For the Lowell Lock Monsters, 2003-04 was a season they’d like to take what they can from and move forward. They finished second worst in the Atlantic Division and missed the playoffs, though the 32 wins was a somewhat respectable total.

Again this season the Calgary Flames and Carolina Hurricanes will be the affiliates to the Lock Monsters, and with two teams feeding prospects to the club and paying the bills it’s an advantageous arrangement for Lowell who is poised to improve in 2004-05. The Hurricanes will provide at least 10-12 players and a goalie while the Flames will supply the team with 10 players including a goalie.

Goaltending

Some thought that Rob Zepp might get his chance with the Lock Monsters this season but the presence of rookie Cam Ward in camp due to the NHL lockout landed Zepp back with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades, the team he led to the Kelly Cup finals in 2003-04. Zepp appeared for only half a game in the preseason and had a 1.97 GAA and .938 save percentage. Hurricanes General Manager Jim Rutherford had made it known on several occasions during the offseason that he planned to have Ward – the Hurricanes No. 1 rated prospect – start the season sharing time with Martin Gerber, sending the WHL star straight into the NHL. Although the lockout ends up knocking Zepp back down a notch, the bright side is that Ward avoids a less than ideal development situation where he would have been spending time on the bench or facing a firing squad with the Hurricanes right out of junior.

Craig Kowalski was the third Hurricanes keeper at the start of camp and he put up similar numbers to Zepp in a half game in which the Northern Michigan alumnus posted a 1.96 GAA and .917 save percentage. In fact, it was Ward that had the worst numbers of the three with a 4.22 GAA and a .833 save percentage, also in a half game, but in all three cases the statistical performance is rendered almost meaningless when it is approximately 30 minutes of play that is being compared. The fact is, it would have been difficult for Ward not to end up with Lowell to start the season, and his inter-squad play was strong enough that the team had confidence in him. Like Zepp, Kowalski will start the season with the Everblades.

Calgary Flames goaltenders Sebastian Centomo and Davis Parley were sent to camp by the parent club but like Zepp and Kowalski, they didn’t stand much of a chance of making the team with Brent Krahn present. Krahn, the Flames No. 1 goaltending prospect, put up great numbers in 14 games last season with Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL (2.61 GAA, .925 save percentage). He played 21 AHL games for San Antonio Rampage and Lowell combined, and finished strong in Lowell. In seven games he had a GAA of 2.62 and a save percentage of .924. Centomo was credited with a preseason win in a game against Worchester when he relieved Kowalski halfway through the game and ended up allowing four goals. However, in the shootout he shut the door and didn’t allow a goal, and the Lock Monsters won 6-5.

Despite that strong finish to an otherwise poor game, Centomo was sent down to the ECHL’s Las Vegas shortly afterwards. Parley was lackluster in his performance in camp and in preseason where his half game resulted in him getting credit for a loss with two goals allowed. Overall, Parley didn’t have enough to beat out Krahn and was sent down to the ECHL Texas Wildcatters last week, unable to establish himself as being ready for the AHL.

Lowell will start the season with the highest rated goalie from each of the two affiliated clubs, Ward and Krahn. It will be interesting to see how both do this season, Ward in his first pro campaign, and Krahn who will try to continue trying to move forward in his career after missing much of 2001-02 and 2002-03 due to knee surgery

Defense

The Flames signed Richie Regehr, the younger brother of the Flames’ Robyn, as a free agent in July. He recently told Hockey’s Future that even though he’s obviously not as large as his older brother (Richie is 6’0, 190 lbs compared to Robyn at 6’2, 226 lbs), he still has a lot to offer.

"I think I'm a little more offensive, but I try to be just as good defensively,” said the 21-year-old Regehr. “Obviously I don't have the size but I try not to back down from anything."

