by: BARRY LEWIS World Sports Writer
Friday, September 03, 2010
9/3/2010 7:17:22 AM

JENKS – Tulsa Oilers owner Jeff Lund doesn’t often wear a cap, but he made an exception on Thursday when he donned one with a Colorado Avalanche logo.

“This is big for us,” Lund said after the announcement of the Oilers’ new affiliations with the NHL’s Avalanche and American Hockey League’s Lake Erie Monsters.

For the first time since the Central Hockey League revived in 1992, the Oilers have an affiliation that will bring them players assigned from an NHL team. The number of players the Oilers will receive from the Avalanche or the Monsters will depend on several factors.

“We are not exactly sure yet about how many players; it’s still too early in the game to tell,” Oilers general manager Taylor Hall said during a press conference at the Twisted Tilt Sports Bar and Grill. “It depends on injuries all the way down the line and how many guys they sign. In the NHL, you usually have a few extra guys around, same thing in the American League, but at some point in time they always want those players playing. You are better having a player contributing at a lower level, so when you call him up, he’s ready to go.

“We are hopeful for as many as we can get. It took a long time, but it’s wonderful this has happened.”

Last season, the Oilers received goalie Trevor Cann from the Avalanche and Lake Erie. Cann, a 2007 second-round draft pick by Colorado, was 11-6-1 with the Oilers before returning to Lake Erie, which is Colorado’s top affiliate.

“We are excited to begin this new affiliation with the Tulsa Oilers,” said David Oliver, the Avalanche’s director of player development and Lake Erie general manager, in a press release. “We are confident this organization in Tulsa will provide the right environment for our players in the Central Hockey League. Their leadership group and staff have the necessary resources to support the development of our prospects.”

Cann’s assignment to the Oilers last December led to Tulsa’s affiliation with Colorado, which won the Stanley Cup in 1996 and 2001.

“We were having goaltending problems and it just got to a point that I was getting tired of it,” Oilers coach Bruce Ramsay said. “I got on the bus after a tough loss and I got an e-mail on my phone from Lake Erie asking if anybody in the Central Hockey League was interested in a goaltender. I looked at (Oilers equipment manager) Steve Enlow and said, ‘What do you think of this?’ Steve said to me, ‘You know what, Bruce? I think it’s a no-brainer. You never know what can happen out of this, but I just have a feeling something good for the future might arise if you bring that goalie in.’?”

In February, Avalanche vice president of hockey operations and assistant GM Craig Billington, a former longtime NHL goalie, visited Tulsa to look at Cann.

“After meeting with our medical trainer, our equipment manager, our coach and seeing where we play (BOK Center), he said he was so impressed with our organization,” Lund said. “We talked that night that (an affiliation) would be something we would be interested in.”

Only one other CHL team currently has an NHL affiliation – the Odessa Jackalopes with the New York Islanders.

In 2001-02, the Oilers had an affiliation with the NHL’s New York Rangers. That relationship, however, did not result in the Rangers sending any players directly to the Oilers during the regular season.

“That arrangement with the Rangers was more of a verbal commitment,” Lund said. “We were anticipating for it to be more formalized, but as time went on that really never took place. This is entirely different. Back then, when we had the working relationship with the Rangers, they had two or three other Double-A teams. We are the only Double-A team in the Avalanche organization.”

The Oilers replace the Charlotte Checkers as the Avalanche’s Double-A affiliate. Charlotte dropped out of the East Coast Hockey League after last season.

Oilers defenseman Derek Eastman likes the affiliation with the Avalanche.

“It’s always a good recruiting tool for a coach,” Eastman said. “He can say, ‘If you come here, we can get you a tryout or something with the Avalanche.”

Tulsa’s pro hockey history is filled with NHL affiliations. The first was with the Chicago Blackhawks, who sent the Oilers three players in 1932-33.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have spent the most time as the Oilers’ parent team, with two stints in Tulsa – 1945-47 and 1964-73.

Tulsa opens the 2010-11 season against the Wichita Thunder at the BOK Center on Oct. 15.

TULSA OILERS’ MAJOR AFFILIATIONS SINCE 1964

Present: Colorado Avalanche (NHL)

2001-02: New York Rangers (NHL)

1982-84: New York Rangers (NHL)

1979-82: Winnipeg Jets (NHL)

1975-79: Vancouver Canucks and Atlanta Flames (NHL)

1974-75: Phoenix Roadrunners and Vancouver Blazers (WHA)

1964-73: Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL)

