08-09 Team Previews - OKC Blazers

Blazers Re-Build for 2008-09

Last season was one the Oklahoma City Blazers would like to forget as they finished with a less than stellar 28-30-6 record settling 20 points out of a playoff spot.  Throughout the entire season, consistency haunted the veteran squad as only in the final month of the season could the Blazers muster three straight wins.

Gone are some of those familiar faces in Peter Robertson, Mike Burgoyne, Ryan Watson, Garrett Prosofsly, Sean Connors and Graham Dearle.  They have been replaced with names such as Andy Franck, Chad Hinz, Ted and Bill Vandermeer, Brian Passmore and Simon Lambert.

Veteran Blazers Tyler Fleck and Marty Standish are back to connect the bridge between the new stars and the OKC fans.  The duo has combined for almost 1000 games in Blazer’s gear (481 for Fleck and 443 for Standish).

One of the bigger surprises in an otherwise down year last season was forward D.J. Jelitto who signed on Halloween and showed a sign of things to come by scoring a goal in first CHL game.  He finished the season tied for the team lead with 25 goals and 41 points in 59 games.  He is the top returning scorer for OKC.

In goal, the Blazers elected not to bring back long-time netminder Sean Connors (85-61-26 in five seasons with Blazers) in favor of CHL All-Star Andy Franck.  The young prospect went 26-10-4 with Youngstown last season and went 7-1-1 in nine starts with Providence of the American Hockey League.

Two other big additions for the Blazers are the Vandermeer brothers, Bill and Ted.  Their excellent adventure will go through Oklahoma City marking the first time the brother duo from Caroline, Alberta have played for the same team.  Last season, Bill scored 84 points (34-50=84) with Amarillo and Ted notched 41 points (17-24=41) with Austin.

The Blazers have won two CHL Championships and the all-time wins leader as a coach in CHL history, Doug Sauter, feels this could be the team to get them back to the promised land.
 


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