Komets general manager David Franke still believes he will have a coach in place by June 1, though he declined to get into specifics about potential candidates – with one exception.The Komets will open their 60th season in professional hockey – and their second in the CHL – on Oct. 22 against the Evansville IceMen at Memorial Coliseum.
Coincidentally, that game will be forward Sean O’Connor’s debut with the IceMen, after he signed a one-year contract with Evansville on Monday.
O’Connor, 24, spent the last three seasons with the Komets, tallying 60 goals and 136 points in 189 games, and winning two IHL championships along the way.
The Komets will also be the first road team to play at the IceMen’s new downtown arena Nov. 5, which will be Fort Wayne’s first road game of the season.
A holdup over finalizing a lease agreement between the IceMen and the arena is why the CHL schedule came out so late in the summer.
The Komets’ 66-game schedule preserves their usual holiday games. They will play on Thanksgiving, Nov. 24, and on New Year’s Eve, both against the Bloomington Blaze at the Coliseum.
Of Fort Wayne’s 33 home games, 11 take place on Fridays, 11 on Saturday, five on Sundays, three on Wednesdays, two on Thursdays and one on a Tuesday.
The Komets’ most common opponent this season is Dayton, which Fort Wayne plays 14 times.
The Komets take on Evansville 13 times and Bloomington 11 times.
Of the CHL’s 14 teams, they face everyone except Rio Grande Valley.
The Komets reached the Turner Conference semifinals last season before losing to Rapid City 3-2.
On Jan. 11, 2012, there will be a CHL All-Star Game pitting the host Arizona Sundogs against a team made up of players from the 13 other teams.
Fort Wayne’s season tickets are on sale at the Komets’ office, 1010 Memorial Way in Fort Wayne.
For information, call 260-483-0011.
Notes: The K’s may extend training camp invitations to Swedish forwards Frederic Korduner and Eric Yngwe, who coach Al Sims saw at a prospects camp last week.
