It has been 15 years since the Sioux City Musketeers raised a championship banner, but that could change this season. Watch for the East Division Preview in the next installment of Grimm's Tales.
1. SIOUX CITY MUSKETEERS
If history repeats itself, the Sioux City Musketeers could give their fans a wild ride the next several seasons.
When Sioux City coach Dave Siciliano was behind the bench for the Thunder Bay Flyers from 1986 to 1993, the Flyers were the class of the United States Hockey League. The Flyers posted a 218-77-10 regular season record during those seven seasons, winning four Anderson Cups, two Clark Cups, and two Centennial Cups as Canadian junior A champions.
Nearly a decade later, Siciliano has taken just two years to bring Sioux City to the level of those great Flyers teams. With standout talent at every position, the Musketeers are poised to raise the first banners in the venerable Sioux City Auditorium since their triple crown in 1985-86.
Ironically, it will be a player from Nipigon, Ontario, just 65 miles from Siciliano's hometown of Thunder Bay, who will lead the way for the Musketeers. Tough-as-nails forward B.J. Greaves stands just 5'7", but he does not back down from anyone. Greaves may have been the best player at the Wells Fargo Super 16 Tournament in Cedar Rapids, scoring a hattrick while leading the Muskies to a 10-2 win against Chicago in the championship game. In addition to his offensive power, Greaves might be the league's best fighter, pound for pound.
The Ontario connection goes even further for Sioux City, as 20-year-old center Jeff Adduono was another standout in preseason. The 5'7" Adduono and Greaves were paired on the same line for much of the tournament, creating all kinds of havoc for opposing teams.
The cupboard is far from bare when it comes to returning forwards, however. Brad Zancanaro, a 5'6" center from Trenton, N.J., posted 10 goals and 26 points last season while playing much bigger than his size indicates. Another center, Brandon Polich, posted 4 goals and 24 points last year while splitting his time between Lincoln and Sioux City. Right wingers John Zeiler (8-20--28) and Matt Ciancio (7-12-19) spent much of the summer weight training, and the effort seems to have paid off based on the preseason.
While it is easy to focus on Sioux City's balanced three-line attack, it could actually be the defense that will help the Muskies return to championship form. The most visible blueliner is 6'7, 240-pound Arthur Femenella, who posted 1 goal, 2 points, and 252 penalty minutes in 52 games last season. Femenella's impact can not be measured in numbers, as his mere presence creates open ice for the Muskies' small, quick forwards.
Femenella is not the only imposing presence on defense, as 6'4", 205-poind Nathan Schwartzbauer joins Sioux City from Quesnel of the British Columbia Junior League. If paired on the same defensive unit, Femenella and Schwartzbauer would combine for nearly 13 feet of defense. Sioux City's other veteran defensemen include Matthew Fetzer, Ryan Geris, and Justin Fletcher.
The Muskies are solid in goal with junior veterans Andy Franck and Kris Mayotte. Franck played with the North American League's St. Louis Sting last season, while Mayotte comes from the North American League's Cleveland Barons.
KEY QUESTION: Are the Muskies as good as they looked in pre-season? If they are, the rest of the division could be in trouble.
PREDICTION: If the Muskies work hard every night, they will have their best season in more than a decade. The talent and coaching is in place for a run at the Clark Cup, and those who remember Siciliano in Thunder Bay will not bet against Sioux City. If the Muskies stay healthy, management should make room at the north end of the Audi for more championship banners.
2. TRI-CITY STORM
Win or lose, the Tri-City Storm are assured of being an off-ice success in their second season since moving to Kearney, Neb.
With anticipation of a possible championship season, the Storm sold out single game tickets for the entire season just hours after putting them on sale in September. The toughest ticket in the USHL is in Tri-City, and it will also be one of the toughest places for visiting teams to pick up any points.
The biggest reason for optimism is 5'8", 165-pound forward Konrad Reeder. The Vanderhoof, British Columbia, native posted 34 goals and 58 points last season, and is a fan favorite in Central Nebraska. Reeder will have plenty of help, however, as 11 other players return from last season's seventh-place squad. Billy Luger (14-20-34) and Sioux City native Kyle Worner (10-18-28) will join Reeder as key contributors up front.
