AlphaDog
08-21-2007, 10:09 PM
JIM WALLACE - The Standard
Sports - Tuesday, August 21, 2007 @ 01:00
Some of the finishing touches are being put on dressing rooms at Jack Gatecliff Arena and the ice goes in over the next few days.
The Queen Street office is a flurry of telephone calls, trying to take care of last-minute details.
Members of the team are starting to make their way out into the community.
The Niagara IceDogs are just more than a week away from hitting the ice for the first time this season and countless tasks are being cleaned up before members of the Ontario Hockey League team report for medicals one week from today.
"Things are going pretty good, but you never know if they're not right until it's too late," team general manager Dave Brown said with a laugh Monday before he, coach Mario Cicchillo, owner Bill Burke, team president Denise Burke, a number of players and office staff met with a group of St. Catharines businessmen at the St. Catharines Club.
"It's getting exciting; it's only a week away."
Brown said he and Cicchillo have checked out some of the renovations to the arena and are pleased with the progress.
"Mario and I were pretty impressed with where they are. The ice goes in in a couple of days - which is another alarm clock going off - and I think the better part of the renovations are done. They're working on the small things right now."
Although season-ticket sales are approaching the 900 mark (Bill Burke is hoping to reach well past that mark), Brown said fans probably won't start coming out until something concrete is in place.
"Right now, they can't touch anything," he said. "Come training camp, they can see the players. If they want to travel to Jamestown on Sept. 1, they can see the exhibition game.
"It will officially become theirs and all our guys will be quick to become familiar with the fans."
And Brown and Cicchillo are hoping some of last season's success follows this year's squad.
"Between the team we put together and Mario's plans, it's going to be exciting to see what the faces look like," he said. "This is one of the top programs in the OHL."
And once the 60-odd players hit the ice next week, the decision of who will wear the IceDogs jerseys begins.
Not all will last the full training camp, Cicchillo said.
"Really, after 48 hours, some guys realize and think, 'I'm not ready this year,' and go back and play Tier 2 or junior B, and get that year under their belt."
"You know, this is a pretty good league," Cicchillo said.
Brown said he has spoken with St. Catharines Falcons general manager Dave Cole about ironing out a working agreement, but these are busy times.
"There's a lot of renovation going on over there, so they're busy, too," Brown said as players headed to the St. Catharines Club for the meet and greet.
"It will be exciting once we get going."
After medicals one week today, the team hits the ice next Wednesday to prepare for its first exhibition game Sept. 1 in Jamestown against the Erie Otters.
Sports - Tuesday, August 21, 2007 @ 01:00
Some of the finishing touches are being put on dressing rooms at Jack Gatecliff Arena and the ice goes in over the next few days.
The Queen Street office is a flurry of telephone calls, trying to take care of last-minute details.
Members of the team are starting to make their way out into the community.
The Niagara IceDogs are just more than a week away from hitting the ice for the first time this season and countless tasks are being cleaned up before members of the Ontario Hockey League team report for medicals one week from today.
"Things are going pretty good, but you never know if they're not right until it's too late," team general manager Dave Brown said with a laugh Monday before he, coach Mario Cicchillo, owner Bill Burke, team president Denise Burke, a number of players and office staff met with a group of St. Catharines businessmen at the St. Catharines Club.
"It's getting exciting; it's only a week away."
Brown said he and Cicchillo have checked out some of the renovations to the arena and are pleased with the progress.
"Mario and I were pretty impressed with where they are. The ice goes in in a couple of days - which is another alarm clock going off - and I think the better part of the renovations are done. They're working on the small things right now."
Although season-ticket sales are approaching the 900 mark (Bill Burke is hoping to reach well past that mark), Brown said fans probably won't start coming out until something concrete is in place.
"Right now, they can't touch anything," he said. "Come training camp, they can see the players. If they want to travel to Jamestown on Sept. 1, they can see the exhibition game.
"It will officially become theirs and all our guys will be quick to become familiar with the fans."
And Brown and Cicchillo are hoping some of last season's success follows this year's squad.
"Between the team we put together and Mario's plans, it's going to be exciting to see what the faces look like," he said. "This is one of the top programs in the OHL."
And once the 60-odd players hit the ice next week, the decision of who will wear the IceDogs jerseys begins.
Not all will last the full training camp, Cicchillo said.
"Really, after 48 hours, some guys realize and think, 'I'm not ready this year,' and go back and play Tier 2 or junior B, and get that year under their belt."
"You know, this is a pretty good league," Cicchillo said.
Brown said he has spoken with St. Catharines Falcons general manager Dave Cole about ironing out a working agreement, but these are busy times.
"There's a lot of renovation going on over there, so they're busy, too," Brown said as players headed to the St. Catharines Club for the meet and greet.
"It will be exciting once we get going."
After medicals one week today, the team hits the ice next Wednesday to prepare for its first exhibition game Sept. 1 in Jamestown against the Erie Otters.