2005 Off-Season

2005 Entry Draft

After a rough decade in New Orleans, the newly relocated Houston Roughnecks got off to a great start in their new city, selecting junior superstar Derek Ewin first overall. Ewin, a big center with great hands, had led the Canadian National team to gold at the world under 18 challenge, then helped his Chilliwack Night Flyers to a national championship while leading the Canadian Junior Hockey Association in points. Pittsburgh selected Finnish winger Joni Kita second, while LA continued their rebuild with the selection of D-man Kerry Briggs, who some thought could have competed for the number one spot. The rest of the draft featured a record number of players whose fathers had played in the PHL. With the 8^th pick, Atlanta took Alex Buchanan, son of former Claymore captain Russell Buchanan, Pittsburgh selected Todd Trainor, son of former LA Wizard Kevin Trainor, with the 23^rd pick, Long Island took Mario Renaud, son of former Quebec star JP Renaud, with the 25^th pick, and perhaps most notably, Denver selected Eric Millen, the son of St. Louis Spirits legend Grant Millen, with the 17^th pick.

1.      HOU – Derek Ewin, F, CAN

2.      PIT – Joni Kita, F, FIN

3.      LA – Kerry Briggs, D, USA

4.      POR – Alexander Zverev, F, RUS

5.      STL – Jake Harvey, F, USA

6.      WSH – Devan Fryer, D, CAN

7.      CGY – Kyle Chisholm, F, CAN

8.      ATL – Alex Buchanan, D, CAN

9.      OAK – Andreas Ekbom, F, SWE

10.   MTL – Evgeni Mednikov, D, RUS

11.   CLE – Tyler Petrie, F, CAN

12.   VAN – Adrian Pond, D, CAN

13.   CAR – Sammi Jussila, G, FIN

14.   WPG – Luke Crawford, F, CAN

15.   DET – Josh Beck, D, USA

16.   MIA - Oskar Edstrom, D, SWE

17.   DEN – Eric Millen, F, CAN

18.   QUE – Jaromir Havlek, F, CZE

19.   CHI – Matt Rawlings, F, USA

20.   KC – Kris Foster, F, CAN

21.   NY – Gordon Hayes, D, CAN

22.   EDM – Patrick Sparks, D, CAN

23.   PIT(From MIN) – Todd Trainor, F, USA

24.   SEA - Jyrki Jussila, F, FIN

25.   LI – Mario Renaud, F, CAN

26.   DAL – Garret Dennis, F, CAN

27.   MIL – Luke Bass, G, CAN

28.   HOU (From BOS) – Jake Stewart, G, USA

29.   TOR – Ryan Kosowski, F, CAN

30.   PHI – Oleg Vasiliev, F, RUS

Notable Retirements:

Aaron Duplacy, F, NYC, MTL, MIN, 1986-2005

Selected third overall in the legendary 1986 draft, Duplacy made his debut in the big shadow of fellow rookies Vincent Ducharme and Jason Crowley. However it didn’t take long before Duplacy made an enormous impact on broadway. In 1994, Duplacy won the league MVP, scoring 50 goals before leading the Civics to a Lewis Cup in 1997. In 2001, Duplacy signed with Montreal, where he would play nearly four seasons before being traded to Minnesota where he would retire at the end of the 2004-05 season.

Adam Lawless, F, STL, LA, BOS, TOR, 1985-2005

The last great player from the powerful St. Louis dynasty of the 80s, Adam Lawless played alongside PHL legend David Appleby for ten seasons, playing a key role in three of the Spirits’ five Lewis Cups. Known as “The Kid” during St. Louis’ legendary run, Lawless soon became a leader for the Spirits once Appleby retired, taking over as captain in 1995. However, his stint as the captain would not last long, as he was dealt to Los Angeles in 1999. Lawless would play six more seasons between LA, Boston, and Toronto.

Sergei Krayev, F CGY, CHI, 1991-2005

Through the 1980s, Sergei Krayev was a valuable young star for the Soviet National Team. Krayev made his debut during the 1984 World Hockey Challenge, finishing third in tournament scoring. However, his greatest performance was at the 1988 tournament, where he scored an incredible 13 goals in six games, with at least two goals in each game. In 1991, Krayev finally made his PHL debut at the age of 26. In 1996, Krayev’s career was in serious jeopardy after he sustained an eye injury, leaving him nearly blind in one eye. But Krayev returned a year later with the Chicago Shamrocks, where he finished his career in 2005.

Kim Brodie, F, DET, LI, PHI, KC, TOR, 1986-2005

One of the more underrated players in the league, Kim Brodie spent the first decade of his career in Detroit with a struggling Mustangs team before moving on the Long Island Concordes. The Concordes also struggled mightily and after five years, Brodie was on the move again, signing with the defending champion Philadelphia Redshirts. It was in Philly where Brodie came the closest to winning a championship, but unfortunately, he just missed out. He had arrived a year after the Redshirts had won in 2001, and left just before they won in 2004. Brodie would also play for Kansas City and Toronto before retiring.

