Pro hockey: Jackalopes drop puck on training camp

The Odessa Jackalopes will open training camp for their 12th season at 9 a.m. today at MCM Ice in the Music City Mall.

The team will practice Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before leaving for the Metroplex for a controlled scrimmage on Thursday against the Texas Brahmas and then an exhibition game against the Brahmas on Saturday at the NYTEX Sports Centre in North Richland Hills.

"We have to make some quick decisions about the makeup of the team, and I think one of the big things that is different this year is that we are going to have competition for a lot of positions," said Odessa coach Paul Gillis, who is beginning his second season with the Jackalopes. "It's going to be a very interesting camp to see who steps up for a job."

Odessa, which reached the second round of the Central Hockey League playoffs last year before losing to the Laredo Bucks, will have three more days of workouts after the exhibition game before opening the regular season with five consecutive road games.

The team will travel to Prescott Valley, Ariz., to play the defending champion Arizona Sundogs in the season opener on Oct. 17. The two teams will play again on Oct. 18.

Odessa's home opener is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Oct. 31 against the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees at Ector County Coliseum.

Odessa re-signed several players and added several veteran defenseman to help Gillis build the type of team he thinks will be more competitive in the 2008-09 season. The Jackalopes finished 32-25-7 and in third place in the four-team Southwest Division in the 2007-08 season.

Forwards Sebastien Thinel and Dominic Leveille, the top two points scorers last season, lead the group of returning players. Forwards Collin Circelli, Mark Johnson, Mike MacDonald and Brian Swiniarski and defensemen Josh Chase and Mario Joly also are back.

Forwards Kory Karlander, Jonathan Labelle, Mike Lesperance and Jeff Pierce are among the new players. Defensemen Dave Van Drunen and Philippe Plante, who skated together with Muskegon of the International Hockey League last season, will help patrol the blue line for Gillis.

Kevin Druce and Juha Toivonen are the goaltenders on the roster.

"We got all the guys in for physicals and we are ready to go," said Rick Gasser, the team's co-owner. "Everyone is excited about the season, and I think Coach Gillis has put a very good team together."

The team signed an affiliation agreement with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League during the offseason, and several players went to Bridgeport and Quad Cities for their training camps.

"We certainly are ready to go, and I think that we are happy with the guys that we brought in, especially with the veteran players," Gillis said. "And talking with the coaches in Bridgeport and Quad Cities, we've gotten a lot of positive feedback about our players, so that's a good sign."

THE BASICS 

>> What: Training Camp
>> When: Today through Oct. 15
>> Where: All practices and scrimmages at MCM Ice inside Music City Mall unless indicated
>> Season opener: at Arizona Sundogs, 7:05 p.m. Oct. 17
>> Home opener: vs. Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, 7:05 p.m. Oct. 31, Ector County Coliseum.
>> On the Net: For more, visit www.jackalopes.org

THE SCHEDULE

>> Today: Practice, 9-10 a.m.; Black/White Scrimmage, 7 p.m.
>> Tuesday-Wednesday: Practice, 9-11 a.m.
>> Thursday: Scrimmage, North Richland Hills.
>> Friday: Practice, North Richland Hills.
>> Saturday: Exhibition, vs. Fort Worth Brahmas, 7:05 p.m., North Richland Hills.
>> Oct. 13-15: Practice, 9-11 a.m.