In a recent conversation with Brandon Sugden regarding the current state of the Crunch, he pointed out that after the New Year we will able to get a better read. He stated that "things seem to shake themselves out after the holidays." How prophetic were those statements?
Syracuse rung in the New Year with a flurry of transactions, nine in all dating back to 31st, with hopes that these recent moves would spark both the Crunch and the parent Blue Jackets form their lingering doldrums.
In all started on New Year's eve with announcement that Columbus loaned defenseman Jamie Pushor to the Crunch and recalled right wing Kent McDonell. It was a foregone conclusion that some blueliner from Columbus would be making his way to Syracuse. That is was Pushor may have been somewhat a surprise, but the continued strong play from Todd Rohloff and Anders Eriksson may have sealed Pushor's fate.
McDonell was summoned to play for the Jackets Wednesday evening against the San Jose Sharks. He saw 11:47 of ice time on 16 shifts in Columbus' 1-0 loss to the Sharks and was quickly dispatched back to Syracuse along with goaltender Pascal Leclaire.
Leclaire was recalled earlier in the week to spell the injured Fred Brathwaite who was nursing a sore groin. He was supposed to dress in Monday's contest against the St. Louis, but was unable to because his equipment was lost in transit to Columbus. He was on the bench for the Jackets New Year's Eve game versus the Sharks before getting word that he too, would be on the flight to Syracuse with McDonell.
With McDonell off to Columbus and Jamie Pushor in bound for Syracuse, the Crunch found themselves in need of a body for Wednesday's game against Hamilton. Enter Greg Koehler. It would be the second time this season that Koehler, the UHL's third leading scorer this season, would be called on to help the Crunch in a pinch this season.
A new day saw Koehler returned to Elmira, goaltender Andrew Penner sent back to Dayton and two more players depart Syracuse heading for the greener pastures of the NHL. Tim Jackman and Zenith Komarniski were both recalled by Columbus to kick off the New Year in fine fashion.
Jackman, arguably Syracuse's best player of late, returns to Columbus after making his NHL debut earlier this season in Minnesota. He has appeared in 29 games with Syracuse, recording 10 goals, 8 assists, and is a team-high +4.
Jackman's recall could mean the end of his tenure in Syracuse. He has developed much quicker than anticipated this season and with Columbus in a premature rebuilding mode it only makes sense to give players like Jackman some much needed on-the-job training. The second-year forward is scheduled to take McDonell's spot beside left wing Nikolai Zherdev and center Manny Malhotra.
Komarniski, who was acquired earlier the season in a trade for Sean Pronger, has split the season in the AHL between the Manitoba Moose and the Crunch. He is in line to make his Columbus debut as he fills the role for the Jackets vacated by the recently traded Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre.
The year's second day brought two more fresh faces to Syracuse. Derrick Walser returns to the Crunch after making the Jackets out of camp this season. He appeared in 27 games for Columbus, registering 1 goal, 8 assists and 22 penalty minutes.
Walser was the second victim felled by the returning health of the Columbus defensive corps. In the last week the Jackets have welcomed Luke Richardson along with Rusty Klesla back to the lineup and they are also preparing for the impending arrivals of Jaroslav Spacek and Duvie Westcott. Both players have resumed skating and are scheduled to return sometime during the Jackets upcoming seven-game road trip.
Walser, providing he is in the right frame of mind, should immediately help Syracuse's struggling power play along with giving the club a nice boost on both ends of the ice. He has proven himself in the past to be quite a player at this level and to add someone like him along with Jamie Pushor to an already solid defensive corps should bode well for the Crunch.
The last tweak to Syracuse's roster may be the most interesting one. Syracuse signed left wing Shawn Limpright to a professional try-out agreement. The 5'11", 185 pound Limpright has appeared in 27 games with the Roanoke Express of the ECHL, recording 18 goals, 17 assists along with 86 penalty minutes.
After a very respectable rookie season, Limpright recorded 14 goals, 19 assists and 154 penalty minutes in 63 games, the Manitoba native has really blossomed in his second pro season. Roanoke General Manager Chris Pollock attributes Limpright's improvement to hard work in the off season put in by Limpright.
"Shawn was quite disappointed in his play last year. He maybe was a little surprised at the transition and the level of talent in the ECHL," said Pollock. "He worked out extremely hard in the summer, especially some off-ice stuff and came back extremely focused."
That focus enabled Limpright to close out 2003 on quite a tear. In his last 12 contests he has recorded 10 goals and 9 assists for the Express and he left town on a high note after coming one assist shy of a Gordie Howe hat trick in their 6-4 win over Gwinnett on New Year's Eve. Limpright recorded two goals in that game, one the game-winner, and also dropped the gloves in the opening period.
Pollock described Limpright has quite an agitator who usually lets some one else do the dirty work, but Wednesday's bout proves he is not adverse to backing up his play. "He is definitely a chat-it up, scrappy type of player," stated Pollock. "He can get under a person's skin and someone else usually finishes what he starts."
The Crunch are obviously looking for ways to jump-start their struggling offense and maybe Limpright can provide that spark. Enforcer Brandon Sugden, who more often than not struggles to find a willing partner, should also warmly accept anyone who aids in filling his dance card.
Pollock stated that his club was contacted by the Crunch on the 31st inquiring about Limpright and that he is currently on a three-day tryout with Syracuse. The Crunch will evaluate the situation after the their upcoming stretch of three games in three nights and he will return to Roanoke if the Crunch decide not to retain him.