- BARRY LEWIS, World Sports Writer

It has nothing to do with fancy movie technology but Tulsa Oilers coach Bruce Ramsay is happy to be seeing in 3-D these days.
The Oilers have signed defensemen Derek Eastman, R.J. Linder and Sean Erickson for the 2010-11 Central Hockey League season. All three played for the Oilers last season.
‘This is a great nucleus for our blueline,” coach Bruce Ramsay said. “All three of these guys bring something special to the table.”
Eastman, 5-foot-10, 190 pounds will be the Oilers player assistant coach this coming season. In his first year in the CHL he was one of only two defenseman named to the league’s postseason all-CHL team. He led the league with six shorthanded assists and tied for fourth among defensemen in scoring with nine goals and 36 assists for 45 points in 63 games.
“Derek was a key player for us in all situations,” Ramsay said. “He obviously made an impression on the rest of the league to be voted onto the all league team.”
Linder saw his second cut short after 11 games with a knee injury. But at the time of his injury, he had four assists and led the Oilers at +11. The 6-foot-2, 195 pounder will be playing in his third season with the Oilers, but hard luck injuries have limited him to just 22 games over the previous two seasons.
“R.J. is the kind of player every coach would want on their team,” Ramsay said. “He’s had some tough luck with injuries and it was a blow when we lost him. Having him healthy for a full season will make a big difference for us.”
Erickson earned a spot on the CHL’s post season all-rookie team. At 6-foot, 175 pounds, he had five goals and 13 assists for 18 points, 15th among league rookies.
“Sean really developed as a solid all around player and became a good offensive threat for us as the season went along,” Ramsay said.
The Oilers had the second highest point total increase in the CHL this season under head coach Bruce Ramsay, who was in his first season with the Oilers. They will have 32 home games at the BOK Center in the 2010-11 season.
Season tickets for 2010-11 with plans for as low as $26 a month are now available by calling the Oilers office at 918-632-PUCK (7825).

Although some material matters still remain to be worked out with the International Hockey League (IHL), the CHL will welcome four teams from the IHL who will join 13 returning CHL teams for the 2010-11 season. The participating teams will compete in two conferences during the season. The four existing IHL markets will be the three-time defending Turner Cup Champion Fort Wayne Komets, the Bloomington PrairieThunder, the Dayton Gems and the Quad City Mallards.

“The CHL and IHL are working on all the logistics of this groundbreaking association between our two great leagues,” said Michael Franke, IHL Chairman of the Board. “Everything is moving along well and we are very excited about the end result that could be formally announced soon. It has been a complete pleasure working with the entire Central Hockey League.”

The 2009-10 season saw close to two million CHL fans walk through the turnstiles during the regular season and playoffs culminating with the Rapid City Rush winning the CHL’s Ray Miron Presidents’ Cup in just their second season as a franchise.

The returning CHL teams for the 2010-11 season are the Allen Americans, Arizona Sundogs, Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, Colorado Eagles, Laredo Bucks, Mississippi RiverKings, Missouri Mavericks, Odessa Jackalopes, Rapid City Rush, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, Texas Brahmas, Tulsa Oilers and Wichita Thunder.

“The compilation of teams for the CHL’s 19th season couldn’t be better and we couldn’t have more momentum heading into the season,” said Duane Lewis, CHL Commissioner. “The new additions from the IHL will be welcomed with open arms and could make this upcoming season one of the most entertaining and competitive in our history. We can’t wait to drop the puck in October.”

Announcements regarding playoff format, conference alignment, additional cities for the 2010-11 season and other team related issues will be made in the very near future and the 2010-11 CHL regular season schedule is slated to be released in July.

Certain statements in this release may be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may include projections of matters that affect revenue, operating expenses or net earnings; projections of capital expenditures; projections of growth; hiring plans; plans for future operations; financing needs or plans; plans relating to the company’s products and services; and assumptions relating to the foregoing.

Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. Future events and actual results could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking information.

Some of the important factors that could cause the Global Entertainment Corporation’s actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements made by the company include, but are not limited to, the following: intense competition within the sports and entertainment industries, past and future acquisitions, expanding operations into new markets, risk of business interruption, management of rapid growth, need for additional financing, changing consumer demands, dependence on key personnel, sales and income tax uncertainty and increasing marketing, management, occupancy and other administrative costs.

These factors are discussed in greater detail in Global Entertainment Corporation’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended May 31, 2009 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB for the quarter ended February 29, 2010, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers are tied in the best of seven series at two wins.

The Oilers are hosting watch parties for all games of the Stanley Cup final at the River Spirit Casino. All games start at 7 p.m. with game six on Wednesday night.
The Oilers had the second highest point total increase in the CHL this season under head coach Bruce Ramsay, who was in his first season with the Oilers. They will have 32 home games at the BOK Center in the 2010-11 season.
Season tickets for 2010-11 with plans for as low as $26 a month are now available by calling the Oilers office at 918-632-PUCK (7825).

Stanley Cup Watch Parties Start Saturday

The Chicago Blackhawks have earned their first trip to the Stanley Cup final since 1992, with a 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks to complete a four game sweep in the Western Conference final. Chicago, which last won the Stanley Cup in 1961, will be trying to end the NHL’s longest Stanley Cup drought.

Chicago awaits the winner of the Eastern Conference final series between the Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadiens. Philadelphia leads that best of seven series three games to one. The Eastern Conference final will end on Monday May 24, or Wednesday May 26 if Philadelphia wins either of those nights. If Montreal stretches the series to a seventh game, that will be played on Friday May 28.

The NHL has not yet released dates for the best of seven Stanley Cup final but the Oilers will be hosting watch parties for all games at the River Spirit Casino. This is the fifth straight year the Oilers have hosted watch parties. Fans are invited to watch the games with Oilers players, and staff members. Along with watching the Stanley Cup final, fans can win prizes from the Oilers and River Spirit.  

The Oilers had the second highest point total increase in the CHL this season under head coach Bruce Ramsay, who was in his first season with the Oilers. They will have 32 home games at the BOK Center in the 2010-11 season.

Season tickets for 2010-11 with plans for as low as $26 a month are now available by calling the Oilers office at 918-632-PUCK (7825).