Ray of Hope?

Iqaluit, NU (CP)

After submitting their draft list last night, GM Steve Stringer turned out the lights at Rovers HQ and went home for the evening, not bothering to wait around for the results. Picking 25th, there was no point as surely their short list would be exhausted. But awaking this morning the Rovers found a new and more than intriguing teammate in former Defiance starting goaltender Andrew Raycroft. “Andrew was the last guy I thought we’d get”, Stringer said. “He has had two good seasons in Washington. I guess a number of teams were scared off by his injury, but he’s young and he does have time on his side to get past it. He’s a project, but one we can take on and work with”.

The injury Stringer referred to happened only just recently and has cast a doubt on Raycroft for the upcoming season. Working out in preparation for the upcoming season, Raycroft severly strained his shoulder. Upon further examination, he sustained significant damage to his rotator cuff. While not requiring surgery, it has significantly limited his range of motion on his glove hand and has stiffened his back slightly.

In all likelihood it means that while Raycroft will be technically able to play this season, he probably will be unable to repeat the performances of his first two seasons, which were highly successful. In two seasons with Washington, Raycroft started 99 games. He posted a 53-34-12 record with a 2.16 G.A.A, a 0.921 save percentage, and 12 shutouts.

“Our doctors and trainers will work with Andrew on a daily basis to rehab this injury, and we hope to bring him back to the level of success he enjoyed in Washington”, Stringer said. “We did plan on carrying a third goalie as we did last season. With Jocelyn [Thibault] testing free agency, Andrew can act as our emergency goaltender while working to get back to 100% form. We’re all very happy to have him aboard and we look forward to helping get him back to where he wants to be.  He comes here with no pressure and can work with Chris and Ray and our staff to return to full strength.  It’s a no-risk, potentially high-reward outcome for the team”.

Rovers looking at quiet dispersal, expansion drafts

Iqaluit, NU (CP)

The RHL17 pre-season will begin with a whimper on Wednesday from the Rovers point of view, which is the day that the Washington Defiance are disbanded. With the 25th selection in the dispersal draft, GM Stringer isn’t holding out much hope of getting a useful player. “Our scouts are preparing our list, but realistically I don’t expect anyone very high on it”, Stringer said frankly to reporters. “I think a number of teams will either have to pass or simply make dumb picks for us to get anybody. Maybe we can grab a young guy that may or may not pan out.. that might be the best we can hope for”.

Following that is the expansion draft for the Vulcan Mind Melds. While the team is guaranteed not to lose anyone under contract, there are a few decisions to make with regards to protection. The team has a number of free agents, especially in the forward corps, and Stringer must decide which ones to protect to guarantee that the team has a shot at them at auction. “We’ve still got some choices to make there”, Stringer said of expansion. “All our contracts are safe, but we need to decide which UFAs to protect to make sure that they don’t sign with the Mind Melds prior to the auction. We’d like to bring them all back, but one or two will have to be exposed. That’s what we’re focusing on more than the dispersal draft right now”.

Mason’s Time to Shine

Iqaluit, NU (CP)

With the trade of co-starter Martin Gerber still sinking in around training camp, Chris Mason is getting used to his status as the #1 goalie for the Rovers.  “It’s a great opportunity”, Mason said after practice this morning.  “I’ve got a chance to take this ball and run with it, and I plan to show the team that I can carry the load”.

Last year Mason played backup to Gerber, appearing in 26 games and posting a 2.00 G.A.A and a 0.925 save pct.  The trade means an opening for a backup, and rookies Ray Emery and Yann Danis will battle during camp for the spot.  “We have every confidence in Chris, but our second guy is going to play”, GM Stringer said.

It remains to be seen if the Rovers are finished with their goaltending, but a tandem of Mason and Emery is the current most-likely scenario.

Gerber traded to Lethbridge for first round pick

Iqaluit, NU (CP)

While news of the RHL expanding to another Alberta town was making the biggest news of the day, Rovers GM Steve Stringer was dealing with another Alberta market, namely Lethbridge. The Rovers have confirmed that they have dealt starting goaltender Martin Gerber to the Selects in exchange for their first round draft choice in the upcoming draft. “This is not an easy trade for us to make, but looking forward we were quickly going to come to a point where we had to make a decision on our goaltending. Chris Mason has emerged as a quality starting goalie in his own right, and with expansion rules being what they are we would be risking losing one of them after this season should we expand again. We thought this was the time to move”.

The decision to trade Gerber was made slightly easier by the play of Mason and by the emergence of Ray Emery, who after a strong two seasons in the minors appears ready for a back-up role in with the club. The Selects, meanwhile, are getting the starter they need with current goalie Marc Denis slated for unrestricted free agency in a few weeks. The deal now gives the Rovers five first round draft choices.. indicating to some that more moves may be afoot. “We will continue to look to improve the club by all means necessary”, Stringer said after the trade. “If a move materializes where draft picks can be used as currency to better the team at the right price, we’ll look very closely at it”.

