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From: Ryan Stanzel
Director of Communications
Friday, July 22, 2005
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)

SUMMERSCRIBES, JULY 22 EDITION

Well, for the first time since one of the first SummerScribes installments in the summer of 2004, there is indeed a “National Hockey League” to write about. Minutes ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins claimed the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL Draft, and they are expected to select phenom Sidney Crosby, who has been compared to long-time Penguin Mario Lemeiux. Minnesota holds the fourth pick in next weekend's Draft. Click here to read a FAQ on the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Online jersey auction
It’s time for the Aeros’ game-worn jersey auction. Click here to access. Each player from 2004-05 is represented. Bidding begins at $300 and ends August 4 at 12:01 p.m.

“Wally” gets the gold
The powerhouse Sweden team, led by Rickard Wallin, completed an impressive run through the 2005 IIHL Inline Hockey World Championship last week by beating Finland 4-2 in the title game.

Wallin tied for second in the tournament with 19 points, and his 14 assists were tied for the top total. Sweden went 6-0, beating arch-rival Finland 4-2 in Saturday's championship tilt. “Wally” had nine points (2-7=9) alone in a 19-1 rout of Austria on July 11.

He cut it!
The Aero who said he was “least likely to cut his hair” in 2004-05, did cut his hair last week. The ‘Scribe was first tipped about Mike Smith’s haircut while reading a story over the weekend in the Des Moines Register which said the Dallas coaching staff had suggested he cut his long blonde locks.

Special thanks to the Dallas communications department for a picture of “Smitty”, whose hair isn’t short by any means, but it’s a bit more in control.

Some coaching positions filled
Portland, Hartford and Hershey have all filled head coaching positions since the Scribe’s last edition.

Portland, and its NHL team Anaheim, went to a name familiar to all hockey fans, but especially those in Houston – Kevin Dineen. Dineen, who broke barriers when as an established NHL’er he signed with the Aeros in the 1994 NHL lockout, gets his first coaching position.

His brother, Peter, was the Aeros' director of player personnel at the time. Dineen is the second former Aero to be named an AHL head coach in the last month, joining Bridgeport's Dave Baseggio.

Brother Gord Dineen is an assistant in San Antonio, Shawn also played pro hockey and dad Bill coached the Adirondack Red Wings to Calder Cup championships in 1986 and 1989.

Reports out of Maine said that Brad Shaw, who coached a much-improved Cincinnati team in 2004-05, has an NHL job with a team he didn’t mention. Shaw had hoped to be in the running for the Pirates’ job, although that sting is lessened if he landed elsewhere.

Hartford didn’t reach very far for its head coach, naming general manager and former NHL coach Jim Schoenfeld as its bench boss. Schoenfeld was the head coach in Buffalo, New Jersey, Washington and Phoenix, and was an assistant with the Rangers in 2002-03.

Ken Gernander, recently retired from the Wolf Pack, is Schoenfeld’s assistant along with Ulf Samuelsson.

Last but not least, Bruce Boudreau, ousted from Manchester earlier this summer after a 51-win season, didn’t take very long to land in Hershey, which is Washington’s affiliate for the first time.

For those who asked, yes Hershey and Manchester to meet this season – twice.

Manchester is reportedly down to four candidates for its head coaching position.

Edmonton, Montreal hope for déjà vu
The last time Edmonton and Montreal both sent players to one AHL team was in 2002-03, when Hamilton lost to the Aeros in the Calder Cup Finals. The Oilers and Canadiens will match up again this season, it was announced earlier this week.

Edmonton, which suspended operations of its AHL team after it was apparent the NHL would be back in business, will send up to seven players to Hamilton.

This matters to Aeros fans, of course, because for the first time, Hamilton is on Houston’s regular-season schedule.

The Oilers are also expected to find another AHL team in which to place the remainder of their prospects.

Tip of the cap
The Scribe gives a tip of his Yankee cap to a couple long-time minor league players who called it quits this week.

Ed Courtenay, who played for Chicago and Peoria in 1994-95 and San Francisco in 1995-96, has retired after a 16-season career that began in Kalamazoo in 1989. He’ll coach the Belfast Giants after putting up almost a point per game the last two seasons in ECHL South Carolina.

Also to all-time minor-league hockey leading scorer Kevin Kerr, who hasn’t played at the “Triple-A” level since 1993-94. Kerr totaled 677 goals since breaking into the ranks with Rochester in 1987.

The 37-year-old Kerr has been named head coach of the North Ontario Junior Hockey League's North Bay Skyhawks.

Comets, Aeros a winning combo
Don’t forget to contact Jeremy Burson at the Aeros office at 713.361.7946 if you plan on attending “Aeros Night at the Comets” on Sunday, Aug. 14 against Seattle. Game time is 3 p.m.

Aeros fans can get $18 tickets for just $13, along with the chance to mingle with assistant coach Matt Shaw, Chilly, Sonic Boom and Strike Force.

