Ceebee Stars Looking to rebuild
Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 12:50 pm
CORNER BROOK
DAVE KEARSEY
The Western Star
A handful of key players leaving for greener pastures and the retirement of several cagey veterans will leave the Conception Bay North CeeBee Stars no other choice but to rebuild the organization.
At least six members of last year’s CeeBee Stars roster will suit up in the West Coast Senior Hockey League for the 2009-2010 campaign, according to a member of the organization who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Keith and Ryan Delaney, the dangerous scoring siblings, are headed to the Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts to provide the scoring punch Cats GM Dave Canning was hoping to find during the off-season. Also joining the Delaneys will be former CeeBee Stars faithful Sean Wadden, Mike Stevens and Matthew Thomey.
Michael Dyke, a standout defenceman with the CeeBees, will be patroling the blue-line of the Deer Lake Red Wings this season.
CeeBee Stars GM Ralph Earle realizes some players will ultimately leave for the west, but he insists no player from last year’s team has been given a release. He also said there have only been two players who asked for a release, and he refused to identify them.
“ ... There is nobody gone, and that’s right from me,” Earle told The Western Star last week. “There will be somebody go, but they all won’t go.”
Earle said he wouldn’t stop any player from leaving, but the team has the right to protect their investment by keeping them on a card until at least the Jan. 10 deadline. He has also talked to officials with Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador to see if any team has broken the rules regarding tampering with players and will keep a close eye on any developments.
Nonetheless, Earle is committed to putting a team on the ice in the Avalon East Hockey League again this year if they have enough players to make a go of it. Earle was hoping to see his team skate in the west setup this season along with Mount Pearl, but that idea was scrapped when GMs in the west turned down the proposed setup with two new teams. According to Earle, both teams were told acceptance into the league was dependent on a unanimous decision from the four existing teams. He don’t know who voted against the proposal and he isn’t really worried about it.
“We were interested and geared up to go that way, and it just never worked out and I don’t want to blame anyone,” he said. “It’s like our players too ... yes there are players who are going to go to the west coast, but when we’re ready to let them go, we will let them go and I am sure they will get there.”
As for rebuilding, he said the organization will do what it can to provide a good senior hockey team for its loyal fan base.
“It’s coming down now to your first couple of practices and if some of our players decide to stay with us. I hope we don’t lose them all,” he said.
DAVE KEARSEY
The Western Star
A handful of key players leaving for greener pastures and the retirement of several cagey veterans will leave the Conception Bay North CeeBee Stars no other choice but to rebuild the organization.
At least six members of last year’s CeeBee Stars roster will suit up in the West Coast Senior Hockey League for the 2009-2010 campaign, according to a member of the organization who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Keith and Ryan Delaney, the dangerous scoring siblings, are headed to the Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts to provide the scoring punch Cats GM Dave Canning was hoping to find during the off-season. Also joining the Delaneys will be former CeeBee Stars faithful Sean Wadden, Mike Stevens and Matthew Thomey.
Michael Dyke, a standout defenceman with the CeeBees, will be patroling the blue-line of the Deer Lake Red Wings this season.
CeeBee Stars GM Ralph Earle realizes some players will ultimately leave for the west, but he insists no player from last year’s team has been given a release. He also said there have only been two players who asked for a release, and he refused to identify them.
“ ... There is nobody gone, and that’s right from me,” Earle told The Western Star last week. “There will be somebody go, but they all won’t go.”
Earle said he wouldn’t stop any player from leaving, but the team has the right to protect their investment by keeping them on a card until at least the Jan. 10 deadline. He has also talked to officials with Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador to see if any team has broken the rules regarding tampering with players and will keep a close eye on any developments.
Nonetheless, Earle is committed to putting a team on the ice in the Avalon East Hockey League again this year if they have enough players to make a go of it. Earle was hoping to see his team skate in the west setup this season along with Mount Pearl, but that idea was scrapped when GMs in the west turned down the proposed setup with two new teams. According to Earle, both teams were told acceptance into the league was dependent on a unanimous decision from the four existing teams. He don’t know who voted against the proposal and he isn’t really worried about it.
“We were interested and geared up to go that way, and it just never worked out and I don’t want to blame anyone,” he said. “It’s like our players too ... yes there are players who are going to go to the west coast, but when we’re ready to let them go, we will let them go and I am sure they will get there.”
As for rebuilding, he said the organization will do what it can to provide a good senior hockey team for its loyal fan base.
“It’s coming down now to your first couple of practices and if some of our players decide to stay with us. I hope we don’t lose them all,” he said.