Newcomer Petr Prochazka, a native of Zlin, Czech Republic, posted 3 goals and 13 points in 33 games with the Western League's Saskatoon Blades last season.
The Storm are in good shape on the blueline, as five defensemen return. Leading the way is veteran Scott Romfo (3-4-7) and Bryan Schmidt (7-8-15). Other returning blueliners include 6'5", 215-pound Troy Troje, Chad Anderson, and Connor Phippen.
Tri-City's lone question mark is between the pipes, as the only returner is Erik Young (4.91, 87.2%), who played just three games last season. Jacob Schuman, who played for Benilde St. Margaret's High School last season, will battle Young for playing time.
When the playoffs roll around, Tri-City will almost certainly again be a factor. During the past two seasons, the Storm are an incredible 5-2 when facing elimination in the playoffs and national tournament, and 5-0 when given a chance to eliminate an opponent. A key reason is the coaching of Jim Hillman, who is one of the league's best motivators.
KEY QUESTION: Will the Storm find a way to replace standout goaltender Bernd Bruckler, a major factor in Tri-City's success last season?
PREDICTION: Tri-City has the tools in place to challenge Sioux City for the regular season title. Based on their performance the past two seasons, the Storm will be even tougher in the playoffs than the regular season, and they will almost certainly be in the thick of the Clark Cup race.
3. OMAHA LANCERS
Heading into last season, big things were not expected from the Omaha Lancers. After losing goaltender Dan Ellis to college hockey, the Lancers appeared to be in for somewhat of a rebuilding season.
The Clark Cup and Gold Cup banners hanging in Aksarben Coliseum seem to indicate otherwise.
As the rest of the league learned last season, the Lancers should never be counted out. Coach Mike Hastings' squad can be methodical at times, cycling the puck and rolling four lines as well as any team in the league, but the methodical methods seem to be successful. And based on last season, there is no reason to believe this year will be any different.
Omaha should once again have a balanced attack, with several forwards returning. Key returnees include Aaron Slattengren (7-9-16), Marty Guerin (3-5-8), Brian Burns (4-7-11), Mike Neilon (4-3-7), and Matt Moore (2-2-4). Newcomer Alex Kulakov could also have an impact.
The Lancers' strength could once again lie in keeping the puck out of their own net. The defensive corps are strong, with Keith McWilliams (0-6-6) and Chris Harrington (7-11-18) anchoring the blueline.
The last line of defense is in good shape with Marty Magers (2.32, 91.0%) inheriting the starting job. Dominic Vicari, a 5'10" goalie from Clinton Township, Mich., starts the season as the backup.
KEY QUESTION: Can the Lancers come together late in the season and make a Clark Cup run as they did last season?
PREDICTION: If there is one lesson to be learned from last season, it is to never count out the Lancers. Omaha often makes several roster changes during the season to position themselves for a post-season run. Once again, Omaha will qualify as a mid-level playoff team, but as they showed last year, they can be very dangerous in a short series.
4. SIOUX FALLS STAMPEDE
It is reasonable to expect program sales to be up for the first few weeks of the season in the Sioux Falls Arena.
After all, just six players return from last season's squad, meaning there is no shortage of new faces in Sioux Falls this season. However, it is one of those six players who has people thinking the Stampede will not fall too far in their third USHL season. Left winger Thomas Vanek, a 6'2", 205-pound native of Graz, Austria, returns for his third USHL season after he posted 19 goals and 29 points in just 20 games during an injury-shortened season. If Vanek is healthy, he could approach the magical 50 goal and 100 point marks in 2001-02.
Vanek will get plenty of help from veterans Jeff Corey (20-14-34) and Eric Przepiorka, who played with the North American League's Chicago Freeze last season. Quinn Fylling, who comes to the Stampede from the Unviersity of North Dakota, and Jacob Micflikier, who joins Sioux Falls from Shattuck-St. Mary's, should also be impact players.
With just one returning defenseman, the blueline is a question mark for Sioux Falls. Josh Grahn (1-10-11) is the lone returner, and he will anchor a young defensive corps for the Stampede.
