PEORIA, Ill (WMBD/WYZZ) — Rivermen coach says his team resembles an expansion team this year. Not because the franchise is new to the SPHL but because so many of his players are new to the Peoria roster. “I don’t want to say this in a bad way but it feels like this is my first […]
PEORIA, Ill (WMBD/WYZZ) — Rivermen coach says his team resembles an expansion team this year.
Not because the franchise is new to the SPHL but because so many of his players are new to the Peoria roster.
“I don’t want to say this in a bad way but it feels like this is my first year,” Trudel said as his team opened training camp Tuesday. “I don’t have one defensemen that played for me last year.”
Captain Alec Baer, forwards Tristan Trudel and Mike Gelatt and goalie Nick Latinovich are among the returning players for the Rivermen. They were on the ice for the first training camp practice of the year.
Most of the rest of the players were new faces to the team. In all, Trudel said he lost “eight or nine” veteran players he thought might be back on this roster.
“I’m teaching everything new. This is what’s been good,” Trudel said. “Honestly, today went better than I expected.”
Veterans like Jordan Ernst and JM Piotroski are gone. Ernst got a full ECHL contract and Piotroski retired for a second time this summer.
The Rivermen open the season Oct. 18 at Quad Cities. The home opener is Friday, Oct. 24 as Peoria hosts Fayetteville for the first of back-to-back games that weekend against the Marksmen.
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Category: General Sports
