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Dallas Stars Minor Pro Monthly Update: February Thursday, March 20, 2008 By Kevin Wey The Iowa Stars’ up-and-down season continued in February with a 6-6-1-0 record for the month, including a four-game skid Feb. 19 through Feb. 24, that left the team with a 27-29-3-2 record for the season, last in the West Division. There were bright spots, though. Goaltender Tobias Stephan had four shutouts during the month and back-up Steve Silverthorn earned a shutout Feb. 17 against Houston, which came off the heels of Stephan’s shutout against Houston two nights earlier. The return of James Neal also proved to be highly favorable to the team, as the rookie led the team in points for the month despite missing the Feb. 1 and 2 series against Grand Rapids. Some of the biggest news came on Feb. 27, when veteran defenseman Nolan Baumgartner was re-assigned from Iowa to the Manitoba Moose in the AHL’s North Division, and Feb. 29, when the Clear Day rosters were announced by the AHL, both of which helped solidify what Iowa’s roster could be expected to look like the rest of the season.
Iowa Stars Clear Day Roster
The most notable exclusion from the list was Aaron Gagnon, who had spent most of the season with Iowa. Gagnon, however, was not re-assigned to Idaho, because Rich Clune was expected to be out for the foreseeable future with a hand injury. Other Dallas prospects excluded from the list included John Lammers and Alexander Naurov, both of whom remained with the ECHL Idaho Steelheads [Note: Naurov was subsequently re-assigned by Dallas from Idaho to the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL on March 5.] The Steelheads, meanwhile, had a better month based on the strength of a three-game winning streak early in the month from Feb. 2 through Feb. 9. That early streak helped punctuate a 20-6-0-0 record that Idaho compiled form Dec. 12 through Feb. 9, helping Idaho challenge Victoria for first place in the West Division. As the calendar turned to March, the Steelheads had already clinched a spot in the ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs, and helping lead the way was Lammers, who averaged a goal a game during the month and had certainly regained all of his scoring touch after his disappointing time in Finland. One thing that didn’t happen during February was Iowa or Idaho losing players at the NHL Trade Deadline Feb. 26. Although Dallas traded Jussi Jokinen, Mike Smith, and Jeff Halpern to regular trading partner Tampa Bay for Brad Richards and Johan Holmqvist, no I-Stars or Steelheads were traded to other NHL organizations, keeping Iowa’s and Idaho’s rosters fairly intact. As follows is the Dallas Stars Minor Pro Update for the month of February: Iowa Stars# 31 Tobias Stephan, G The Swiss netminder earned a shutout over the Grand Rapids Griffins Feb. 1 to begin the month and another against the Hamilton Bulldogs Feb. 29 to end the month, and he had two other shutouts during the to give him four for February and six for season, first in the AHL. Stephan also ended the month second in minutes played for the season with 2700, behind only the Milwaukee Admirals’ Pekka Rinne (3195 minutes). He also ended the month with 21 wins for the season, seventh among all AHL netminders. His .925 save percentage for the month of February boosted him to .910 for the season and his 2.20 goals-against average lowered his mark to 2.56 for the season, 19th in the AHL. Even though he had four shutouts in February, his record for the month was 5-5-1-0, reflecting the up-and-down month that both he and the I-Stars experienced. His non-shutout win for the month was a 4-1 victory over the Manitoba Moose Feb. 13, which meant that Stephan gave up 22 goals in his five losses. However, Stephan’s month helped establish Iowa Stars franchise records for shutouts in a season (six) and shutouts with the organization (seven). If Stephan can earn 10 more wins in 2007-08, he’ll overtake Dan Ellis’s mark of 30 wins in a season for Iowa. He was also within striking distance of Mike Smith’s 2.50 goals-against average and .917 save percentage in 2005-06, both Iowa Stars single season franchise records (not including the marks Steve Silverthorn put up in only four games in 2006-07). If the I-Stars are to make the AHL Calder Cup Playoffs, they’ll need Stephan to be at the top of his game and likely establish new single-season franchise marks. Stephan also needs a strong end to the season with Smith going to Tampa Bay for unrestricted free agent Johan Holmqvist. “I think it’s going to mean it’s important for Tobias to play well and then it’s an important off-season where he becomes an even stronger man and prepares to challenge to potentially back up in the NHL,” Iowa Stars Director of Hockey Operations Scott White said of the significance of the trading of Smith in an early March interview. “I don’t know if that’ll play out, but at least it’s not going to make the decision hard for him.” Also of note, Stephan was recalled to Dallas Feb. 7 to