By Daniel A. Marley
The Trenton Titans of the ECHL are back, of course.
After years of poor team management with the Trenton Devils, the Titans name has successfully reestablished itself amongst its fan base in the capital county of New Jersey.
This season was used to build a team that will compete for the future, and they have.
The problem here is that current fan favorites like forwards Rob Bordson and Andy Bohmbach and defenseman Ray DiLauro have excelled at the ECHL level and will most likely further their hockey careers at the American Hockey League level next year.
For next season, scouts need to look around to find talent that will help the team improve in these areas: defense and goaltending. Combined, their goalies and defensemen have allowed 197 goals, an ECHL league worst as of February 28.
Titans’ scouts should also look for high-scoring forwards that will compliment the pending departures of Bordson and Bohmbach.
Fortunately, their wants and needs can be found with the talent blossoming in the Federal Hockey League.
Currently, the Titans have an affiliation agreement with the New Jersey Outlaws of the FHL. The Outlaws are league leaders in points, goals for, and goals against.
On February 25, the Titans called up Outlaws goaltender Adam Dekker for emergency relief. In 60 minutes of play, Dekker allowed three goals on 32 shots to help lead the Titans to a 4-3 win over the Elmira Jackals. When I watched him play from the b2tv.com broadcast, I saw a goalie who would fit right in with Trenton’s style of play and will become an instant fan favorite. The Titans should consider signing him to a deal next year.
Other players from their farm team that will become instant fan favorites due to their on-ice contributions are forwards Travis Kauffeldt, Kevin Cooper, and Matthew Puntureri, and defenseman Nathan Oke.
Kauffeldt is the Alex Ovechkin of the FHL: he can score goals, set up great plays, contribute at both ends of the ice, and will stand up for his team. On top of that, he has one of the most accurate shots and passing that I have ever seen in a minor league hockey player. He has reached the 100-point mark in 47 games this season, which translates to 75 at the ECHL level during an equivalent span. Kauffeldt will be a first-line forward for sure if he gets called up to the ECHL on a definite basis.
Like Kauffeldt, Cooper is another offensive threat. The Outlaws utilize him for almost every role on the ice. He will most likely join Kauffeldt on the same line. With the season almostn winding down, he has surpassed the 80-point mark and is on pace to end the season with 90.
Puntureri has spread his talent across the Atlantic Ocean, playing in juniors and overseas in France. He is very effective at both ends of the ice, with an impressive fore check and back check, as well as generating offensive rushes and finding the open man in his zone. I can see him as a second-line forward and be utilized on the special teams, but will mostly likely start on the fourth line to become more acclimated with the ECHL game. His experience at the different North American and international levels give him that advantage on how the rest of the league will play.
Oke is a physical player who is not afraid to drop the gloves. He has that definite enforcer complex that most hockey fans will love, especially the Trenton faithful. Plus, he can contribute at both ends on the ice, offensively and defensively. In 39 games this season, Oke has registered 14 goals and 31 assists with a plus-35 rating. Twenty-two of his 45 points have come on the special teams. Expect him to be a top-four defenseman used heavily on the power play.
Other players from the FHL that the Titans should consider going after are forward Pierre Dagenais of the Akwesasne Warriors and defenseman KC Timmons of the Brooklyn Aviators. Both Dagenais and Timmons were former NHL draft picks that took different hockey career paths; however, the two together on the “Killarney’s Publick House Power Play” will generate more man-advantage goals and offensive rushes.
There is not much to say about Dagenais except for the fact that he can score. That is the most plain and simple scouting report I can give. Like Puntureri, his experience at the NHL level and through different European leagues including the Kontinental Hockey League gives him an upper hand against his opponents. Dagenais will help these young Titans players develop and provide them with credible expertise on how they can successfully continue their hockey development.
In 43 games with the Warriors, Dagenais has scored 70 goals and assisted on 55 for a total of 125 points. Only 26 of his 125 points have come on the special teams, proving how effective he is offensively during even-strength play.
Timmons is an offensive defenseman to the likings of Brian Leetch. He is great at advancing the puck and setting up the right teammates. His even-strength playing does need a little tweaking, as this minus-12 rating in 34 games suggests. This is an issue that will be corrected as his career progresses.
This season, Timmons has registered 25 points, 17 coming from the power play.
These players, along with players that may return next year, will develop effective team chemistry. Of this new core, everyone will play an important role without the worry of allocating responsibilities to those that lack said specific trait.
The season is not over yet, as the Titans still have a shot at making the playoffs. It still doesn’t hurt to think ahead. The Federal Hockey League has been known for developing some top talent, as we have seen a plethora of the league’s players play at the ECHL and even AHL level so far this season. It is time for the Titans to use that talent for their Kelly Cup dreams.
Potential Lines for 2012/13 Season:
Randy Rowe/ Adam Presiznulk/ Ryan Hayes
Kevin Cooper/ Travis Kauffeldt/ Pierre Dagenais
Matt Germain/ Dustin Cameron/ Steve Silva
Chase Langeraap/ Kelly Miller/ Matthew Puntureri
Nathan Oke/ Tyler Hostetter
KC Timmons/ Gentry Zollars
Vinny Geonetti/ Bill McCreary
Adam Dekker-Dave Caruso
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