9 days - only 9 days...

It's official, more or less, that Brandon Buck ( our 'Bucky' ) -  won't he be happy about that, staying put and not being shuttled back and forth like last season, Jarod Palmer & Joel Broda (two new faces), Jean-Michel Daoust ('The Scrapper' - happy to have him back, but I fear he'd rather have stayed up North) and Josh Tordjman (we know him from the Rampage days - so can expect sturdy and reliable netminding) will be here. Darcy ('Vader') Kuemper is heading back to the WHL (having a bit of a soft sport for this youngster, I'd like to see him back between the posts but not to the extend of wishing injuries on any goalie).
New prospects, officially signed, Josh Caron and Colton Jobke are also going back to WHL for more seasoning, but might see some action IF!  As is Jared Spurgeon (might HE come here?) 
All three have entry-level deals.

Dimples and Ironman, the 2009/10 All Stars

Noreau ('Ironman') seems to be still under consideration in Minnesota (wishing him all the best-he's earned a chance to prove he can do it), and not much is known yet about Khudobin (whatever, he still IS "Dimples" to me)..just hope he will not be a bench warmer, that always seem to get him off balance.

The future of last season's Aeros's such as Almond ('Joy'), DiSalvatore ('Speedy'), Gillies ('Frisky'), Kalus ('the Avalanche'), Kassian ( 'The Kassassinator'), McMillan ('MacAttack') seems hanging in the balance. As well as Rau ('WOW'), Jamie Fraser ('Sunny'), Scandella  will they keep them or ship them?
And Earl ('The Pearl') seems to have made an impression so might join Stoner in the line up for this Season's Wild. And other NEW players may or may not stay up North.

Aeros camp starts next week, followed by pre-season games vs the San Antonio Rampage and the new kid on the block the Oklahoma City Barons and starting the official season with 2 away games, also at Oklahoma, finally on October 16 at the TC vs Peoria (minus Love who's now with the Mississippi Mudbugs!) and then it's hockey in earnest, here, San Antonio, Austin for the Texas Face Off -will Aeros prevail this time?

The Stars have been 'plundered' of their best players, some of whom may end up skating with the Rampage(unless kept in Phoenix!)-so it IS hard to predict. The 2010/11 Aeros have a large number of 3 in 3 games and that is always a bit of a concern...although the team's average age is a bit younger and - dare I call it that - hardier?

But some player, as yet unsigned, may just be the joker in the deck that turns up trump!
Too bad, Better Half and I will miss the SLICE pre-season and getting a first peek at the 'new Hockey-in-your-face' Aeros. Will there be another 'Scrapper'? Another Rau-'Wow'?

Or another 'Love' type..an extrovert entertainer with a fan following?

 We will just have to read 'The Sages' of the Third Intermission to catch up with evaluation and critiques of the guys until 10/16!                 

Meanwhile some 'old' - in manner of speaking - friends

DiSalvatore-Jerina





2009/10 Aeros on Defense-Jerina

And for us that means at least 15 games at the TC, several away (Aeros and others), plus some NHL games in Florida and at least one ECHL game. Perhaps even more during March/April in Boston ? Naturally combined with opera performances. It will be fun posting on all that with pics, where possible!