back up Smith against the Minnesota Wild in St. Paul (Turco was out with a sore neck) and Feb. 26 to back up Turco in St. Louis after Smith had been traded the same day to Tampa Bay and Holmqvist was unable to make it for that evening’s game at the Scottrade Center.That Feb. 26 tandem could be Dallas’ duo in net next season. #3 Trevor Byrne, D A broken hand to Jussi Timonen, a nasty flu to Bryce Lampman, a couple emergency recalls to Dan Jancevski, and the re-assignment of Nolan Baumgartner to Manitoba at the end of the month meant Byrne played in the final 11 games of the month, and he responded with 1 goal and 3 assists and a +4 rating. Byrne’s four points in February, all of which came in a five-game span at the end of the month, tied him with Jancevski and Chris Lee for points during the month by a defenseman and brought his season totals to 2 goals and 9 assists in 56 games. While White expects “more out of his play and more consistency,” he did see improvement in February. “He’s been a little better,” White said of Byrne. “Our coaches are a little more pleased with him, which is good. “We’ll see if that continues here in March. Hopefully it does.” Considering who comprised Iowa’s Clear Day roster, Byrne should have the opportunity to play every game down the stretch, if healthy, and finish 2007-08 on a high note. #8 Jussi Timonen, D Timonen had two assists in Iowa’s 3-0 shutout of Grand Rapids Feb. 1 but suffered a broken hand the next night against the Griffins and missed the next 10 games before returning to the line-up Feb. 29 against Hamilton, in which Timonen suffered a concussion. He ended February with 9 assists in 24 games for Iowa and 16 assists in 38 games for the season, including his time with the Philadelphia Phantoms before being acquired by Dallas Dec. 10. When Timonen returns to health, opportunity awaits him, as the re-assignment of Nolan Baumgartner to Manitoba could benefit the Finn most. “Ideally, for me it puts Chris Lee and in puts Jussi Timonen in position to get more ice time,” White said of Baumgartner’s re-assignment. Timonen could also find himself on the first d-pairing when he returns. “I think he and Dan Jancevski will play together and I think, hopefully, their games will move forward accordingly.” By the sound of it, Timonen will be afforded every opportunity to prove he deserves a qualifying offer from Dallas this summer, assuming he returns to health. #26 Bryce Lampman, D Lampman was a scratch for four games from Feb. 9 through Feb. 15 due to the flu, was dressed Feb. 17 at Houston with Dan Jancevski out of the line-up due to emergency recall to Dallas, and was subsequently scratched Feb. 19 and Feb. 21 as he fully recovered from the illness. In the seven games Lampman did play during February, he did not tally any points, although he was a +4. He had 3 goals and 5 assists in 35 games for Iowa to end February and 6 goals and 8 assists in 51 games for the season, including his time with the Norfolk Admirals. One of seven defensemen included on Iowa’s Clear Day roster, Lampman is poised to receive more ice time the rest of the season. “One guy I didn’t mention was Bryce Lampman,” White said, correcting the omission when he mentioned the opportunity afforded Lee and Timonen down the stretch. “I do not think we’ve seen Bryce’s best hockey yet, and hopefully he can take advantage of this ice time here as we progress down the stretch.” In his sixth AHL season, Lampman brings more experience to the table than rookie Ethan Graham and the veteran’s 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame offers more muscle for physical play than the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Michigan State grad. Unless he’s injured or his game goes to Hades, Lampman will be in the line-up the rest of the season, which will be an opportunity for the Group VI unrestricted free agent to prove he should still be considered for an NHL two-way contract by Dallas or another organization. #27 Dan Jancevski, D Jancevski was recalled to Dallas on Feb. 16 after Mark Fistric was questionable for the Stars’ Feb. 17 against Detroit, after taking a stick to the face against Anaheim Feb. 15, but “Janny” did not play. He was sent back to Iowa Feb. 18 but was recalled again Feb. 26 to play against St. Louis that night with Nicklas Grossman out of action due to taking a puck in the face in practice and Matt Niskanen out with an injured foot (as well as Sergei Zubov still out with foot and groin problems). The 26-year-old veteran minor leaguer played 10:42 minutes in Dallas’ 3-1 victory over the Blues and was returned him to Iowa the next day, but twice in a row Dallas had called upon Jancevski. With Iowa, Jancevski had a so-so month with 2 goals and 2 assists in 11 games, as well as a -4 rating, the worst on the team for the month. Jancevski’s February totals brought him to 2 goals and 2 assists and a -9 rating in 17 games for Iowa and 6 goals 18 assists and a -34 rating in 54 games for the season, including his games with the Norfolk Admirals