FALCONS NAME ALTERNATE CAPTAINS

Fort Erie - 1/24/17

The Fort Erie Falcons have announced that Evgeni Malkin, Tyler Toffoli, and Paul Stastny will serve as alternate captains for the remainder of the season.  

The team will hold off naming an official captain until the start of next season.  

"We feel that this is a good group to lead the rest of the way through this season.  Given our decision to rebuild, we feel these three will be key members of the Falcons franchise for a number of years to come" said General Manager Matt Young at the press conference.  

In what has been a whirlwind season for Fort Erie, Young has managed to change the face of the franchise within just a few short months.  

Young has been quiet on the proceedings this season and has met with the media today for the first time since dispatching several key veterans in the rebuilding effort.  

"I didn't meet with you people because I knew there would be a lot of questions.  I wasn't done and I didn't want anything to be leaked with respect to the plan.  We are still not done but we are in a better place today to compete for the next decade than we were 3 short months ago" added the upstart Young.  

In what were surprising moves, Young dealt Pietrangelo, Carter, Datsyuk, and Perry for a host of picks and prospects that should be CCHL ready next season.  

In a more bizarre move, Young also dealt Kadri before re-acquiring the shift disturber just 23 days later.  

"It was a little bizarre," said Kadri. "It's a good thing that I hadn't sold my house.  I got to move back in.  It might be the easiest trade I'll ever go through."  

Young thought the move just made sense.  

"Not that I need to justify it to you, but I like Naz.  I think he could turn into one of the best third centers in the league behind Geno and Dylan (Strome)" quipped Young.  

While the team is clearly building for the future, Malkin believes the team can make the playoffs this season.  

"We are only three points out.  JVR is back in another game.  We have a tradition of winning in this organization and have made the playoffs five straight years.  I'm new here but I believe that this group can make the playoffs" said Geno with the "A".  

While the team has three first round picks for this summer's draft, it remains to be seen whether or not they'll all be used by the Falcons.  

"I'll do whatever it takes to compete with Hamilton, Siberia, and Wisborg for the next decade.  I'll examine all opportunities for those picks and decide what we do closer to the draft.  We are definitely looking for a defenceman, that's for sure" concluded Young. 

It should be an interesting conclusion to the season and off-season in Fort Erie as the team continues its aggressive rebuild.  

Youth Movement Progressing Strongly in 3 Cities...

Youth Movement Progressing Strongly in 3 Cities

This CCHL season, we have seen a lot of the same top contenders in the CCHL as last year.  You have the reigning champion Puffin leading the Canosa Conference and leading the league in goal scoring, followed by the steady and reliable Georgetown Millers and Victoria Ronin.  The Corfield Conference is led by perennial contender and current #1 team, the Dayton Musicmen, followed by the #2 team in the league, the young and strong Calgary Chinooks, along with the ever present Niagara Falls Thunder.  But this year, we are seeing a few young teams pushing for playoff spots with their youthful rosters.  Those 3 teams are the Hamilton Tigers, the Siberia Icecats and the Wisborg Donuts.  All 3 teams missed the playoffs last year and all have been building with youth and lots of patience.  The Tigers and Icecats are battling it out for 4th place in the tough Canosa Conference, while the Donuts currently sit in 5th place in the Corfield Conference, but poised to push the Winnipeg Ferrets for 4th.  We spoke with GM Silvio Saouaf of the Icecats earlier today and here is what he had to say.  "You know, it's refreshing to see this team with it's youth step up and make a difference.  The last few years have been extremely hard on Icecats fans, but as promised, they are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  With captain Connor McDavid leading the way, this team has forged an identity of playing tough and putting the puck in the net.  We have struggled defensively, but we are addressing that also.  I expect this team to be better next season."  GM Saouaf is of course referring to his deadline deal to bring in a stalwart on D, Marc Vlasic.  He should be a rock on the Icecats blue line for many years to come.

GM Saouaf also had this to say about his fellow youthful franchises.  "You know, I admire what both GM Taylor and GM Kallum have done with their teams.  They have built their teams through the draft, as we have in Siberia, and have blended in experienced veterans to balance their teams.  I expect that we will be battling each other for years to come as our franchises continue to grow and evolve."  Indeed, these 3 franchises are on their way up the ranks of the CCHL.  With all of this youth, will they be able to maintain their positions down the stretch?  This is where their veteran leadership will help balance the inexperience of their youth.  Only time will tell if these 3 franchises can rise to become powerhouses like Dayton, Calgary, Reykjavik, Copenhagen, Georgetown, Niagara Falls and Victoria.  Stay tuned sports fans!