's impossible to cut the team down more until we return to health," Everett coach and director of hockey operations Kevin Constantine said.
Everett currently has six players considered questionable for Saturday's season opener at Kamloops - forwards Torrie Wheat, Michael Wuchterl, Jesse Smyke and Zach Dailey, and defensemen Jonathan Harty and Graham Potuer. Also, defenseman Randy King is still away at the New Jersey Devils' NHL training camp. Add in the fact that teams can dress just three 20-year-olds - Everett currently has five - and the Silvertips barely have enough bodies to field a full team of 20.
Szczachor and Meropoulis were casualties of their ages, though for different reasons.
The 19-year-old Szczachor, who was invited to Everett's training camp after being released by Swift Current in the offseason, was deemed too old for the role he would have played on the team.
"Nineteen-year-olds kind of have to be on your top three lines because you try to use your fourth line a little for development," Constantine said. "There was nothing wrong with his hockey playing, its just his age was working against him."
In contrast, Constantine didn't think the 16-year-old Meropoulis, Everett's seventh-round pick in the 2004 Bantam Draft, would receive enough playing time. Meropoulis was sent back to his midget team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
"The league wants 16-year-olds to play a certain amount of games," Constantine said. "They have to be able to play a certain number of games, not hurt your team and hopefully contribute. It's a very different landscape this year from last year. We had eight 16-year-olds last year because due to the expansion draft, we had no 86s or 87s. But now we're not an expansion team and that's probably never going to happen again."
Constantine emphasized that the Silvertips have not made any official decisions regarding their overagers. Everett currently has five 20-year-olds on the roster - forwards Wheat, Mark Kress and Kyle Annesley, and defensemen Shaun Heshka and Ryan Blatchford - and can carry just three after the overager cutdown date of Oct. 13.
Speculation regarding a possible overager move was fueled in part by Blatchford's removal from the roster on Everett's Web site. The Silvertips did not practice Tuesday.
"There's been no final decision made on our overagers," Constantine said. "What we've done is we've tried to keep all five of our overagers informed. It's impossible to look at the numbers and not realize that two of the five won't be here after Oct. 13. That means the other players have to make alternate plans.
"Players might play for us because of injuries," Constantine added, pointing out Wheat's current malaise. "Then there might be interest in the league and we might be able to pick up a late-round draft pick in a trade. So from an organizational standpoint, we're not going to let anyone go until we have to."
Everett releases wings Michael Szczachor and Matt Meropoulis Tuesday.
By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer
EVERETT - The Everett Silvertips did some trimming to their roster Tuesday, but they didn't clip away quite as much as expected.
Everett released left wing Michael Szczachor and reassigned right wing Matt Meropoulis, bringing the roster down to 29 players.
"We'd like to get down to 25 or less, but because of the number of injuries, it's impossible to cut the team down more until we return to health," Everett coach and director of hockey operations Kevin Constantine said.
Everett currently has six players considered questionable for Saturday's season opener at Kamloops - forwards Torrie Wheat, Michael Wuchterl, Jesse Smyke and Zach Dailey, and defensemen Jonathan Harty and Graham Potuer. Also, defenseman Randy King is still away at the New Jersey Devils' NHL training camp. Add in the fact that teams can dress just three 20-year-olds - Everett currently has five - and the Silvertips barely have enough bodies to field a full team of 20.
Szczachor and Meropoulis were casualties of their ages, though for different reasons.
The 19-year-old Szczachor, who was invited to Everett's training camp after being released by Swift Current in the offseason, was deemed too old for the role he would have played on the team.
"Nineteen-year-olds kind of have to be on your top three lines because you try to use your fourth line a little for development," Constantine said. "There was nothing wrong with his hockey playing, its just his age was working against him."
In contrast, Constantine didn't think the 16-year-old Meropoulis, Everett's seventh-round pick in the 2004 Bantam Draft, would receive enough playing time. Meropoulis was sent back to his midget team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
"The league wants 16-year-olds to play a certain amount of games," Constantine said. "They have to be able to play a certain number of games, not hurt your team and hopefully contribute. It's a very different landscape this year from last year. We had eight 16-year-olds last year because due to the expansion draft, we had no 86s or 87s. But now we're not an expansion team and that's probably never going to happen again."
Constantine emphasized that the Silvertips have not made any official decisions regarding their overagers. Everett currently has five 20-year-olds on the roster - forwards Wheat, Mark Kress and Kyle Annesley, and defensemen Shaun Heshka and Ryan Blatchford - and can carry just three after the overager cutdown date of Oct. 13.
Speculation regarding a possible overager move was fueled in part by Blatchford's removal from the roster on Everett's Web site. The Silvertips did not practice Tuesday.
"There's been no final decision made on our overagers," Constantine said. "What we've done is we've tried to keep all five of our overagers informed. It's impossible to look at the numbers and not realize that two of the five won't be here after Oct. 13. That means the other players have to make alternate plans.
"Players might play for us because of injuries," Constantine added, pointing out Wheat's current malaise. "Then there might be interest in the league and we might be able to pick up a late-round draft pick in a trade. So from an organizational standpoint, we're not going to let anyone go until we have to."