before being acquired Jan. 15. Jancevski's play has not been perfect with Iowa, but Dallas and Iowa fans should not read into his minus rating as an indication that he’s the worst player defensively on the team. In fact, fans should expect to see him on the ice in most situations. “Dan Jancevski’s always going to play against the top lines defensively, five-on-five, no matter what,” White said in response to a question about Jancevski’s minus rating for the month. “It’s going to happen where our team’s going to get scored against, and unfortunately if Dan doesn’t do a perfect job, he’s going to have a minus sometimes.” One thing Iowa will need out of Jancevski down the stretch is a physical presence, as his 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame makes him the biggest Iowa defenseman (bigger than 6-foot-4, 210-pound Trevor Byrne and 6-foot-2, 215 pound Brett Westgarth) and he also has the most professional experience on Iowa’s blue line, now that Nolan Baumgartner has been re-assigned to Manitoba. Too often this season Iowa defensemen not named Nicklas Grossman have been walked or beaten out of the corner or along the boards by speedy, agile, or aggressive forwards. With his experience, Jancevski must lead the charge at defense. #7 Marty Sertich, C/LW Sertich led the I-Stars in goals in February with 6 and added 2 assists in 13 games for 8 points during the month, second only to Chris Conner and James Neal’s 9 points each. His eight points were far better than the four points he put up in January and they put him second in Iowa scoring with 37 points in 60 games. Sertich’s 19 goals for the season tied him with Toby Petersen for the team lead in goals scored and his 7 power play goals also led the team entering March. Also of note, Sertich had two game-winning goals (Feb. 9 against Peoria and Feb. 29 against Hamilton) during February and took the lead in game-winning goals for the season at four. Sertich scored 20 goals and 19 assists in 64 games last season and appeared to be on that pace again, but he also looked poised to play nearly every game in 2007-08, which would help prove he can withstand the rigors of a full AHL season even while dealing with the lingering effects of the knee injury he suffered last season. Not a bad rebound. #10 Marius Holtet, RW From Jan.25 through the end of February, Holtet had not lit the lamp. He did have 2 assists in 12 games in February (scratched Feb. 13 against Manitoba), which gave him 9 goals and 6 assists in 55 games for the season, but he also had a team-worst -20 rating after going -3 for the month. That team-worst minus rating was somewhat a reflection of Holtet’s inconsistency in 2007-08. “My perspective is he’s got to be responsible defensively on a consistent basis and then the offense will take care of itself,” White said of Holtet’s offensive woes and defensive inconsistencies. Holtet also needs to be more consistent with his puck decisions. “Bottom line is, it’s consistency, responsibility with the puck, and without the puck for that matter, in all three zones,” White said of Holtet’s needed improvements. “We expect, I expect, more out of him because he’s a third-year guy in our system, fourth-year actually.” Indeed. In addition to Holtet’s three seasons with the Iowa Stars, he played for Houston in 2004-05, when the Aeros were one of Dallas’ AHL affiliates (Hamilton being the other), giving him little room for excuse. His inconsistencies have limited him primarily to third- and fourth-line duty in 2007-08 and sporadic time on the power play, although he has continued to be a semi-regular on the penalty kill. Making things all the more frustrating in February, Holtet led the team in shots on goal in February with 44 and converted on none of them. In many regards, despite taking so many shots on goal, Holtet’s play has seemed undefined in 2007-08. He has not been the physical, board-rattling forechecker the I-Stars have seen in the past, nor has he been the skilled offensive player with slick stickhandling and the hard shot that he’s shown flashes of. On too many nights, Holtet has merely been in the line-up. Because he’s been playing in a third- and fourth-line role, Holtet might be advised to define his game down the stretch by playing with the physical game he’s capable of and driving the net using his sturdy 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame. He’s going to have to contribute something if he’s not scoring. #11 Aaron Gagnon, C Gagnon missed much of the second half of February due to the flu and the subsequent recovery and then also trying to get back into the line-up. He only played in 6 of 13 games for Iowa during the month and was still without a point after 20 AHL games for the season. Not playing in the final six games of the month doesn’t mean the end to Gagnon’s AHL season, though. “All it takes is a couple injuries and a call-up and you’re there,” White said of Gagnon staying in the AHL. “Currently, we’re in emergency and I expect Aaron to be in the line-up.” While Gagnon