RHL Expands to Vulcan, AB

Vulcan, AB (RR)

Rover Report was on location this afternoon in the small town of Vulcan, AB for a major announcement. Victor Khoo, local businessman and entrepreneur had called a news conference with RHL commissioner Paul Myers in attendance to announce his ownership of a new RHL franchise in Vulcan, nicknamed the Mind Melds. Khoo appeared please if not stoic during the event, and reportedly comes to the RHL highly recommended. The Rovers issued this statement regarding the expansion announcement. “Congratulations to the town of Vulcan and GM Victor Khoo on their new RHL franchise. The RHL is a great league and the Baffin Island Rovers look forward to working with Mr. Khoo and his organization to continue to grow the game in new markets”.

GM Stringer was not available for direct comment, as he was updating his Rolodex and was seen busily dialing numbers in the 780 area code.

Report: Rovers deal Gerber to Selects

Iqaluit, NU (CP)

Rover Report has learned that goaltender Martin Gerber has been traded to the Lethbridge Selects… more as it becomes available.

Stringer confirms details of Pettinger deal

Iqaluit, NU (CP)

Not content with mere rumblings of a deal, Rover Report camped outside the office of GM Stringer until details were forthcoming. “Ok ok fine, we gave up Grigorenko, Ryder, and Genoway and are getting the Reapers #1… now will you go away?”, a visually agitated Stringer said as he was trying to leave team headquarters to meet with an advertising partner. Grigorenko, an original RHL11 second-round draft choice of the team and re-acquired before the RHL16 draft for two third rounders, will be making his second stop with the Aviators. Ryder and Genoway were both selected by the Rovers in the RHL16 draft in the second and third rounds, respectively.

Report: Rovers to acquire Pettinger, draft pick

Iqaluit, NU (CP)

The RHL is currently in the off-season and a trading freeze, but that hasn’t stopped clubs from talking and apparently dealing. Rover Report has learned that the Rovers have agreed to a deal in principle to acquire winger Matt Pettinger from the San Francisco Aviators. The deal also sees an undisclosed draft choice go Baffin while prospects go to San Francisco. Details of the deal have not been disclosed, although they apparently have been submitted to the league for approval and announcement at such time as the trade freeze is lifted. Rovers management had no comment on the report.

Rovers Stringer proposes 25-team schedule, league to decide

Iqaluit, NU (CP)

With the RHL still in its off-season, word came on Tuesday that the league offices were still searching for an expansion candidate for RHL17. After hearing this, Rovers GM Steve Stringer contacted commissioner Myers to propose a structure for a 66-game, 25-team schedule for next season. A copy of the proposal was sent to Rover Report, and here is an exerpt.

6 team division: 5 divisional games (25) + 3 extra divisional games (3)
+ 2 out-of-division games (38). The extra divisional games could go as follows: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 1-3, 2-5, 4-6, 1-4, 3-5, 2-6.
7 team division: 6 divisional games (30) + 2 out-of-division games (36). This balances perfectly.

The departed Defiance were a member of the six-team Patrick Division so a club from the seven-team Shore Division will have to move over to the Patrick, but beyond that there should be no problems proceeding with a 25-team league. “We had an unbalanced divisional schedule this past season, so if it could be done last year it can be done this year”, Stringer told Rover Report. “Basically the premise of the idea was to get back to playing. I believe we will be better off starting RHL17 now with 25 teams rather than forcing in a bad (or ill-prepared) owner just for the sake of doing so. I think that new owner will come along, but they can just as soon wait until RHL18 and maybe even learn the league through RHL17. We simply need to get back to business”.

There have been rumblings in other markets to the same effect, contending that the RHL needs to be active rather than waiting for a new owner to emerge. Now it appears as though the league is taking the Stringer schedule under consideration and is ready to make a decision in the coming days. A memo from the league office this morning has indicated that a final decision is impending and the 25-team format is a strong candidate should a suitable owner not appear immediately. Stay tuned as this story comes to its conclusion in the next few days.

Danton trail goes international, passes Grand Forks, ND

Grand Forks, ND (RR)

With two national agencies now on the prowl for Mike Danton, the manhunt is officially on. Early Friday morning Danton ate a meal at a truck stop outside Grand Forks, ND. How and where he crossed the border remains unknown, though hiding on a southbound transport truck or passenger vehicle is the most likely scenario. Grand Forks is just shy of 4 hrs south of Winnipeg, which was where the Danton trail went cold for the RCMP after concluding their investigation in Churchill on Tuesday. The FBI have now gotten involved at the request of Canadian authorities.

Danton paid in cash for a late night meal around 1:30 am Friday morning at a full service Texaco truck stop on I-29. Waitress Tina Stanton confirmed that she served Danton. “Grand Forks is hockey country”, she said. “And sure we’ve got the 500s nearby, but folks around here like to follow a winner and the Rovers are a big sell here. I recognized him but didn’t say anything to him, he looked like he wanted to be left alone. I didn’t know there was any fuss around him”. I-29 tracks south to Fargo, but from there Danton could head east to Minneapolis, west towards Bismarck or continue south to Sioux Falls and then Nebraska. Investigators are combing the site for any clues and talking to all the regular truckers for any leads.

And what did Danton have for his late-night bite? “Hamburger platter, extra mushrooms”, Stanton said. “Nice tip, too”.