Byline: TRIS WYKES, STAFF WRITER
Four months ago, the Hampton Roads Admirals didn't have a workable arena lease, an operating budget or players under contract for the 1999-2000 season.
Today, they head toward their Oct. 14 opener at Roanoke with their problems smoothed over and a team that has fans talking about a fourth ECHL title.
How in the name of Gordie Howe did they pull this off?
Credit the franchise's established reputation for winning and player development, combined with an unprecedented talent glut this summer. And don't forget Al MacIsaac's constant use of his wondrous cell phone.
``Voice mail, pages, e-mail, it can do it all,'' MacIsaac said. ``This thing was attached to me at all times, and I was calling the world.''
MacIsaac, the team's general manager and assistant coach, and head coach John Brophy needed all the help they could get. With more than a dozen European and North American teams folding in the spring and summer, players were looking to land jobs early, and plenty did so with other ECHL teams.
But on the Admirals' end, squabbles with the city of Norfolk over a Scope lease created uncertainty about the franchise's future and delayed development of an operating budget for this season. The clock was ticking and the Admirals were unable to make concrete offers.
But thanks to the Admirals' three ECHL titles in the last eight seasons and their reputation as a springboard to bigger and better things, MacIsaac was able to keep prospective signees on the hook and reeled in some lunkers late in the game.
Veteran returnees Chad Ackerman, Rod Taylor, Marty Clapton and Dominic Maltais were signed in midsummer. Brad Church, a former No. 1 draft pick of the Washington Capitals who starred in a brief appearance with the Admirals last season, came aboard in late August.
But it was the recent signings of forwards Rick Kowalsky and John Porco - ECHL All-Stars for Hampton Roads during the 1994-95 season - that escalated enthusiasm and expectations to their current levels.
``Fortunately, we've got guys who've played for us in the past . . . who wanted to come back,'' MacIsaac said. ``And we like guys like that, not just because they're solid players, but because they know what we expect.''
Porco, who scored 80 points in only 54 games as an Admiral, returned to European competition after one season in Hampton Roads.
``At the time, I had the chance to make money and see the world,'' said Porco, 28, who played a combined seven seasons in Italy, Germany and Scotland. ``But I had a hard time getting up for games recently, and I even thought about quitting. I knew coming back to Broph would be like a fresh start.''
With Porco on board, Kowalsky, who had been shopping around and finding little to his liking, was also sold on a return engagement.
Kowalsky is a natural leader who scored 170 points in 177 Admirals games before being called up by the AHL's Portland Pirates during the 1997-98 campaign. The 27-year-old suffered through injuries and team turmoil there last season and received no AHL or IHL offers this summer.
``I came back because of Al and Broph and because I knew there were players here I was familiar with,'' Kowalsky said. ``They send guys to the next level because other teams know if they get a guy from Hampton Roads, he's going to give 100 percent every night.''
During the first three days of training camp, Porco has centered the 6-foot-1, 221-pound Church on the left wing and the 6-1, 195-pound Kowalsky on the right as the team's first line. Porco's fluid drives to the goal, combined with the size and opportunistic touches of his wings, looks like a recipe for offensive fireworks.
``We read each other so well; John's so unselfish and he jumps into all the openings, so you know you're going to get the puck playing with him,'' Kowalsky said.
MacIsaac and Brophy are quick to push the location and passionate fans of Hampton Roads, but their trump card to prospective players has always been the chance for advancement on the hockey ladder.
``Opportunity is what we sell,'' MacIsaac said. ``They're here because they know this door opens both ways. Some of the clubs in this league, you go in and never come out. But the last few years, our players have (been promoted) everywhere. It's unfortunate for us at the time, but it builds our reputation.''
Both MacIsaac and Brophy tried to play down the early enthusiasm, however.
``There's 28 teams in this league that think they've got a good team on paper,'' MacIsaac said. ``But we won't find out until we open the gate.''
Said Brophy: ``We don't have a great team. We haven't won any games.''
ADMIRALS GET RUSSELL: A strong training camp roster got even stronger Monday when the NHL's Nashville Predators assigned wing Bobby Russell to the Admirals.
Rusell, a second-year pro who had 23 points in 44 games with Hampton Roads last season, had only six in 31 games with Milwaukee of the IHL after being recalled midway through the 1998-99 season.
CAPTION(S):
L. TODD SPENCER
Center John Porco, right, said he knew that coming back to John Brophy's team ``would be like a fresh start.''