will be the one called upon in emergency conditions, at least at forward, being excluded from the Clear Day roster will make it possible for Gagnon to play for Idaho (if he is healthy) down the stretch and in the Kelly Cup Playoffs and be included on the Steelheads’ playoff roster submitted to the ECHL on April 6, which allows 20 roster spots and 3 injured reserve spots. While Iowa may miss the Calder Cup Playoffs, Gagnon is assured of playing well into April with Idaho, which would help Gagnon play more games in a season limited by a shoulder and ankle injury. #13 Konstantin Pushkarev, RW Pushkarev had 1 goal and 6 assists in 13 games in February, which gave him 8 goals and 16 assists in 34 games on the season and 0.71 points-per-game average that placed him second only to Toby Petersen’s 0.79. At February’s end, Pushkarev had scored 18 points in 26 games since his return from Russia, which led Iowa in scoring during that span. Chris Conner was second with 15 points in 25 games (with Dallas Dec. 31, when Pushkarev returned to the line-up), Petersen was third with 15 points in 26 games, and Marty Sertich was fourth with 14 points in 25 games (scratched Jan.5). Even though Pushkarev gets too fancy at the offensive blue line on occasion, he still had a +5 rating for the month, giving him a team-leading +8 for the season. The only other I-Stars with plus ratings that had played 10 or more games during the season at the end of February were Mark Bomersback (+5 in 19 games), Nicklas Grossman (+1 in 10 games), and the since-traded Mario Scalzo (+1 in 15 games). One potential criticism of Pushkarev during February was that he only had 15 shots on goals, which could easily be interpreted as Pushkarev returning to his old habit of holding the puck too long and trying to make the perfect play or the perfect shot. While that maybe be somewhat true, he was also battling through an injured hand suffered Feb. 2. Battling through nagging injuries has been the norm for Pushkarev in 2007-08, as he played through a broken finger in October after missing only a few games and has played through the lingering effects of the separated shoulder he suffered in Russia. While one could cite Pushkarev for needing to get less fancy and not trying to make the perfect play or take the perfect shot, one might wonder whether this problem might resolve itself if Pushkarev were challenged by playing in a league where he couldn’t routinely make opposing defensemen look foolish and where he had teammates with elite finishing ability. Perhaps the National Hockey League? #15 Perttu Lindgren, C Lindgren was called back to Des Moines Feb. 13 while in Winnipeg with the team for their second game in as many nights against the Manitoba Moose when it became apparent that Ylajoki (a finalist for the 2006 Miss Finland pageant) was going to give birth to the baby girl five weeks premature. Lindgren made it for the Feb. 14 birth and remained in Des Moines while the team played two games in Houston before returning for the Feb. 19 contest against Hamilton, in which Lindgren took warm-ups but did not play. The young center returned to the line-up Feb. 21 against Milwaukee and finished the month with a modest 1 goal and 2 assists in 9 games, which gave him 4 goals and 15 assists in 50 games for the season. Although Lindgren’s February looked like regress statistically, he had in fact shown progress in regularly taking two or three shots a game and showing off his shot power, a quality that was not as apparent earlier in the season. Lindgren has shown consistent progress during the course of the season. He’s also had to grow up sooner than he might have anticipated. In 2007-08, the 20-year-old Lindgren moved to a new country, moved away from home (he played in the Sm-Liiga with hometown club Ilves Tampere), had to learn a new language and culture, had to deal with immigration issues, had to adjust to a new team and a new style of hockey, and becoming a father in a stranger’s land. That’s a tall order, but Lindgren has met the challenge and worked his way into the first-line center spot and a spot on the first power play unit. #17 Rich Clune, LW Clune only played 7 games in February and was a scratch the final four games of the month due to a broken hand. If it were a different time in the season, perhaps Clune would be playing, but the I-Stars want to take it safe with the 20-year-old winger. “We have to look ‘big picture’ with Rich,” White said of keeping Clune out of the line-up. “I know if it was the playoffs, he probably would play through it, potentially, but right now we had the opportunity to take care of it, rest it, heal it. “He’s only in the first of many more years with our system, with our group, and we want to make sure that he has full health when he returns.”
