Wranglers without top-line center

Nick Christensen

Friday, Nov. 12, 2004 | 9:43 a.m.

A rough week got tougher for the Las Vegas Wranglers as center Morten Ask was suspended by the team in a roster move that enabled them to keep his rights while he took an extended leave.

Ask left for his native Norway this week to be with his wife, who according to Wranglers coach Glen Gulutzan is awaiting a kidney transplant. There is no timetable for his return, and the team isn't pressuring Ask, an ECHL All-Star last year with Toledo, to come back soon.

In order to free up a roster spot while ensuring that his rights will remain with the Wranglers when he returns, Gulutzan placed Ask on suspension. The move was in no way punitive.

It's the latest in a string of bad luck surrounding Ask, who was acquired by the Wranglers late last March in a series of moves that backfired when some players refused to be traded away from Las Vegas. The acquisition of Ask was designed to increase the Wranglers' scoring threats heading into the playoffs, but the then-23-year-old Wranglers center was injured shortly after arriving in Las Vegas and had no impact.

After returning from injury, Ask was invited to play in the New York Rangers' camp at Triple-A Hartford, and a protracted stay would have complicated the Wranglers' roster more. He didn't make the cut, however, and this year had two goals and four assists in six games thus far with Las Vegas.

"I thought he did well last year," teammate and roommate Doug Wright said. "The three games he was here, he did a great job. He's going to be missed here when he's gone, hopefully he'll be able to come back."

The news piled on what's already been a rough week for the Wranglers, after Tuesday night's embarrassing 5-3 loss to the Alaska Aces. With the players' weaknesses starting to show through, Gulutzan has been working on improving the team's mental approach and preparation.

"We still have work to do," Gulutzan said. "It's an ongoing process ... we've got young guys and we've got learning to do, that's why we're here as coaches. Hopefully the point gets across. It's not going to get across in one day and things are going to miraculously change. It's a process."

With such a young team this year, some learning curve was expected, particularly after last year's more veteran team jumped out of the gate so quickly. But with each Wranglers pass that slides by its intended target, or worse, is intercepted for a breakaway by opponents, the hope is that lessons learned now will turn into performance come playoff time.

Veteran defenseman Jason McBain said that youth is a factor in the team's sloppy start.

"I don't think our work ethic is a problem ... our problem is working smart," he said. "The mistakes we make, they're not because guys aren't trying or not putting in 100 percent, it's just sometimes a lack of thinking. There has to be some responsibility on the older players to set an example for the younger players. A lot of the mistakes we've made, we can chalk up to inexperience."

After losing to Alaska and their NHL All-Star center Scott Gomez, the Wranglers get another chance to gauge themselves tonight as they host the expansion Victoria Salmon Kings. Victoria comes to Las Vegas with a 2-4 record, last place in the ECHL's West Division. Toledo, which lost two shootouts to Las Vegas last weekend at the Orleans Arena, comes for a third game at Las Vegas on Saturday.