Coach Al Sims and captain Colin Chaulk retired, and now so has the goaltender who backstopped them to four championships between 2008 and 2012.So here's how the Fort Wayne Komets are getting their roster down to 20 players in time for Friday's regular-season opener at Dayton, Ohio:
* Jimmy Bonneau, the enforcer whom the Komets got earlier in the week, has been recalled to Rochester of the American Hockey League. The Komets do not expect him to be back.
* As I predicted earlier in the week, and got scoffed at by another blogger for suggesting, Brandon Warner has been placed on injured reserve because of his recuperating hip.
* And, of course, Playoff MVP David Hukalo is on IR as he recovers from shoulder surgery.
That brings the roster to 20 players, and Travis Whitehead won't play Friday because of a death in the family. I'm out at practice right now, and I can tell you the team is light and excited for its first game. I really noticed today how big these guys are, compared to the last couple of years.
Some of the players were curious to see Hara Arena on Friday. I warned them if the locker-room renovations didn't turn out well, they might be surly tomorrow.
In other news, according to coach Al Sims, his son, Tyler, has been signed by Mississippi of the Central Hockey League. Tyler, a goalie, was recently cut by the Komets. He played for Mississippi, coached by former Komet Kevin Kaminski, last season.