Suffering the injury after two fights in two nights in Manitoba, Clune was scratched Feb. 15 against Houston and then played the next two games, but he found the sore hand was not healing and it was discovered there was a break when the doctors looked at it upon return to Iowa. Clune sported a cast the rest of the month. Clune did score one goal during the month, the game winner against Grand Rapids in a 3-0 victory Feb. 1, and moved his season totals to 3 goals and 3 assists in 27 games. Despite the injury, Clune’s high-energy checking game also earned himself a spot on Iowa’s Clear Day roster; however, it was anticipated that he would be out one to two more weeks before returning to game action. #18 James Neal, LW Neal had a goal in each of his previous games entering the I-Stars Dec. 30 contest in Peoria and he had two assists in that game before an opponent fell on his right leg after being checked with less than two minutes into the game. After missing the final game of 2007, all 12 games in January, and the first two games of February, Neal returned to action Feb. 8 against Chicago and appeared to have lost some of his speed and acceleration. He went without a point Feb. 8 and also Feb. 9 against Peoria, but in the final seven games of February, Neal scored 5 goals and 4 assists to tie Chris Conner with 9 points for the month. Neal’s +5 rating for the month tied him with Konstantin Pushkarev for the team lead. During his rehabilitation, Neal worked with Dallas Stars Assistant Strength and Condition Coach Manny Hernando riding the stationary bike hard, working with resistance bands running in the hallways, and medicine ball routines. After he was cleared to skate, Iowa Stars Assistant Coach Paul Jerrard led Neal through hard skates after practice to help him get his legs and lungs back under him and prepare him to return to game action. Even with his impressive return from injury, Neal would prefer not to receive the same Christmas “gift” in 2008 that he received in 2006 and 2007. “It was the same as last year,” Neal said in a post-game interview Feb. 8. “Last year in Plymouth I came in, my second game in after Christmas I blew my knee out and had to get surgery on my left one and I was out until March, and then I come back after Christmas this year and two games in I blow my other one out. “This one wasn’t as bad, so I was back quicker. It sucks, but it’s little things that you’ve got to overcome and hopefully come back stronger and ready to play.” He certainly did that. Now Neal needs to make sure he’s consistent shift in and shift out. “His game’s really moved forward, and that’s all we can ask,” White said of Neal. “I’ve probably said this a hundred times, in a development setting, from a management perspective, his game is really coming along and we just want consistency and we’ve told him that each shift is what we look for, each shift being consistent. “Those are two words that we like him to focus on. He’s been very positive here lately and his growth has been very sound.” Indeed. Neal started the season looking as if he barely belonged in the AHL and almost overwhelmed. At the end of February, he was Iowa’s most effective power forward offensively. #19 Toby Petersen, C Petersen scored 2 goals and 5 assists in 13 games in February, giving him 19 goals and 29 assists for the season, and played much of the month as a right wing to center Perttu Lindgren. Right wing might not have been optimal for Petersen’s production, but it was the team captain just doing what the team needed, once again. Even though Petersen dropped to 27th in AHL scoring by the end of February, there was still no doubting that he was the heart and soul of the team. He continued to consistently play on the first line, the penalty kill, and the first power play unit. Of some note, Petersen was moved to forward on the power play in February after spending much of the season quarterbacking the first power play unit from the point. The move was no indictment of Petersen, but rather an attempt to try something new and move the veteran’s speed and playmaking closer to the net. A monthly update of Toby Petersen almost invariably becomes a broken record: speedy and skilled player plays hard in all three zones, does whatever is asked of him, and leads his team in scoring. The record made another turn in February. [Note: Petersen was recalled by Dallas on March 4 after clearing re-entry waivers. Because the trading deadline had passed, any team that would have claimed Petersen on re-entry waivers could not have played him until the 2008-09 season. Making that proposition even less attractive was the fact that Petersen is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season; meaning that had any team taken Petersen in re-entry waivers, it would have been for the sole purpose of screwing the Dallas Stars. Dallas wasn’t screwed, and it appears Petersen’s patience will be rewarded.] #21 Janos Vas, LW/RW Vas started the month on a good note by scoring Feb. 1 and ending a 13-game goalless streak. He added two more goals and two more assists the rest of the month for 5 points in 13 games, giving him 15 goals and 19 assists in 61 games on the season. His 34 points were good for third in I-Stars scoring behind Toby Petersen and Marty Sertich, thanks