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Independence, MO —
Brent Thiessen was feeling warm and comfortable Monday morning, and it had nothing to do with the hot cup of coffee the Missouri Mavericks president and general manager was sipping at the Independence Events Center.
That feeling was coming from watching the players who will eventually make up the team's 2012-13 roster.
“Coach has some tough choices coming up,” Thiessen said as he and coach Scott Hillman will have the roster pared down to 20 by the time the Mavericks board a bus at midnight tonight as they head for Denver and their first game of the season at 7 p.m. Friday.
“Every player on the ice will play in the CHL this season. Because of a numbers game, not all of them will be playing for the Mavericks. But we have never had this much talent in our camp. I like the makeup of the team and the chemistry.
“I want to say this right now – we will not go undefeated this season,” he added with a laugh. “But we are going to put a team on the ice night in and night out that our fans are going to love watching”
One new ingredient to the Mavericks’ playoff puzzle is forward Jeff Pierce, who Hillman said “has lightning speed, a rocket of a shot and has great chemistry on a line with (former Odessa teammate and Mavericks captain Sebastien) Thinel. We are excited to reunite them.”
Pierce, 28, played his first three seasons with the Mavericks’ captain and leading scorer from a season ago. The 6-foot, 180-pound forward most recently skated for the Cardiff Devils in England along with a fellow Mavericks signee, defenseman Jamie VanderVeeken.
“This already feels like a team to me,” Pierce said after a recent practice session. “It's great to be back with Sebastien and Jamie, and all the guys on the team who were here last year welcomed us with open arms.
“It doesn't feel like a new team, a team that's just practicing for a week or so. We feel like a team. We have developed chemistry on and off the ice, and we're ready for the opener.”
The Troy, Mich., native finished second on the Devils with 67 points last season on 33 goals and 34 assists in just 53 games. He put up impressive numbers when playing with Thinel in Odessa.
Over the three seasons, Pierce had 73 goals and 95 assists for 168 points in 193 games. In 33 playoff games with Odessa, Pierce had 17 goals and 12 assists for 29 points.
“He’s a big-game player,” Hillman added. “And we hope to be playing a lot of big games this season – especially big playoff games.”
Brent Thiessen was feeling warm and comfortable Monday morning, and it had nothing to do with the hot cup of coffee the Missouri Mavericks president and general manager was sipping at the Independence Events Center.
That feeling was coming from watching the players who will eventually make up the team's 2012-13 roster.
“Coach has some tough choices coming up,” Thiessen said as he and coach Scott Hillman will have the roster pared down to 20 by the time the Mavericks board a bus at midnight tonight as they head for Denver and their first game of the season at 7 p.m. Friday.
“Every player on the ice will play in the CHL this season. Because of a numbers game, not all of them will be playing for the Mavericks. But we have never had this much talent in our camp. I like the makeup of the team and the chemistry.
“I want to say this right now – we will not go undefeated this season,” he added with a laugh. “But we are going to put a team on the ice night in and night out that our fans are going to love watching”
One new ingredient to the Mavericks’ playoff puzzle is forward Jeff Pierce, who Hillman said “has lightning speed, a rocket of a shot and has great chemistry on a line with (former Odessa teammate and Mavericks captain Sebastien) Thinel. We are excited to reunite them.”
Pierce, 28, played his first three seasons with the Mavericks’ captain and leading scorer from a season ago. The 6-foot, 180-pound forward most recently skated for the Cardiff Devils in England along with a fellow Mavericks signee, defenseman Jamie VanderVeeken.
“This already feels like a team to me,” Pierce said after a recent practice session. “It's great to be back with Sebastien and Jamie, and all the guys on the team who were here last year welcomed us with open arms.
“It doesn't feel like a new team, a team that's just practicing for a week or so. We feel like a team. We have developed chemistry on and off the ice, and we're ready for the opener.”
The Troy, Mich., native finished second on the Devils with 67 points last season on 33 goals and 34 assists in just 53 games. He put up impressive numbers when playing with Thinel in Odessa.
Over the three seasons, Pierce had 73 goals and 95 assists for 168 points in 193 games. In 33 playoff games with Odessa, Pierce had 17 goals and 12 assists for 29 points.
“He’s a big-game player,” Hillman added. “And we hope to be playing a lot of big games this season – especially big playoff games.”
