UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE (05/11/03)

UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE

by Ihor Stelmach

Penacola's Ukrainian Pilot

It wasn't just the picturesque views of the Gulf of Mexico or the sandy white beaches that convinced Greg Pankewicz to sign with the Pensacola Ice Pilots when he toured the area during the summer of 2001.

Granted, the longtime International and American League veteran admits playing in the East Coast League's version of paradise city was enticing. But for this proven Ukrainian minor league star, the deciding factor had more to do with fond memories of his days playing in frigid Regina, Saskatchewan, than the warm wintertime breezes of northwest Florida.

"When I came down to look at the area two years ago, I'd have to say it was the chance to play with Louis," said Pankewicz of Ice Pilots' teammate Louis Dumont, whom he played with in the Western League (juniors) for Regina in 1990-1991.

"We put up good numbers and always seemed to know where each other was on the ice," he said. "I felt we'd have a chance to play together down here and have a little success."

His premonition was right on the money. With the Ice Pilots last season, Pankewicz and Dumont rediscovered their magic and emerged as the best 1-2 punch in the East Coast Hockey League. And while it was Dumont, 30, who captured his first scoring title after eight years in the league, he says Pankewicz was the one who really made it all possible.

Pankewicz managed to put up monster numbers himself, finishing sixth in league scoring with 85 points, including 39 goals, 46 assists and 306 penalty minutes in 63 games.

Yet it is the 33-year-old's uncanny ability to make his teammates better that made him a pre-season pick by minor league hockey experts to win league MVP honors in 2002-03.

Montreal's 1992 first-round draftee David Wilkie, who played for the Augusta Lynx last season and was a teammate of Pankewicz with Houston of the now-defunct IHL, said the winger is the league's most complete player.

"He's fast and strong, he has great hands and a great shot, and he was pretty much unstoppable," said Wilkie, who retired last season and is in his first year as an assistant coach in Augusta. "He's a great teammate and a quality guy who is well liked. He's a professional in every sense of the word."

Pankewicz made his NHL debut back in 1994, when he played three games for Ottawa, but found himself toiling the next five seasons in minors. He then played 18 games for the Calgary Flames in 1998-1999, but was closing in on his 30th birthday and knew his chances of becoming an NHL regular were quite remote.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound power forward continued to post solid numbers the next two seasons with Houston. But the IHL disbanded after 2000-2001, and Pankewicz was unable to find work in the NHL or AHL.

There wasn't any room for a 31-year-old veteran like myself with an AHL club," Pankewicz readily admitted. "I thought about playing in Europe, but then I came across [Pensacola coach Todd Gordon]. I thought highly of Todd and knew Pensacola was a first-class organization. And once I heard Louis was there, it was an easy decision for me."

Gordon took over the Pilots after the team finished last in the Southwest Division under Wayne Cashman in 2000-2001. Led by Pankewicz, the Pilots made a positive turnaround, making the playoffs in 2001-2002 with a 38-28-6 record.

Though the Pilots ended on a disappointing note - falling in the first round to Mississippi - Gordon bolstered the team with several key signings, including former all-star defenseman Brad Dexter, who came out of retirement.

Another key mid-season acquisition from last year, goaltender Maxime Gingras, was re-signed for 2002-2003, and Pankewicz felt confident all the pieces were in place for a title run.

"All we lacked was the ability to play a team game," he said. "They brought Dexter to quarterback our power play and we got off to a slow start in goaltending last year before Maxime got here. Having him from the start is going to make a huge difference."

Pankewicz himself, though, figured to be the biggest difference-maker of all.

"Bar none, he was the best player in this league last year," Wilkie said. "He has the total package."

Pre-season MVP candidate indeed. Truer words were never spoken. Pankewicz recently ended up the current 2002-2003 hockey campaign the sixth top scorer in the East Coast League. He finished with a league-high 46 goals, adding 41 assists for 87 points with a whopping 340 minutes in penalties.

Stay tuned for the official counting of the MVP ballots in the ECL. Greg Pankewicz truly was an MVP in the making.

Yarema finally flies with Ducks

The best way to assure job security is to produce at an optimum level. Or so Brendan Yarema thought.

Even that wasn't enough for Yarema, however. Despite scoring nine goals and 13 points in 14 Calder Cup playoff games for the Houston Aeros last spring, the seventh-year 26-year-old center found himself unemployed without a contract this season.

With an American Hockey League limit of six "veterans" per team, it was a simple supply vs. demand equation, and the limited demand didn't meet the overabundant supply of available players who fit the AHL's definition of a veteran (260 games of pro experience).