That offensive touch was obvious in the three preseason games he played for Lowell. His 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists) was tops in scoring for the Lock Monsters and his +3 rating was also a team best. Both of his goals came on the power play, and it is expected that Regehr will appear on the first power play unit for the Lock Monsters alongside Carolina’s 24-year-old offensive defenseman, Brad Fast. Rutherford had expected Fast to battle for one of the Hurricanes top six spots this season, and after his strong performance in 2003-04 in his first full season in the AHL in which he had 10 goals and 25 assists in 79 games it wasn’t a surprise that he continued to do well this preseason. Fast had 3 assists for the Lock Monsters in his two preseason games.

Bruno St.Jacques had a good preseason and as expected the five-year pro should be in the lineup in Lowell on Saturday when they face the Providence Bruins on opening night. The 24-year-old St.Jacques was a +1 in 2 games played and performed well all camp. In 2003-04 he appeared in 35 games for the Hurricanes and was a -7.

Allan Rourke is also expected to nail down a spot. Rourke’s first pro season with the Carolina organization was last season. In 45 games with Lowell he had 14 points and a +5 rating, and he also suited up for 25 games with the Hurricanes in which he was a +4 and added 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists).

The remaining openings on defense will be decided on shortly by the Lock Monsters, but among the candidates is Calgary’s Brennan Evans, who played in 64 games for Lowell last season and had 10 points in 69 games, as well as a +3 rating. He’s also had a strong camp and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Evans there. He also suited up for two games during the Flames’ Stanley Cup run last year.

Then there is the big and burly Sean Curry, who seems incapable of falling out of favor with Hurricanes management. Curry appeared in 74 games for Lowell in 2003-04 and has had a decent camp.

In three preseason games, the Flames’ rookie Mark Giordano has done fairly well, even tallying a power play marker in the 6-5 shootout game against the Worchester IceCats. Giordano was an OHL and CHL All-Rookie in 2002-03, and last season he was again strong for Owen Sound of the OHL on his way to 49 points in 65 games.

The final defenseman of the group of five vying for one of two spots is Danny Richmond, Carolina’s top ranked defensive prospect. Richmond spent last season with the OHL’s London Knights where he notched 35 points (13 goals, 22 assists) in 59 games played. Some didn’t expect Richmond to last this long in his first pro camp, but he’s held on and is a -3 in three games played, and has an outside chance of seeing time with Lowell this season.

One contender that failed to win the job was Calgary’s Deryk Engelland who, although -3 in three preseason games played, did have 26 games of service with Lowell in 2003-04, but will begin the season in Las Vegas.

The starting six for the Lock Monsters will most likely be comprised of Fast, St.Jacques, Rourke, Regehr, Evans and Giordano.

Forwards

The Lock Monsters lineup will boast a number of high profile players in 2004-05 including Eric Staal, Chuck Kobasew, Lynn Loyns, Mike Zigomanis, Ryan Bayda and Matt Lobmardi.

Staal was the second overall pick in the 2003 Entry Draft and he had a very good rookie campaign with the Hurricanes. Possibly the only thing holding him back from being a star in the NHL is that his body still has some growing to do. His 31 points was good enough for ninth in the league in rookie scoring. As with goaltender Ward, spending a season in the AHL won’t be a bad thing for the 19-year-old.

Kobasew has already played parts of two seasons in the NHL, collecting 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 93 games played. Although the 22-year-old spent all of 2003-04 in the NHL, he did play 48 games in 2002-03 for the AHL’s Saint John Flames and amassed 33 points (21 goals, 12 assists).

Loyns has already proven himself to be capable of a third or checking line grinder-type role as he enters his fourth pro season. He’s a veteran of 160 games played at the AHL level and 14 NHL games last season for San Jose and Calgary.

