LAS VEGAS, N.V. – Even though the ECHL and the Las Vegas Wranglers are still dormant until the opening games of the preseason, there is still plenty of news and updates to share about them. From the exodus of many of last season’s ECHL Western Conference players to the folding and eventual reorganization of the Trenton ECHL franchise to the fact that the two finalists from last year’s CHL championship will not be returning to that league this upcoming season. With all of these changes so far, no league has been immune from some sort of drama this off-season. First off and most importantly, recently released by the Wranglers and the ECHL is the preseason schedule for the upcoming campaign. Even though two out of three preseason games will be played on the road, it looks to be a good way to start the new season. The first match-up will be against one of the former CHL championship runners-up, who made the off-season switch to the ECHL, the Colorado Eagles, will be on October 7. This will be a good first impression for a brand new team to the ECHL and will provide a good representation of how the Eagles should fare in their new league, playing their very first game against the Wranglers, a perennial conference favorite. The next day, the Wranglers will head to Ontario to take on the Reign. The Reign will be looking for redemption following a last place finish in the Western Conference last season. The only home preseason game will find Las Vegas hosting the Reign the next day. As in every season, a good number of the players that you see during the preseason matches do not make it to the regular season roster. The preseason games are a great way to get a first look at some of the players that the organization is trying out, most for their first time playing professional hockey. As the ECHL is meant to be a stepping-stone towards bigger and better things, as evidenced by the “veteran rule,” many former Wranglers players and coaches have found success both overseas and in the higher levels of professional hockey after their time in Las Vegas. A prime example of this, continued success would be Glen Gulutzan, the Wranglers first and most successful coach who was recently hired as the head coach of the NHLs Dallas Stars, after spending the intervening time leading the AHLs Texas Stars to the Calder Cup finals in its inaugural season. Former players finding success post-Vegas are goaltender Mike McKenna, Adam Cracknell, and Chris Neiszner. McKenna recently shared NHL time in both New Jersey and Tampa Bay, recently signed a year contract with the Ottawa Senators. Cracknell, a right-winger from 2006-08 broke into the NHL last season, suiting up for 24 games with the St. Louis Blues. Neiszer, a former fan favorite spent last season as an assistant coach with the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL. Away from the North American shores, however, former Wranglers have met with equaled success, most notably from 2005-06 Wranglers superstar Matt Dzieduszycki. Dzieduszycki has found phenomenal success in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga suiting up for Duisberg and Hannover. Having more trouble finding success is former star Adam Miller, who initially made his way to Troja/Ljungby in Sweden, before an injury and impatient Swedish Elite League management sent him to Assat Pori in the Finnish league. In addition to those moves, former Wrangler captain Shawn Limpright and Steve Crampton, Jim Jorgensen and John DeCaro, a winning squad that also featured former Roadrunner Jeff Kyrzakos and former Roadrunner/Ace David Pszenyczny, all came away from their 2010-2011 season with the now defunct Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, with the Ray Miron President’s Cup as CHL league champions. The next season will undoubtedly showcase even more new talent and new names will be added to the ever-growing roster of Las Vegas Wrangler’s, as fans look forward to the upcoming 20011-12 season. Comment@prohockeynews.com
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