Colorado Eagles sign 18 players and announce NHL- AHL affiliation

LOVELAND, Col – Since the announcement that the Colorado Eagles were leaving the CHL and joining the ECHL was made this spring, Eagles coaches and scouting staff have been very busy searching out talent and evaluating their previous season’s roster.
 
Over the last several months, eighteen players have been signed by head coach, team president and general manager, Chris Stewart, to provide the basis for the 2011-2012 Colorado Eagles ECHL franchise.
 
Original Eagle and team captain, Riley Nelson and defensive leader Aaron Schneekloth were the first two players signed for Colorado’s inaugural ECHL season. 
 

Nelson, an offensive specialist and all time Eagles scoring leader, has had outstanding scoring numbers throughout his professional and collegiate career. After a four-year stint with Michigan Tech of the WCHA he has played professionally in the AHL, CHL and UHL over the last 10 years. 
 
Averaging nearly a point per game in his Eagles career and having won an NCAA championship in 2002 with the University of North Dakota, Schneekloth was the obvious choice as the defensive leader for the new ECHL team. His professional career has included 50 games in the ECHL, 64 games in the AHL and 396 CHL contests (including playoffs).
 
Along with the top offensive player and a leading defensive skater, the next signing for the Colorado Eagles ECHL franchise was a goaltender. Kyle Jones, whose skill, work ethic and calm demeanor won him the starting job with the Eagles last season, won 29 games; Jones has played professionally in the AHL, ECHL, IHL, and CHL. His outstanding four-year collegiate career with St. Norbert’s College saw him compile a record of 87 wins 10  losses and 8 ties and included a NCAA D-III title in his final season.
 
Looking to lock up one of last season’s better defensive finds, the Eagles went out and   signed defenseman Kyle Peto to skate alongside Schneekloth. Peto was a four-year collegiate player at  Mankato  State with International play on his resume as well, having played in Finland‘s SM Liiga and England‘s EIHL.  His North American pro teams include ECHL, Idaho Steelheads, Florida Everblades and Mississippi Seawolves along with the CHL’s Corpus Christi Ice Rays and of course the Colorado Eagles.
 
One of the best surprises from last season for the Eagles was the rapid development of rookie Adam Chorneyko, after playing 5 seasons in Canadian Major Jr.  in the WHL and AJHL and one season of Canadian collegiate hockey Chorneyko made his pro debut with the Texas Brahmas in the 2009-2010 playoffs where he caught the eye of Colorado Eagles management who signed the rookie for the 2010-2011 season. His 30 points in 40 games in the regular season was a good start but his 28 points in 22 playoff games earned him the league lead in playoff points in The 2010-11 President’s Cup race.
 
Another rookie moving with the Colorado Eagles to the ECHL is a local man and another developmental bonus.  A.J. Hau is a product of the Northern Colorado developmental system having come through the Northern Colorado Youth Hockey Program, spending two years in the NAHL with the Fairbanks,  Alaska Ice Dogs, a year at Augsburg College, and three years on the Colorado State University Hockey team. 
 
Fan favorite and tough guy, Alex Penner, will be making the jump to the ECHL with the Colorado Eagles having established a reputation as a fearless fighter. Penner is also a big body down low in front of the net and has some scoring skills. An entertaining player to watch, Penner also brings previous ECHL,  AHL, CHL and International experience with the EIHL to the Eagles.
 
Continuing the connection with local hockey teams, the Colorado Eagles made a trade of future considerations with the Wheeling Nailers to attain the services of Denver University alumni forward, Anthony Maiani. At 5′ 7″ and 165 lbs. Maiani is a scoring threat and play maker in the mold of Eagles Captain, Riley Nelson.
 
Two Tulsa Oiler teammates, Jack Combs and Chad Costello were added to the Colorado Eagles ECHL roster. Costello has AHL, ECHL, IHL, and CHL experience and two collegiate hockey years playing for Northwestern University. His 84 points in 54 games with the Oilers last season show a deft scoring touch despite his small stature at 5′ 9″ and 170 lbs.
 
Combs also has higher level hockey experience having played in the  ECHL, AHL and the CHL after his 5 years of OHL in the Canadian major Jr. ranks. Another goal scoring threat, Combs tallied 82 points with the Oilers last season.
An in-state acquisition, rookie Patrick Knowlton from Colorado Springs, Co, brings nine games of ECHL experience with him after playing four years at  Sacred Heart University.
 
Family relationships and recommendations are another way the Colorado Eagles find their hockey playing gems. Two former Eagles brothers are among the rookie forwards signed by the Eagles this summer.
 
Patrick Cey, younger brother of Morgan Cey a former Eagles goalie and Nic Polaski, younger brother of Scott Polaski, a former Eagles defenseman, were acquired after both young men spent the last four years playing college hockey. Cey played for the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and Polaski for the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
 
Two former CHL foes, Troy Ofukany from the Wichta Thunder and the Odessa Jackalopes and Liam Hurculak, a former Allen American joined the Colorado Eagles ECHL team for the 2011-12 season.  Both players bring much needed skills and depth to the Eagles forward corps.
 
Three more veteran players round out the eighteen Eagles signed to date, veteran forward Rhett Gordon who has AHL and IHL experience along with a great deal of International experience with the Canadian National Team and several European league teams in England, Italy, and Germany.
 
Defenseman Jason Beatty will be joining several of his former CHL Eagles team mates in their leap to the ECHL for the upcoming season. A solid defender at 6’1″ and 225 pounds, Beatty also has deceptive speed and acceleration and a decent pair of hands. 
 
Steve Haddon, a career Eagle, has improved in each of his five years as a professional.  At 6′ and 195 lbs. winger, Haddon is known for his hard work and dogged determination.
 
With the team getting ready for their first ECHL preseason training camp, all that was left is to determine what NHL and AHL combination best suits this new ECHL franchise.  On September 8th the ECHL Colorado Eagles, the NHL Winnipeg Jets and the AHL St. Johns Ice Caps announced their three-way affiliation. 
 
All three teams are starting something new, the Eagles are in a new league, The Ice Caps are in a new location and have a new name, (they are the former Manitoba Moose franchise) and the Jets are the former Atlanta Thrashers franchise that relocated to Winnipeg to begin play this season.
 
The opportunity for all three franchises to grow together and become assets to each other make this a unique and exciting challenge in the world of professional hockey.
 
Important upcoming dates for the Colorado Eagles;
Training camp starts September 30, 2011
First pre-season games in Alaska vs the Alaska Aces Oct 4 and 5, 2011
Only preseason home game Oct. 7, 2011 vs. Las Vegas Wranglers
Regular season opener Friday Oct. 14, 2011
Regular season home opener Friday Oct. 21, 2011
  Please contact the author/photographer at terry.sanford@prohockeynews.com