Cyclones gearing up

Cincinnati , Oh – The ECHL Cyclones are gearing up for the 09-10 campaign. The organization has signed twenty-two players thus far, though no net-minders are among them.
 
Among the returning players are Captain Barrett Ehgoetz and another member of the 2008 Kelly Cup Team Scott Reynolds. Reynolds returns from playing in Europe last season. Dustin Sproat, and Jimmy Kilpatrick have also signed on for the upcoming season.
 
New faces will be in the majority for Coach Chuck Weber come the opening of training camp in a few weeks. It is expected that the ‘Clones will be assigned their goalies from the parent organizations once NHL/AHL camps have completed.
 
Again this year, the Cincinnati squad will have NHL affiliations with both the Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators. AHL ties will again be to the Hamilton Bulldogs and Milwaukee Admirals respectively.
 
The team plays pre-season tilts against I-75 rival Toledo in a home and home series the first week of October and opens with road games against Elmira and Wheeling before the home opener on October 24, again facing off against Wheeling.
 
This season provides for the renewal of old rivalries, with division foes Kalamazoo and the returning of Toledo from hiatus. The K-Wings rivalry dates to the old IHL days and was pretty heated at times, but always a good contest.
 
The upcoming season should prove a challenge for Coach Weber in this realigned North Division.
 
Contact the author at Rob.Huelsman@prohockeynews.com