Colorado Eagles’ off-season proceeding steadily

LOVELAND, Colo. – With plenty of changes on tap for the Central Hockey Season this summer, the Colorado Eagles are moving steadily this off-season, and as usual, making key moves to solidify the 2010-11 roster.
The first move for the Eagles came in April, when head coach Kevin McClelland was replaced. McClelland’s record with the team over two seasons was a reputable 87-30-11, but after losing to the Texas Brahmas in the finals in 2009 and missing the playoffs altogether this year, management decided it was time for a change.
Taking McClelland’s place is the team’s original head coach, Chris Stewart. Stewart coached the Eagles from 2003-04 thru 2007-08, accumulating and overall regular season record of 213-77-26 (462 points and a .731 winning percentage) – the league’s best in that span – with the Eagles winning the Governors’ Cup as regular season champions two years in a row (2004-05 & 2005-06).

Under Stewart’s leadership, the Eagle’s made the playoffs each season as division champions and went to the President’s Cup Finals three times, where they won it all twice (2005 & 2007). His overall playoff record with the Eagles is 42-31.
Solidifying the coaching staff, assistant coach Greg Pankewicz and goalie coach Ryan Bach were retained for the 2010-11 season.
 
Signings began with last season’s league MVP and scoring leader, Kevin Ulanski, getting a new contract. George Bradley (the player to be named later in last seasons trade of Erik Adams to the Allen Americans) also signed a contract with the Eagles organization.
 
Two local products in brothers A. J. and Chris Hau, were signed to tryout contracts earlier this month. 
The most recent signing to date is Tim Boron. He was one of the goalie triumvirate that helped capture the Ray Miron President’s Cup Championship for the Eagles in 2007.
 Last year’s #1 Goalie, Andrew Penner, was made a qualifying offer but has yet to make a decision on coming back for a third season.
 
The melding of the International Hockey League with the CHL brought about the opportunity for Fort Wayne Komets tough guy, forward Brad MacMillan, to change teams and sign to play with Colorado. Many Eagles fans are hoping MacMillan can bring the type of energy and toughness that Fraser Filipic brought game in and game out in his tenure with the Eagles. Colorado will have its work cut out for it – the club will now face perennial IHL champs, the Fort Wayne Komets, in the Northern Conference under the new alignment. In fact, the Northern Conference has been configured to host all four established IHL clubs plus the expansion Icemen of Evansville, who will mix it up this season with four returning clubs from the CHL. Add the CHL Champion Rapid City Rush to the fold and the strength of the conference provides an additional challenge for the Eagles. Another team not to overlook is the Wichita Thunder, who had a miserable time last season. The Thunder hired Kevin McClelland as their new head coach and he is packing their roster with some fresh talent. 
 
As July has now turned to August and September looms, more signings of players both new and old will be added and wily Coach Stewart will again do his best to put together a competitive team to continue the Colorado Eagle’s winning tradition.
 
The current edition of the Eagles will have new foes and new obstacles to face in the coming season. W hatever the Eagles do, it needs to be a vast improvement over last season.
 
Contact the author/photographer at terry.sanford@prohockeynews.com