CHECKERS AGREE TO TERMS WITH GOEPFERT, MCKENZIE
Rookie forward, fourth-year goaltender first two-way additions of off-season
Charlotte Checkers head coach and general manager Jeff Daniels and senior vice president of hockey business operations Derek Wilkinson announced today that the team has agreed to terms with goaltender Bobby Goepfert and forward Mike McKenzie on two-way AHL/ECHL contracts.
Goepfert, 27, returns to North America after spending last season with Hamburg of the German Elite League (DEL). In 25 games, he posted a 8-14-0 record while leading the team in goals against average (2.99) and save percentage (.914).
The Kings Park, N.Y. native played in 13 games for the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL) in 2008-09, going 7-2-4 with a 1.81 GAA and .937 save percentage. In 46 career ECHL games, Goepfert is 23-17-5 and has also posted a 1-1-1 record in four American Hockey League games with Hershey and Portland.
Goepfert was a Hobey Baker Award finalist for NCAA Player of the Year in 2007 and was the starting goaltender for the United States at the 2003 World Junior Hockey Championships where he led the tournament with a .937 save percentage. He was chosen by Pittsburgh in the sixth round (171st overall) of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.
McKenzie, 24, completed his fourth season at St. Lawrence University in 2009-10, scoring 14 goals and 21 assists (35 points) in 41 games. He was named assistant captain and led the team with a +9 rating. He also skated with the Albany River Rats (AHL) following the season, where he recorded one assist in three games.
In 2008-09, the Whitby, Ontario native led St. Lawrence in points with 34 (16g, 18a) and tied for the team lead with six power-play goals. As a sophomore, McKenzie ranked second in the NCAA with seven game-winning goals, setting a school record. He attended the Carolina Hurricanes’ prospect camp in 2009.
“Goepfert is a very talented goaltender we’ve seen play at the ECHL level and we are looking forward to seeing what McKenzie can do in the pros,” said Wilkinson. “Both players will add great depth to the organization.”
The Checkers’ home opener is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 15 at Time Warner Cable Arena. Season tickets for the inaugural 2010-11 AHL season are now on sale and season ticket packages start as low as $10 per game. Ticket information can be obtained by calling 704-342-4-ICE or visiting www.gocheckers.com.
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Show CommentsWhy are you still posting Checkers news? They are now affiliated with Carolina & have nothing to do with the Wolfpack or the Rangers.
That is very simple… We developed a great repoire with the team and had amazing support from their fans. The organziation was exceptionally generous and helpful in making this site better.
To turn that out because they’re not affiliated with the Rangers, to us anyway seemed very petty.
In the next year we will still be giving you wall-to-wall coverage of all things concerning the Connecticut Whalers and the Greenville Road Warriors, Neil Smith’s team who will become the Rangers ECHL affiliate.
We’ll also give you bonus coverage of the Checkers’ first season in the AHL. If it doesn’t interest you, that ‘s totally cool with us…just skip over that stuff.
If it turns out that we’ve lost too many readers from the Charlotte area then we’ll move on. Loyalty is a VERY important part of our personal morality and turning our backs to them seemed wrong.
How firm is this association with Neil Smith and Greenville?
1. When Sather came to the Rangers, I read that he complained about the old farm system of the Rangers(inherited from Smith) which organization he completely needed to revamp and that there was no prospects in the entire system worthy of a career in the NHL.
2. When Neil Smith joined the “Icelander organization”, the Islanders did an about face with their plans to keep him in the organization after about 1 month of time in the organization. The departure was abrupt.
3. Neil Smith had his problems meshing with Mike Keenan even though they won the Stanley cup.
4. Neil Smith had associations with other affiliates in the NHL while with the Johnston Chiefs. They have since parted ways.
On the other hand I think Neil Smith is a great commentator about Hockey on TV.
RCM:
Neil owns the team…I’d say it’s pretty solid. 🙂
Personally, I have nothing but great things to say about Neil Smith. He has been an exceptional gentleman to me both personally and professionally. He’s had a tough time with the NHL. I think for a guy who built a Stanley Cup winner to get treated the way that he has is VERY surprising. Every interaction that I’ve had with Neil has been pleasant and informative. He’s a good guy who deserves better. I think that his working again in concert with MSG is a great thing.
Mitch, I meant by “the association”, the Ranger association. I know Smith owns the Grenville team. I also know he can be a great guy, a diplomatic guy etc.
The problem I see is that when he runs an organization conflicts and controversy abound.