Dayton Pro Roster:
1) Michael Del Zotto - The #1 blueliner on the team, Del Zotto will see the most minutes of all Dayton Dmen. An RFA after this season, Del Zotto will continue to play a major role until Butcher, Ryan, Sanheim, Nutivaara, Cholowski, Juolevi, Hague, etc. push him out of the way. "DZ" will also serve as the captain of this year's team.
2) Darnell Nurse - Taken 7th overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, the 23 yr. old Nurse showed signs of maturing last season in Edmonton and should again this year. He's already among DAY's top 4 dmen with a skill set that posses great skating ability, good physicality and the upside befitting the 2nd defenseman chosen in the '13 Entry Draft.
3) Dan Girardi - The 34-year-old NHL veteran will bring experience, shot blocking and leadership to the Musicmen this season. A UFA after this season is it virtually guaranteed that Girardi will play elsewhere in the CCHL's 2019-20 season.
4) Mike Stone - Recently acquired from the Express, the 28 yr. old Stone moves from Long Island's bench to Dayton's top four. Recently signed to a multi-yr. contract, Stone is a solid 2-way defender, who will serve the team in a variety of roles.
5) Johnny Oduya -The 37-year-old defenseman will likely finish his CCHL career with Dayton this season. He will be a capable 3rd pairing player and with no current NHL contract and his CCHL deal expiring after this season, Oduya will be someplace else this time next season.
6) Jamie Oleksiak - One of two alternate captains this season for the Musicmen, Oleksiak blossomed after being traded from Dallas to Pittsburgh last NHL season. Just 25, the 6'7, 255 lb. dman brings a lot of oomph to the party. Not just a defensive type, Oleksiak, with more ice time than ever before, the offense followed. Oleksiak was the 14th player taken in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and seems to be fulfilling the promise scouts saw in him.
7) Erik Gustafsson - The 26-yr.-old dmen for the Blackhawks, Gustafsson is primarily an offensive defenseman. Counted on to be a top 4 guy for CHI this season, 30-35 points isn't out of the question. Gustafsson should see time this season for DAY as a power play specialist unless injuries dictate otherwise.
8) Michael Kempny - Time is running out for Kempny as he's hit the 28-year-old mark. At worst, he's a 3rd pairing guy who does everything pretty good, but not great at all. A bit of a bridge player, DAY expects him to cover some minutes over the next two season after which it remains to be seen what his role, if any, may be in Dayton given all the defensive young blood on the way.
9) Marcus Nutivaara - A top 4 dman for the Bluejackets, Nutivaara is another solid 2-way performer who will grow into a full-time spot next season for the 'Men. 30 points are well within reach for the 3rd year defender.
Dayton Farm Roster:
Will Butcher - 44 pts. in 81 games as a rookie with the surprising Devils, Butcher is locked in as a top 4 dman going forward. Running the Devils PP and his regular shifts should put the sophomore close to 19 minutes this NHL season. Currently, on the Farm team, Butcher projects to be a top six guy on Dayton's blueline next season.
Travis Sanheim - The 17th player taken overall in the 2017 NHL Draft, Sanheim cut his teeth last season splitting time between the NHL Flyers and the AHL Phantoms. Struggling out of the gate as a 21-year-old didn't surprise most and his play was noticeably improved after a stint in the AHL. Loads of talent in this young kid, Sanheim will continue to develop as a full-timer in Philly this season and we expect him to battle for top 4 minutes in Dayton in the 2019-20 season.
Joakim Ryan - The reigning "rookie of the year" in San Jose, Ryan will see bottom six minutes for the Sharks this season. A 12th round steal during the CCHL Draft this past Summer, Ryan should be a contributing member of the Musicmen blueline for the next several years. Should be a solid 3rd pairing type going forward.
Ian McCoshen - Expected to make the Panthers this season, McCoshen, despite being an early 2nd rounder in the 2013 Entry Draft, he has yet to claim a spot on the big league roster. Recently sent down to the AHL, McCoshen will still get an opportunity to claim an NHL job at some point, but there's stiff competition working against him.
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