The Eels Coaches return back to Fort Myers after spending two weekends in Massachusetts with 4 teams and 75 different players showcasing their skills and talents to the Eel’ coaches in two of the most prestigious showcases in North America. GM Frank Scarpaci had put together over 70 different players to partake in the Pro Am New England NHL Pre Draft Showcase in Walpole Ma and the EJHL Showcase in Marlboro Ma. The players were scouted and recruited from recruiting ventures that GM Frank Scarpaci and his scouting staff recruited at in Chicago Il, Madison WI, Detroit MI, Indianapolis IN, Buffalo NY, and Denver CO.

 

The key to attending these showcases was to bring in dozens of new players and see how they compete against some of the top players in North America. Coaches Jason Bloomingburg, Frankie Scarpaci and Massachusetts based special assistant Mike Hayes, were very pleased with this first round of recruits. Indeed, GM Frank Scarpaci has started the Eels’ first series of contract signings.

 

This week, Coach Bloomingburg is off to the Texas Tornado Tryout camps where he will be working to bring players to the Eels Tryouts June 8-9 2013 in Fort Myers. Coach Bloomingburg also has on his travel itinerary to work the Elite Edge Camp in Nashville TN and then again the Texas Tornado’s Main Camp, and then Joining Coach Frankie Scarpaci Coach Mike Hayes and GM Scarpaci in Boston for the Summer series of Showcases.

 

In that end, the Eels will be fielding a prospect’s team at the Pro Am Jr. Chowder Cup for 1997 and 1998’s as well as a team in the Sr. Chowder Cup July 18^th and two more teams at the EJHL Summer Showcase July 19^th.The Eels expect to see another 80 + players who want to play for the Eels and competing for this year’s roster spots.

 

The Eels coaching staff strongly believes that the showcases are a better barometer for judging and evaluating players talents and skills. You can judge their compete level much better than at a tryout. Moreover the engagement in games against top players gives us a first hands look at strengths and weaknesses. The wins and losses in these games are secondary. Far more important is to see if a player has the determination to win one on one battles; too see if he will backcheck as hard as he forechecks; to see if he can score and make plays etc. These are the intangibles and that is what we are looking for. Moreover, by spending the weekend with the players we can also see what his character is like and that is paramount in signing a player to an Eel’s contract.

 

GM Scarpaci is very excited at what he has seen so far and who is signing on with us. He honestly believes his team this year will be much more talented than last year. The key here is to add depth to the teams. Last year our top lines were amongst the best in the entire league. But we need to be much deeper to be the best and win it all. The top two lines is a given. The key here is to find key players to make us have a solid 4 lines. What I am most impressed is that the guys we are adding are all so close. This will also instill the competitive  attitude between the players. I expect the guys to be competing hard at practice to earn spots on lines and between the two teams. There will be no such more allowed in the locker room as complacency or entitlement. Each guy is going to be competing every day at practice; each shift; each period. And each game. That is what true Americans do. Apple Computer for example is never satisfied. They are constantly improving their product and forever challenging their competition, It is all about training and attitude. Our goal this year is to make Nationals and win it all.