B2 deal sweet for AHL fans
The Scribe has gotten some great feedback on the AHL’s announced deal with B2 Networks, which will provide all fans with live streaming video of every AHL game for $6 per game.

Many enjoyed the Aeros’ one “B2” game in 2004-05, in Milwaukee in March. Many have emailed in about the quality of the video, and in most cases it’s very good. You can enlarge the picture on the screen if you’d like. Some arenas will have better video than others, but fortunately for Aeros fans, many of the newer buildings with great video technology are in the West Division.

B2 also broadcasts Northern League baseball in the summer, so if you want to check it out, you can.

Casino Night is September 29
Houston Aeros Charities is getting ready to roll out the red carpet on Thursday, Sept. 29 as the Hess Club plays hosts to a "Casino Night", benefiting The Sunshine Kids Foundation and Houston Aeros Charities. The Hess Club on 5430 Westheimer will open its doors at 7 p.m., and the tournament begins at 8 p.m.

Individual tickets for the event are $100 and include beverages, hors d’oeuvres, and playing chips for the Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament or the Casino games area. Sponsorship packages are still available. Not only is it a great way to advertise your company, but also shows your community support. For more information on pricing, please click here, or call 713.974.PUCK (7825).

The Sunshine Kids Foundation (www.sunshinekids.org) is a non-profit organization dedicated to children with cancer. Established in 1982, the Sunshine Kids Foundation is committed to providing positive group activities and emotional support for young cancer patients.

Fall internships available
The Aeros have many fall internships available, especially in the area of ticket sales and community programs. Click here for details. In addition to receiving class credit, sales interns are also paid a weekly stipend and commissions.

Other departments such as marketing need interns, as well.

Don’t forget about “40 for 30”
Do you want the same seat for all 40 Aeros games in 2005-06, but only having to pay for 30 games? How about guaranteed premium items like rally towels and player figurines? Private events with the players? A big discount off the gate price?

"Elite Fleet" full season ticketholders get all of the above, plus an exchange plan for unused tickets, an Aeros merchandise discount, and priority seating for the 2006 Calder Cup playoffs. Elite Fleet full season tickets begin at just $300 for 40 home games. That's tickets to all 40 regular season games for the price of 30!

The Aeros also offer 22- and 13-game plans, and also voucher packs, all with discounted prices and special perks. Please call the Aeros office at 713.974.PUCK for more information.

The Aeros Challenge
More information will come out in the next few weeks about a couple of Aeros’ marketing plans, “The Houston Aeros Challenge”.

The Aeros Challenge includes a dance contest with local schools competing to be “Junior Sonic Boom”.

Also, those same high schools will be asked to come up with guerilla marketing campaigns to let their classmates know about the Aeros.

If you’re a teacher, watch out for the information in your mailbox when school starts.

Aeros in Tortola!
Special thanks to Jim Gadd, the Aeros’ director of merchandise, for submitting this picture, of an Aeros T-shirt at a local establishment in Tortola.

Jim reports that the shirt is stapled to the rafters of a bar on the beach of the Jost Van Dyke Island in the British Virgin Islands.

Don’t forget to send your vacation pictures, in Aeros’ gear of course, to qanda@aeros.com.

Mailbag time

Q: Will Mikko Koivu be playing with the Wild this year and if so, what number will he wear? Rolston has gone from 14 to 21 which is Koivu's number with the Aeros and is not assigned a number as of now on wild.com. Thanks, Jo

A: Jo, the Scribe loves the enthusiasm already. Sounds like you also can’t wait for camps to open. First, as we’ve said before, Mikko Koivu has to make the Wild. It’s going to be a very fierce competition for several spots in Minnesota.

As far as the numbers go, I’m not sure why Rolston plans to wear No. 21 in Minnesota. Obviously, if he’s attached to it, he’s a veteran guy and would get to keep it. If he’d rather wear another number, Koivu could slide into No. 21.

Numbers are a serious business in the NHL and other sports. Eli Manning sent the family of Jeff Feagles, the Giants’ punter, on vacation in order to wear No. 10.

Submit a question for the next edition of SummerScribes.

Trivia

Several folks caught the Scribe last edition, as he didn’t state in his trivia question that he was looking for former Aeros players born south of the Mason-Dixon Line, but still IN the United States. We were also looking for just IHL/AHL Aeros.

The answer we were going for was Chris Bala (Arlington, Va.) and Jeremy Stevenson San Bernadino, Calif.). Congrats to A $10 gift certificate to Amazon Grill also went to G.W. of Houston, who knew that Vitoria, Brazil, (Mike Greenlay) and Kingston, Jamaica, (Graeme Townshend) are also very south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

The Scribe will be more careful this time. Quick note for those of you that mentioned one-game Aero James Patterson. He now lists Huntsville, Al., as his place of residence, but he was born in Michigan.

This week’s question is a visual one. Click here and tell the Scribe which former American Hockey League franchise used this logo. Send answers to qanda@aeros.com. This week’s winner receives an Aeros 2005-06 media guide when the season begins.


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