Notable Trades

Winnipeg trades F Dan Crow to Carolina in exchange for D Evgeni Babkin and F Matt Wells.

In the biggest deal of the summer, the Pioneers trade their captain, sending him to the Raiders. The Raiders, hoping to contend for a title, send two prospects the other way. The highly anticipated Babkin finally decides to leave Russia and signs with the Pioneers.

Edmonton trades F Brendan Carnes to Philadelphia in exchange for F Joey Hamilton.

For the Northern Lights, this move is primarily about cap space, as Edmonton entered training camp over the $50 Million salary cap.

Boston trades F Chris Haines to Minnesota in exchange for 1^st round draft pick.

Minnesota adds another piece for what they hope will be one last title run, Boston clears cap space.

Key Free Agents

RFAs:

F Kris Nazarenko signs new 13-year deal with Edmonton worth $12 Million/year.

F Jason Ferland signs new 10-year deal with Atlanta worth $10 Million/year.

D Kyle Logan signs new 8-year deal with Calgary worth $10 Million/year.

F Jonathan Wheatley signs new 8-year deal with Chicago worth $9 Million/year.

F Jamie Moore signs new 5-year deal with Winnipeg worth $8 Million/year.

G Kari Nurminen signs new 4-year deal worth $7 Million/year.

D Sean MacDonald signs new 5-year deal with Toronto worth $7 Million/year.

F Mats Johnsson signs new 6-year deal worth $6 Million/year.

UFA Signings:

F Igor Kharitonov (DET) signs 6-year deal with Toronto worth $7 Million.

After receiving offers from 13 teams, the biggest name in free agency is scooped up by the Racers, who have cap space to spend after the retirements of Kim Brodie and Adam Lawless.

F Isaac Hart (BOS) signs 4-year deal with Los Angeles worth $4 Million.

The Wizards sign the league’s most hated agitator, hoping to add some physicality to their lineup. GM Stuart Holly says he wants his team to be “edgier” and that the signing of Hart, who wants to be an actor someday, will make the Wizards harder to play against.

D Randy Fernandez (TOR) signs 2-year deal with Dallas worth $2.5 Million.

After 20 years in double blue, “Big Tex” returns home to finish his career.

D Lamar Jackson (DAL) signs 2-year deal with Chicago worth $2 Million.

With his eventful career winding down, Jackson is persuaded to join the Shamrocks by his former junior coach Brian Cullen. Jackson has high hopes of winning one more championship in the Windy City.

F Jason Crowley signs new 1-year deal with Minnesota worth $1 Million.

In a surprising move, the Lumberjacks bring their captain back for one more season. GM Paul Wilson insists the move is not just a sentimental one, that Crowley can still help Minnesota win a title.

News

The summer of 2005 was a busy one for the PHL. In June, the league and the players’ association voted to make visors mandatory for all players entering the league. The decision came in the wake of several horrific eye injuries through the late 90s and early 2000s, the most notable being Sergei Krayev’s injury in 1996. Union president Brian Hunt said that PHL veterans used to playing without facial protection were resistant to a full mandate but agreed to grandfather the rule in for new players.

Another rule change that was discussed at the annual owners’ meetings in 2005 was the addition of the shootout to end tied games. The PHL-affiliated Pacific Hockey League had experimented with the shootout in 2004-05 and the Can/Am league announced it would follow suit in ’05-06. At the conclusion of the meetings, one owner said there was “a very, very good chance” that the shootout would be introduced in time for 2006-07.

In front office news the Detroit Mustangs fired both GM Bob Gill and head coach Cliff Lyle after 11 seasons. Out of respect for Lyle’s contributions to the Mustangs over the years, the team offered him a consulting job until he found another coaching opportunity. It wouldn’t be necessary, however, as Lyle was immediately hired by the Miami Stingrays, who had dismissed Craig Mitton from his position behind the bench at the end of the season. The Mustangs, looking to finally build a true contender, hired Jack McCoy as their new GM. McCoy, 68, was the architect behind the St. Louis Spirits’ dynasty in the 1980s, and the Mustangs hoped he would be the man to turn things around in Mo-town as well. McCoy then replaced Lyle with Lynn Sanders, a former Calgary draft pick who would be coaching in the PHL for the first time.

As the summer was winding down, the hockey world was hit with an earthquake. On August 23, notorious mobster Eddie Garofalo was arrested in Boston. When police searched his phone records, one recurring name stood out right away; Darryl Byrd. Speculation about Byrd’s future as PHL commissioner was a hot topic across the hockey world leading right into the 2005-06 season, but he was allowed to maintain his post as the police did not have enough evidence to charge him though the investigation would be ongoing.