| No. | Name | Pos. | Height | Weight | Birthplace | ||
| 9 | Dan Lapointe | F | 6-2 | 198 | Victoria, B.C. | ||
| 42 | Nathan Oke | D | 6-1 | 202 | Fenelon Falls, Ont. | ||
| 18 | Bobby Reed | F | 6-1 | 210 | Huntsville, Ont. | ||
| 11 | Mark Versteeg-Lytwyn | F | 5-11 | 190 | Sharon, Ont. | ||
| 15 | A.J. MacLean | F | 6-0 | 185 | Antigonish, N.S. | ||
| 19 | Jonathan Ornelas | F | 5-9 | 175 | Mississauga, Ont. | ||
| 30 | Ryan Mior | G | 5-11 | 181 | St. John's, New Foundland | ||
| 7 | Michael Mullen | F | 5-11 | 175 | Pittsburgh, Pa. | ||
| 44 | Phil Youngclaus | D | 5-11 | 210 | Methuen, Mass. | ||
| 22 | John Snowden | F | 6-0 | 210 | Everett, WA. | ||
| 33 | Joe VanCulin | D | 5-10 | 180 | Monticello, MN. | ||
| 23 | Preston Briggs | D | 6-4 | 200 | Colorado Springs, Colo. | ||
| 27 | Greg Labenski | D | 6-1 | 200 | Welland, Ont. |
| |
| 37 | Derek MacIntyre | G | 6-2 | 211 | Stanwood, MI. |
| |
| 55 | Mike Vaskivuo | F | 6-0 | 195 | West Palm, Fla. |
| |
| 21 | Mike Busto | D | 6-1 | 210 | Burnady, BC. |
| |
| 8 | Bryan Nathe | D | 6-1 | 195 | Elk River, Minn. |
| |
| 14 | Travis Winter | F | 6-1 | 190 | St. Cloud, Minn. |
| |
| Milan Maslonka | F | 6-6 | 240 | Zvolen, Slovakia | |||
| 26 | Sam Bloom | F | 6-1 | 190 | Toronto, Ont. |
TROTWOOD — Dayton head coach John Marks has seen a lot of roster turnover in the buildup to the Gems’ season opener. In giving a wide range of players a shot, he’s unearthed a few surprises, particularly among his 11 forwards.
Newcomer Sam Bloom, a winger who played his college hockey at McGill University in Montreal, made an instant impression with a pair of goals against Evansville on Wednesday. He’s quickly becoming a favorite of the coach for his hard work and willingness to compete. Center Johnathon Ornelas, from Mississauga, Ontario, also scored a pair in that game and despite his small size (5-foot-9, 175 pounds) plays with energy and skill. Helsinki-born Mike Vaskivuo scored twice in the preseason and could add a boost to the offense.
Center Bobby Reed is another standout. He had a pair of assists Wednesday but is at his best when laying the body, which is exactly what he did early in the first period when he erased Evansville’s Brandon Davis behind the Icemen net. Davis slowly skated to his bench after the hit.
“He’s a horse,” Marks said of the 6-foot-1, 210-pound Reed, a Huntsville, Ontario native. “I really like the way he plays.”
Future Canadien?
A solid Gems defense got stronger Thursday with the arrival of Michael Busto, a 23-year-old from Vancouver, British Columbia, whose NHL rights are owned by the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens agreed to have Busto join the Gems and Marks likes his skill set, particularly in the offensive end of the rink.
“He’s a solid D man with a big shot,” the coach said. “He’s capable of good offensive numbers.”
In the 2006/07 season, Busto’s final year of junior with the Western Hockey League’s Kootenay Ice, he had 20 goals and 43 assists in 70 games. Busto spent the past two seasons with the Charlotte Checkers of the ECHL.
Twenty’s plenty
Despite carrying 20 players, Marks plans on dressing 19 each game (11 forwards, seven defensemen and goalies Ryan Mior and backup Derek McIntyre), meaning one will sit. Marks said he doesn’t mind sticking with a lineup that’s finding success, but he also welcomes change.
In his opinion, it’s up to the players to play their way in or out.
“They have to realize they’re competing for a jersey each night,” said Marks. “There’s nothing better than peer pressure.
“Once you get in, you could be like Lou Gehrig.”
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