Thus, after being released from his training camp tryout with the Boston Bruins, Yarema suddenly found himself looking for work.

"I was sitting at home for six weeks, not even skating," he said. "It was frustrating because I had a great playoff last year. I had about six or seven teams interested, but things didn't pan out. All of a sudden you're wondering what's going on."

Yarema joined the East Coast League's Charlotte Checkers in November 2002 and, after scoring five goals in five games, was signed to a tryout contract by the AHL's Cincinnati Mighty Ducks later that same month. Through his first 47 AHL games, the never-drafted Yarema had notched 15 goals, including four game-winners, and 30 points with 89 minutes in penalties. His play convinced Anaheim to sign him to an NHL/AHL contract back in early December.

"I like when the games are on the line. I think you work harder to contribute to the team," said Yarema, who had 18 goals, 31 points and 150 minutes in 77 games last season in Houston. "And once you get on a roll, you get confidence and feel good about yourself."

MINOR UKRAINIAN UTTERINGS:

Zenith Komarniski was one of the Manitoba Moose's most reliable defensemen last season ... Nobody will be echoing those words these days ... Komarniski agreed to a position change to left wing in the Vancouver Canucks organization ... "We love his strength and his ability to finish checks," said Canucks coach Marc Crawford, adding this was no four- or five-day experiment ... Komarniski had dabbled with playing left wing three seasons ago with Syracuse ... This time it appears to be for keeps ... There is serious concern Komarniski's below-6-foot frame is too undersized at the NHL level and his chances are much better as a two-way winger ...

Over in the United League, Colonial Cup champion Muskegon made former Hartford Wolf Pack assistant coach Mike Busniuk the seventh head coach in club history last fall ... Busniuk replaced Danton Cole, who was named coach of the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins ... Busniuk, who played for the Philadelphia Flyers from 1979 to 1981, was an assistant for five years in Hartford after spending four years in the same position with Binghamton of the AHL ...

Former Idaho Steelheads (West Coast League) coach and color commentator Clint Malarchuk landed a job as goaltending instructor for the Florida Panthers ... Malarchuk, 41, will still live in Nampa, Idaho, traveling to Miami for a week to 10 days per month ... He will also visit goalies in the Panthers' system ... It is his first full-time coaching job since the Steelheads fired him two years ago ... Malarchuk went 62-70-11 in two years as a coach and was the team's radio color commentator last season ... He also works as a horse dentist out of his ranch in Nampa ... "The Panthers called me kind of out of the blue," Malarchuk said ... He signed a one-year contract with an option for a second year ... Malarchuk spent 10 seasons as an NHL goalie with three teams...

FINAL NHL TRANSACTIONS/INJURIES:

CAROLINA - Damian Surma, RW, recalled from Lowell (AHL) and later returned.

CHICAGO - Judd Medak, RW, assigned to Norfolk (AHL).

COLORADO - Johnny Boychuk, D, signed multi-year contract.

DETROIT - Joey Kocur, assistant coach, suspended two games and team fined $5,000 by NHL for actions in March 29 game.

FLORIDA - Joey Tetarenko, RW, recalled from San Antonio (AHL) and later traded to Ottawa; Denis Shvidki, RW, recalled from San Antonio; Darcy Hordichuk, LW, high ankle sprain, indefinite.

MINNESOTA - Dieter Kochan, GT, assigned to Houston (AHL).

NEW JERSEY - Oleg Tverdovsky, D, fatigue and dizziness, indefinite.

OTTAWA - Curtis Leschyshyn, D, strained groin, day-to-day; indefinite; Leschyshyn sore right ankle, indefinite.

PHILADELPHIA - Todd Fedoruk, RW, sprained right thumb, indefinite; Fedoruk left thigh contusion, indefinite.

PHOENIX - Drake Berehowsky, D, right knee surgery, late-February; Berehowsky assigned to Springfield (AHL); Berehowsky later recalled; Darcy Hordichuk, LW, traded to Florida.

ST. LOUIS - Keith Tkachuk, LW, suspended four games by NHL for crosschecking incident in February 23 game; Tkachuk, sprained right wrist, mid-April; Sergei Varlamov, LW, recalled from Worcester (AHL) and later returned.

TAMPA BAY - Ruslan Fedotenko, RW, broken right finger, day-to-day; Brad Lukowich, D, fractured right orbital bone, late April.

TORONTO - Wade Belak, D, stiff neck, day-to-day; Alexei Ponikarovsky, LW, recalled from St. John's (AHL).

(Quotes thanks to Rob Mueller, Kevin Oklobzija, Tim Campbell, Brendan Savage and Chadd Cripe.)

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