Veteran Kellen Briggs (3.38, 90.0%) is likely to get the starting nod in goal, but he will get some competition from Layne Sedevie, who played for the America West League's Billings Bulls last season.
KEY QUESTION: Will Vanek and the rest of Sioux Falls' potent attack be enough to make up for a young, inexperienced defense?
PREDICTION: After being in the Anderson Cup hunt their first two seasons, Sioux Falls will likely be closer to the middle of the pack this time around. Still, the presence of Vanek ensures that the Stampede will never be out of any game. A playoff berth is likely, but another Anderson Cup run is a longshot.
5. TOPEKA SCARECROWS
There was a time when expansion teams in the USHL were expected to go through the same growing period as expansion teams in most other hockey leagues. Just ask the Omaha Lancers, who suffered through a 0-48 inaugural season in the late 1980s.
Then came the Lincoln Stars and the Sioux Falls Stampede.
The Stars rewrote the rules for expansion teams in 1996-97 when they won the Clark Cup as a first-year franchise. Two years later, the Stampede battled for the regular season points lead into the league's final weekend before settling for second place.
The league's newest expansion franchise, the Topeka Scarecrows, hopes to continue the trend of expansion success. Based on the preseason, there's reason to believe the Scarecrows will be the third consecutive expansion team to make the playoffs, and with a couple of breaks, could battle for home-ice in the first round, or even a division title.
Former Billings Bulls coach Bliss Littler has spent most of the past year assembling the expansion Crows, amidst a controversial environment in the Kansas capital. Prior to this season, the Crows were a member of the Central League, a minor professional league with teams spanning much of the southern half of the United States. In a strange scenario, the Crows became a USHL franchise, leaving some Topeka fans frustrated and wondering what the new league will bring.
Topeka fans should not worry too much, however, as the Crows seem to be in good shape this season. Ten players on the Topeka roster have junior experience, including forwards Jordan Black (5-6-11, Rochester), Jon Booras (5-9-14, Sioux Falls), Aaron Venasky (3-1-4, Sioux City), Philip Larson (10-17-27, Rochester).
The veterans will have plenty of help, however, as a trio of talented players from Southern California join the Crows from the Los Angeles Junior Kings midget squad. Adam Bartholomay (49-38-87, 109 penalty minutes), Grant Goeckner-Zoeller (35-60-95) and Joseph Howard (33-30-63) are all expected to be impact players for Topeka.
Toronto native Vince Bellissimo joins the Crows after an outstanding season that saw him post 98 points in 47 games with St. Michael's of the Ontario Provincial Junior League last season.
The defense looks solid with veterans Jesse Minneman (1-7-8, Tri-City), Dinos Stamoulis (2-1-3, Sioux Falls), and Matt Mannina (2-13-15, North American League's Chicago Freeze). The Crows hope Presov, Slovakia, native Peter Fruhauf will add some additional stability on the blueline.
Topeka also looks solid in goal with USHL veterans Bill Zaniboni (3.55, 89.2, Tri-City and Sioux Falls) and Matt Kelly (4.64, 87.5, Cedar Rapids). Both goaltenders found themselves in backup situations much of last season and should compete for Topeka's starting job.
KEY QUESTION: The standard question for recent USHL expansion teams -- will the Scarecrows' talent come together as a cohesive unit and make them an instant contender?
PREDICTION: The Scarecrows have the ability to score at will, and they are strong in goal and on the blueline. The West Division looks to be extremely competitive and relatively well balanced this season, and the Scarecrows will spend the season battling with the division leaders.
6. LINCOLN STARS
Two years ago, a young Lincoln Stars squad came together to win the Anderson Cup, creating sky-high expectations for a veteran squad in 2000-01.
The Stars lived up to the billing in the regular season, posting a 43-7-6 record while capturing their second consecutive Anderson Cup. Although a loss to Omaha in the Clark Cup provided what many considered to be a surprise playoff exit for the second consecutive season, the Stars were still able to add another banner to the Ice Box rafters.