to playing every game and his strong start to the season. Although Vas played on a checking third line for most of the month, he still continued to see regular time on the second power play unit. He also continued to set new career highs with every point he scored, breaking not only his AHL marks but the marks he set in Swedish juniors (albeit in more games than he played with Malmo’s junior team). Vas still has yet to play an NHL game and create history by becoming the first Hungarian-born skater to play in the National Hockey League. With Dallas in a tight race with San Jose for the lead in the Pacific, Vas may not get his chance in 2007-08, and he’s a restricted free agent this summer. A strong stretch drive would go a long way toward Vas earning a qualifying offer. #23 Tom Wandell, RW/C Wandell had 1 goal and 3 assists in February, giving him 3 goals and 4 assists in 34 games for the season. He also finished February with a strong +4 rating for the month. He missed over 20 games due to a rib cage injury and assignment to Idaho when he came back and had struggled to see much action after his return, but Wandell was starting to see more ice time at the end of February. “I think he’s finding his way still, but he’s taken advantage of it,” White said of Wandell’s increased ice time. “He’s doing some good things out on the ice, competing, learning to battle consistently.” After a frustrating couple of months, the door appears to be opening for Wandell to prove himself a little more down the stretch. #25 Chris Conner, LW Conner scored 3 goals and 6 assists in 13 games in February, and his 9 points tied him with James Neal for the team lead. His 8 goals and 16 assists in 36 games for the season were identical to Pushkarev’s, although “Pushy” had played two few games. At the end of February, Conner had 5 goals and 10 assists in 25 games since returning from Dallas, numbers second only to Pushkarev in that stretch. In fact, Conner, Pushkarev, and captain Toby Petersen have all set the tone. “I think from a performance standpoint, I think you look at Konstantin Pushkarev, Chris Conner, and Toby Petersen, and I’ve been really pleased with their games, and their play throughout has been very consistent, albeit they probably would want a little more offense, but their effort and their performance has been above-average throughout,” White said of Iowa’s standouts in 2008. Conner’s still working on his finish around the net, but there’s no doubt that he’s a consistent contributor and always one of Iowa’s top six forwards. Now he’s just trying to set the stage to return to Dallas in 2008-09. #44 B.J. Crombeen, RW Crombeen only scored 1 goal and 4 assists in 13 games in February, which gave him 8 goals and 11 assists in 56 games for the season, but he also found himself as the anchor of the third line for much of the month. Playing on the checking line, Crombeen also started to fight a bit more again. Crombeen had five fighting majors during the February, three of which came against Chicago Wolves defenseman Boris Valabik, including two bouts against the 6-foot-7, 239-pound behemoth Feb. 24. At month’s end, Crombeen had 17 fighting majors for the season with the I-Stars and one during his stint in Dallas. Thankfully for Crombeen, he hasn’t had to answer the bell all by himself since December, when Rich Clune and Brett Westgarth joined the team. Clune had 12 fighting majors in 27 games to end February and Westgarth had 6 in 22 games. Trevor Byrne and Janos Vas had also dropped the gloves once this season at month’s end, as had since-departed Junior Lessard, Paul Szczechura, and Nolan Baumgartner. Crombeen may not have put up big numbers in February, but he was playing the role he is most likely to play throughout his future career in the NHL, which could embark in full starting next season. #58 Francis Wathier, LW/C Wathier had missed all of Iowa’s 61 games to end February, but the I-Stars look forward to his return. “We really appreciate his size and his effort, because he has Dallas Stars qualities,” White said of Wathier. “His work ethic is exemplary. “He’s just a hard-working player and he has size, and that’s an element we don’t have a lot of.” Indeed, at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, Wathier is the tallest Iowa forward and one of three forwards over 200 pounds, Janos Vas (6-foot-1, 205 pounds) and B.J. Crombeen (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) being the other two. Last season, Wathier had 14 goals and 3 assists in 57 games for the Iowa Stars and 4 goals and 9 assists in 17 games for the Idaho Steelheads, whom he also played 7 playoff games for and scored 1 goal and 1 assist to help the Steelheads win the Kelly Cup after playing 12 playoff games for the Iowa Stars. If he can play strong down the stretch, Wathier will go a long way toward earning a qualifying offer from Dallas despite his shoulder woes over his career. [Note: Wathier rejoined the line-up March 1 against the Toronto Marlies at Ricoh Coliseum.] Idaho SteelheadsJohn