Which Mike Zigomanis will show up in 2004-05? That’s what the Hurricanes and Lock Monsters are wondering. Will it be the crafty center with burgeoning offensive potential or the player who is so far an NHL bust after two tries? A player who held so much promise, Zigomanis appeared poised to migrate smoothly to the NHL a few seasons ago but that didn’t happen. And in 2003-04 it didn’t happen, again. In his 36 NHL games played the 23-year-old only has 2 goals and 4 assists. This, after the playmaking center had a high scoring junior career with Kingston out of the OHL. Rutherford apparently gave up on Zigomanis this offseason, giving him an ultimatum to sign a one-year contract for minimum money or find somewhere else to play. After toying with the idea of playing in Europe Zigomanis did end up signing with the ‘Canes. He’s had a good camp and in two preseason games he scored 2 goals, one on the power play. Given his past success in the AHL (last season he had 52 points in 61 games), he was a strong candidate to make the team even before camp opened, and his play was steady enough that it didn’t hurt his chances. There may be some sulking after-effects from his contract negotiations this summer that he has to work through before his focus returns to playing the best hockey that he can.

Bayda is another player who the Hurricanes will be watching closely. Through his three-year pro career he has established himself as a capable two-way forward. In 2002-03 he even surprised some with his point production while up with the ‘Canes when he had 14 points in 25 games, but in 2003-04 he fell back some and only managed 3 goals and 3 assists in 44 NHL games, with a woeful, and team-worst -14 rating. At one point it was hoped the 23-year-old could be more than a checking winger, possibly filling a role as a second liner, and this season he will attempt to renew the ‘Canes faith in him so that he will see another opportunity next time the puck drops for the NHL. In three preseason games played Bayda has one power play goal and an assist, and is a -1.

Last but certainly not least is Lombardi, who had a brilliant rookie season in the NHL in 2003-04 where he scored 16 goals and added 13 assists in 79 games, placing him at 11^th in rookie scoring for the league and seventh on the Flames. He also added a goal and 6 assists over 13 games during the Flames’ cup run. In 2002-03 he played with Saint John and 25 goals, 46 points, in 76 games.

With those six almost assuredly making the squad, the final six openings up front must be delegated to the 12 remaining forwards in camp, and several of them also look to have a near stranglehold on a Lock Monsters job.

In July the Flames signed free agent Carsen Germyn and he has fared quite well with the Lock Monsters this preseason, leading the forwards in scoring with 3 points in 3 games, his lone goal coming on the power play. Last season was the 22-year-old right winger’s first in the AHL and he managed 27 points in 77 games for the Norfolk Admirals. There is a strong possibility that Germyn will stick with the Lock Monsters for 2004-05.

Jim Henkel is entering his third year as a pro, and he’s already been a member of six different AHL and ECHL teams. Last season alone he was on the roster of four AHL teams, finally ending up in Lowell where he found an opportunity to play, and where he responded with good production, netting 11 goals with 13 assists in 35 games. The Hurricanes decided he was worth signing as a free agent this summer and he has had a good preseason, earning two assists and a +2 rating in 3 games. With Staal, Zigomanis and Lombardi at center, only Calgary’s Dustin Johner stood between Henkel and the final spot at center. Johner was the second leading scorer for the WHL Seattle Thunderbirds who finished last place in the U.S. Division and out of the playoffs in 2003-04, so Johner then signed with the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL where he finished the ECHL regular season with 2 goals and 4 assists in 4 games. He followed that up with 7 points in 7 playoff games (4 goals, 3 assists) for the Stingrays. The Flames saw enough to offer Johner a contract this summer, but he was assigned to Las Vegas October 12th. Johner had no points and was a -1 in 2 preseason games.

On September 27^th the Calgary Flames assigned Craig MacDonald to the Lock Monsters, having signed him as a free agent this offseason when the Bruins did not make a qualifying offer. MacDonald was originally drafted by the Hartford Whalers in 1996, and so was familiar with the Lowell Lock Monsters having played two seasons with the club, even serving as the team’s captain in 2001-02. MacDonald is not known for his offensive ability, having collected only 12 points in 110 NHL games played, but he has done well in the AHL with Lowell and New Haven before that. He has a career total of 116 points in 155 games in the league. In 2003-04 he suited up for 56 games and had 6 assists for the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins combined, and he played 2 games for the San Antonio.