This season could be a different story in the Nebraska capital. Gone are key players at every position, including Chris Fournier, Brandon Bochenski, Preston Callander, Keith Dore, Andy Schneider, Nick Fouts, Ken Scuderi, Nick Fuher, and goaltender Justin Johnson. Even standout Gino Guyer, expected by many to play for the Stars this season, will play high school hockey for Greenway on Minnesota's Iron Range.
The result is Lincoln's youngest and most inexperienced team since the 1998-99 season, when the Stars pulled off a first-round upset against a talented Sioux City squad. However, that does not mean the cupboard is bare in Lincoln, and those familiar with the Stars' five-year history will not count out another solid season from the Stars.
Leading the way up front is John Snowden (23-26-49). Snowden joined the Stars at the start of last season and quickly became a major contributor in the Stars' offensive success. He will receive help from veteran forwards Trevor Frischman (13-18-31), Patrick Knutson (9-3-12), Chad Hontvet (4-5-9), Matt Wavra (5-4-9 in 20 games), and Mike Fournier (3-15-18). Newcomer Josh Budish, a 6'4" forward, spent last season playing college hockey at RPI.
While the Stars still appear strong at forward, the defense is more of a question mark. The Stars return just one defenseman, Lee Marvin (1-9-10). The acquisition of Ryan Swanson (7-25-32) from the Chicago Steel will help greatly, but it remains to be seen how quickly the Stars' defense will gel. In addition, assistant coach Steve Ross, who did an outstanding job with Lincoln's defense the past two seasons, is now the head coach in Rochester.
Lincoln is solid in goal with veteran Beau Fritz (2.44, 91.5%). Fritz split the playing time last season with Johnson, and should improve even more once if, as anticipated, he gets the full-time starting job this year. Grand Forks, N.D., native Nate Ziegelman should also receive significant playing time in his rookie season.
One thing that works in Lincoln's favor is their schedule. The Stars play 34 home games and 27 road games this year, giving them one of the most favorable schedules in the league. The extra three home games could make a difference in the standings.
KEY QUESTION: Will the Stars be able to replace the holes left at forward and defense by the departure of many of last season's key players?
PREDICTION: History tells us the Stars are one team that never seems to fall too far. Still, Lincoln had a lot of turnover, and they have struggled through much of the pre-season. The schedule is favorable, and if the team comes together, they could be a factor.
7. TULSA CRUDE
For much of last season, the worst kept secret in the USHL was the pending move of the Dubuque Fighting Saints to Tulsa, Okla. By the time the announcement was official in mid-season, the Saints already found themselves floundering towards the bottom of the league standings, and many players and coaches undoubtedly found themselves looking forward to a new start in 2001-02.
The Crude hope to build on the city's strong hockey tradition, built in large part around the Central League's Tulsa Oilers. The downside to the Oilers' tradition is competition, as the franchise is still operating across town. For their part, the Crude hope to draw people to the renovated Expo Square Pavilion, a 1930s building that has seen significant renovations in preparation for the Crude's arrival.
On the ice, Tulsa returns seven players, including forwards Jeremy Hall (12-15-27), Jordan Pennington (11-19-30), Jaymie Harrington (8-17-25), and Chris Quinn (1-4-5). Dustin Kim, who played at Trinity College last season, and Luke Parillo, who played for Bozeman of the America West League last year, are expected to contribute offensively for the Crude.
Tulsa's blueline is anchored by veterans Kody Mintenko (1-4-5), Brandon Cunico (0-4-4), and Tony Tomaino (2-10-12 with Des Moines and Chicago). Steve Colllova, who played college hockey at RPI last season, will be a key contributor on defense.
Veteran Noah Ruden (3.82, 89.2%) and Basking Ridge, N.J., native Ross Cherry will battle for playing time in goal. Ruden is likely to get the larger share of playing time, but both goaltenders were solid in the preseason.
KEY QUESTION: Can the Crude shake the losing atmosphere that seemed to follow them the past several seasons in Dubuque?
PREDICTION: The Crude should be improved from last season, but it is unlikely to make enough of a difference to propel Tulsa into the playoffs. A seventh-place finish in the West Division is more likely.
By Trevor Grimm
Send your comments to Trevor Grimm at ushlfan@aol.com.
