8 Comments
Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
Stephen R. Sylvanie / Special to the Las Vegas Sun
Wranglers veteran Chris Neiszner fired a wrist shot that beats Bakersfield Condors goaltender Yutaka Fukufuji for his second goal of the night during game 7 of the Pacific Division Semifinals at the Orleans Arena on Apr. 22.
Published Monday, July 20, 2009 | 11 p.m.
Updated Tuesday, July 21, 2009 | 4:38 p.m.
Wranglers forward Dan Riedel (11) carries the puck through center ice while being closely pursued by Ontario Reign winger Bud Holloway during ECHL action at the Orleans Arena on March 20.
Expanded hockey coverage
Ryan Mougenel is less than one month into his new role as head coach and general manager of the Las Vegas Wranglers, but he is wasting no time signing key components for next year's squad.
The Wranglers are expected to announce Tuesday that they have come to terms with forwards Chris Neiszner and Dan Riedel.
"The whole recruiting game I’m extremely confident in because I’ve done it the past three years and had success, but the dynamic is certainly different this year," Mougenel said. "I'm just trying to find those good, young players that will fit into my system and into the Las Vegas community. I definitely feel a different level of pressure in this position, but it's nothing I'm not used to."
Neiszner, now one of the most veteran Las Vegas players, will return for his fourth season with the Wranglers.
The 25-year-old Craik, Saskatchewan native has recorded 100 points in 179 regular season games with the Wranglers since the 2005-06 season. Neiszner spent the 2007-08 season in France with Morzine-Avoriaz.
In last year's playoffs, Neiszner notched 10 points in 18 games.
Riedel, a 24-year-old Rochester Hills, Mich., native, spent most of last season with the Dayton Bombers. But after joining the Wranglers on Feb. 28, he posted 11 points in 17 regular season games before tearing it up in the playoffs with 14 points in 17 games.
The Wranglers still have pending qualifying offers to Tim Spencer, Brandon Straub, Adam Miller, Jason Dest, Mick Lawrence, Mike Hamilton and Justin Taylor. Mougenel said he expects a majority of those players with qualifying offers to sign by Aug. 1. as well as some newcomers whom newly named director of player development Keith Primeau is helping to recruit.
Mougenel also confirmed that the Wranglers would consider trading Spencer if the hulking forward rejects Las Vegas' qualifying offer. The Wranglers have also pursued bringing back former Wranglers defenseman Jason Krischuk, perhaps to fill a void created by defenseman Dan Spang's departure. Spang, who played a major role in sparking the Wranglers' dormant power play in this past postseason is reportedly heading to Germany to play in the DEL.
The most pressing matter, however, is filling the crease with a solid goalie. Mougenel said he hopes to reach an agreement with an unspecified netminder within the next two weeks.
From there, a slew of signings will take place during August to fill the 24-man roster.
"Were going to be young, which I'm excited about and we’re going to be a team that is going to compete every night and we are going to be fan friendly," Mougenel said. "We need to do a better job getting players out in the community more. There is a great fan base in Las Vegas and we want our players to be accessible to the fans."
SILV........LIKE BRINGING BACK THOSE TWO....ID LOVE TO SEE WHAT RIEDEL COULD DO SCORING-WISE WITH A FULL SEASON HERE. I THINK IF DEST, STRAUB AND MILLER COME BACK THATS A SOLID CORE TO BUILD AROUND. ANY WORD ON SEAN OWENS OR SCOTT MCCULLOUGH? MCCULLOUGH PROVIDED US A SPARK LATE IN THE SEASON.
I'm not sure on those two yet, but I would love to see McCulloch back. True grinder who can score the dirty goals in front and set up others from the corner battles.
I was hoping to see Chris Neiszner come back...maybe with a C on his chest?
I am with both of you as far as McCulloch...he is some thing else to watch.
Didn't Krischuk spend most of his time last year up in the AHL?
LPN, that's what I thought, but according to HockeyDB he only played a few games in the CHL.
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisp...
I feel like I must have missed something. Maybe an injury?
I have no link or inside info, but I seem to remember something about Jason Krischuk returning to school last year. He could be confused with Jason Jozsa, who spent the year with Grand Rapids in the AHL.
Speaking of bringing back former players, I'd like to see Marco Peluso come back. Seriously--that guy just disappeared from the hockey world!
Agree that Neiszner wearing the "C" would be appropriate!
I have hockey withdrawal pretty bad right now....
Well it looks like we know who wins the fan vote to rock the "C".
DMoney, I feel your pain. Just a few more months and it's back to the ice. Peluso was actually mentioned in the Gomez/Ferraro trial in Victoria this summer. That's the last I've heard of him though.
KRISCHUK DID GO BACK TO SCHOOL IN ALASKA...MAYBE HE HAD A CHANGE OF MIND REGARDING THAT...NEVER A BIG PELUSO FAN...HE WAS A GRINDER, BUT TOOK A LOT OF STUPID PENALTIES WHILE HE WAS HERE.....SILV- WHERES LIMPWRIGHT
This is a great start. I would like to see McCulloch and Matt Robinson come back. I was not a big Krischuk fan, not very good in the corners or behind the net, but his last year he did help the power play.