A veteran of 302 NHL and 245 AHL games, Colin Forbes looks like the last strong candidate to make Lowell’s opening day lineup. His .73 AHL points per game is proof that he’s always scored well in the league, and he’s a versatile forward who has logged time at all three positions up front. It appears that his career is on the downward slope and his NHL playing days might be over, but he still has much to offer an AHL club and could possibly be valuable as a fill-in player for the Hurricanes, so the club signed the 28-year-old as a free agent this summer.

The Hurricanes’ Chad Larose split time in 2003-04 between Florida and Lowell and produced well in both leagues as a rookie. The ninth ranked prospect in the Carolina system, Larose had an assist in two appearances this preseason. Nonetheless, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the promising 22-year-old begin the year in the ECHL.

Coming off of a strong playoffs with the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels, free agent Justin Taylor was signed to a three-year, three-way contract by the Flames this summer. In 19 playoff games in the 2004 playoffs he led the Rebels in scoring, tallying 16 points (6 goals, 10 assists) playing alongside fellow Lock Monster Cam Ward. In three games this preseason Taylor was held pointless. If not for his belonging to Calgary it is likely he would start the season in the ECHL with Las Vegas, but the numbers might work in his favor depending on how many spots of the 10 available for Calgary will be utilized.

Winger Steve Saviano stands only 5’7, but that didn’t keep him from being named the Hockey East Player of the Year (Edmonton goaltender Ty Conklin won the same award in 2000), as well as ending up a Hobey Baker finalist in 2004. He had 47 points in 39 games for the University of New Hampshire. Early on in camp Saviano practiced on a line with Staal and Bayda, but he is in no way a lock as those players are, and his two-way contract with Florida and Lowell will likely mean he begins the season in the ECHL.

Gordie Dwyer enters his seventh year as a pro having had more tags on his luggage, or miles spent on the team bus, than he’d probably care to remember. He hasn’t played in the ECHL since 1998-99, but the lockout creates a situation where the low end winger offers little to the Lock Monsters when compared to their other choices. Dwyer, who spent last season with the Hamilton Bulldogs, and two games with the Canadiens, probably signed with Carolina as an unrestricted free agent in the hopes that it would keep him in the AHL with one of the weaker teams in the league in 2003-04 in the event of an NHL lockout, and it looks like that strategy might pay off for him even though camp was filled with many forwards just as, or more capable than he is. Dwyer did not suit up for a single game in the preseason and that could mean that management is planning to keep him with the Lock Monsters as an experienced role player.

The final forward working to make it is left winger Brantt Myhres. The 30-year-old was signed to a pro tryout by Lowell after being out of pro hockey in 2003-04. He played in one preseason game and Dan Sullivan from the Manchester Monarchs. Any other year the veteran of 154 NHL games might have had a shot as an enforcer/checking line player, but it doesn’t seem likely that he will hang on with Lowell this camp. However, never underestimate a team’s desire to have a tough guy on board.

Outlook

Although their goaltenders are not overly experienced, there is reason for optimism with both Ward and Krahn having so much talent and potential. It will be one of the unfolding stories to watch in the AHL this season. Throughout the rest of the lineup there is a good mixture of experienced veterans and talented youth, so much so that a few of the final cuts for the team will be very tough decisions.

As long as the goaltending doesn’t falter, the Lock Monsters should fare somewhat better than they did last season and at least make the playoffs.

With players such as Staal, Kobasew, Lombardi and Fast on the team they should be an entertaining squad to watch. And even if players such as Larose, Taylor and Saviano don’t start the year with Lowell, fans should get at least a look at each of them over the course of the season.

Copyright 2004 Hockey’s Future. Aaron Vickers contributed to this article. Do not duplicate without permission of the editorial staff.