Lammers, LW In 14 games for Idaho, skating on the first line with veterans Lance Galbraith and Marty Flichel, Lammers scored 14 goals and 9 assists, which boosted his season totals to 18 goals and 10 assists in 22 games and gave him a team-leading 1.27 points per game average for the ECHL season. With Lammers’ ability to bury his chances at the ECHL level firmly established, Idaho Steelheads Head Coach Derek Laxdal is helping the recently-turned 22-year-old round out his game. “The big thing is, it’s one thing we’ve heard a long time, he’s got to engage in battles, one-on-one battles, and get involved right in them,” Laxdal said of Lammers. “Then the second part is, on loose pucks, stopping and starting instead of taking the big turnoffs. Laxdal added that such habits are often established in juniors and are hard to break but that Lammers will have to break them to find success at the AHL level. “The goals are great and all that, but when you go up top, the first thing they’re going to look at is how is he playing defensively and how is he playing on both sides of the puck,” said Laxdal. In Idaho, Lammers is not only playing in offensive situations, he’s also playing in defensive situations and some on the penalty kill, because the Steelheads know the second-year pro needs that experience, and it’s easier to do when the team has already clinched a playoff spot. “Hockey is a game of mistakes, and if you can allow those players to make those mistakes and learn at the same time, it’s a positive for both parties,” Laxdal said of giving players new opportunities. Fortunately for Lammers, with Idaho having clinched the playoffs, he knows he’ll have the opportunity to keep working on his game through April and potentially into May. Alexander Naurov, F Naurov played the first five games of February, but did not put up any points and then contracted a nasty flu virus that kept him out of action after February 10. While Naurov was out with the flu, forward Andrew Martin was re-assigned by the Nashville Predators from the Cincinnati Cyclones to Idaho, where he became a second-liner. The Steelheads also received center Greg Rallo back from Albany in mid-February and inserted him on the second line. With Rallo back, Martin added, and forwards like Colin Sinclair returning to health, there was little space on the deep Idaho roster for Naurov when he returned to health. Toward the end of February, Naurov was unhappy with not playing and started looking for other options. On March 5, Naurov was re-assigned by Dallas to the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL’s Pacific Division, after getting back into the Idaho line-up March 1 to play against Bakersfield. “I think he felt that there’s maybe an opportunity for him to be re-assigned somewhere and he made that aware to us and we just had to leave it to Dallas and Iowa to get it worked out,” Laxdal said of Naurov’s re-assignment. “It’ll be a good opportunity for him to maybe get more ice time there.” Laxdal also noted that Bakersfield had a little more run-and-gun and that the Condors’ style of play might be more conducive to the European style Naurov likes to play. Whether in Idaho or Bakersfield, Naurov will still have to become more engaged in the physical battles of North American hockey and play a more north-and-south game if he’s to have any shot at playing in the American Hockey League in 2008-09. Re-assigned to Manitoba#14 Nolan Baumgartner, D After 56 games with the Iowa Stars, Baumgartner was re-assigned Feb. 27 to the Manitoba Moose, from whom Iowa received future considerations, which made the Feb. 24 away game against the Chicago Wolves the last game the veteran will likely suit up in a Stars uniform, Dallas or otherwise. Baumgartner played 12 games for Iowa in February and scored 1 goal and 2 assists, giving him 5 goals and 13 assists for the season, a pace well back of the numbers he’s typically put up in his AHL career. Playing one game with Manitoba at the end of the month, Baumgartner was back with a team that he skated for from 2002-03 through 2004-05, which helped propel him to the only full NHL season of his career, 2005-06 with the Vancouver Canucks. He was also with a team that, according to White, had actively inquired of Iowa the possibility of receiving his services as the Clear Day deadline approached. The re-assignment gives Baumgartner a stronger chance to play in the Calder Cup Playoffs and a chance to find his “A game” again heading into unrestricted free agency at the end of the summer. It also gives Iowa the opportunity to get a better look at some of its other defenseman, such as AHL-contracted Chris Lee and Dallas-contracted blueliners Jussi Timonen and Bryce Lampman, the latter two of which are a restricted free agent and a Group VI unrestricted free agent respectively at the end of the season. Kevin Wey is a correspondent with McKeen’s Hockey that scouts/covers that American Hockey League and the United States Hockey League.
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