 A new home can do wonders for a family, and if that’s a sign of things to come, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins are set to have a successful, action-packed season. Since major renovations have been made to the community building’s original structure, the former Ice-A-Rama skating rink–– owned by the city of Wilkes-Barre–– is the new home for the WBS Penguins organization. For the first time in 12 years, the entire organization is under one roof. Now, nothing can stop this close-knit family.
With all the buzz and excitement surrounding this state-of-the art facility, there’s even more talk about the upcoming season. As most hockey fans know, one of the primary goals of the American Hockey League (AHL) is to develop its players for the National Hockey League (NHL). Over the years, we’ve seen many examples of the AHL’s dedication to the development of its players. Maxime Talbot and Marc-Andre Fleury are good examples of players who’ve honed their skills with the WBS Penguins before settling in nicely with the Pittsburgh Penguins. In addition to developing talent, fans will be pleased to learn that Pittsburgh made a great effort to stock the team with several high-quality veteran AHL players for the 2010-11 season.
This year, the Penguins have signed several outstanding AHL veterans, including Brett Sterling, Andrew Hutchinson, and Ryan Craig. By signing these players, Vice President of Operations Brian Coe explained that it will give the Penguins a chance to compete with teams like the Hershey Bears, who have been a very good team for the past five years.
Sterling is expected to battle for a spot with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but if he doesn’t make it at this time, the WBS Penguins will be more than happy to have him on its roster. Having played the majority of his career with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, Sterling also played in 19 NHL games with the Atlanta Thrashers. He scored 55 goals in his first season with the Wolves (2006-07), which earned him top AHL rookie honors for that season.
Hutchinson comes from the AHL’s Texas Stars, which made it to the 2010 Calder Cup finals. He has 135 NHL games to his credit with the Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, and Nashville Predators. Ryan Craig is another outstanding player who was the leading scorer for the AHL’s Norfolk Admirals in 2009-10. As a result, he was named the winner of the 2009-10 Norfolk Admirals Player of the Year award. Craig has 184 NHL games to his credit.
The WBS Penguins also have a good group of young players who will be back for the upcoming season. Dustin Jeffrey, last year’s leading scorer, and Mark Letestu, who had a breakout season for the Penguins last season, are sure to bring even more team spirit and motivation to the ice. John Curry and Brad Thiessen make for a great goalie tandem as well.
Pittsburgh doesn’t have a lot of new spots open because of the talent it already has with players such as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but there are several players who are ready to make their mark in the NHL. Letestu played his first NHL game last season in Pittsburgh and certainly can be considered. Nick Johnson has some NHL experience and also has a good shot. Ben Lovejoy is another contender who can battle for a spot with Pittsburgh. Lovejoy has matured as a player, and he’s definitely ready for the NHL. If we see him on the ice in Wilkes-Barre, we’ll be pretty lucky this year.
Coe believes that this year’s team is going to be one of the most competitive teams the WBS Penguins have had since it made its way to the Calder Cup finals in 2008. It’s a team that can reach that level of success again. The team will also face the normal challenges during the season as players are often called to Pittsburgh when needed, but Pittsburgh has done a great job in giving the WBS Penguins good prospects from the Wheeling Nailers, the AA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Overall, there’s an aura of optimism about the new season, and when the organization is feeling it, the fans will feel it, too.
Now that the Coal Street Complex is up and running, all who have seen it so far know how important it is to the future development of the team and the community. From the team’s perspective, the complex is a great recruiting tool to attract top talent. According to Coe, it’s one of the top facilities, if not the top practice facility in the AHL. This facility will certainly appeal to the guys in the league and show them that they’re going to be taken care of in a first-class manner. Having been with the WBS Penguins organization for six years now, Coe noted that this is the third building he’s worked in. Obviously, there’s been a lot of moving around. Knowing that the organization will be in one building is comforting, and it’s brought a new level of life to the organization. For the community, it’s just the beginning.
Jason Jarecki, general manager of the ice rink, is in charge of the day-to-day operations and he likes to think that there’s something for everyone at the Coal Street Complex. The programming is still being developed, but there’s already a wide variety of activities. Youth ice hockey plays a major role in the activities. The rink has a great partnership with the Wilkes-Barre Junior Penguins, and there are currently 12 teams with up to 200 members participating in the program.
For those interested in figure skating, the Diamond City Figure Skating Club offers a variety of programs and private lessons that are available to skaters of all levels and ages. The club was formed last year and will continue to draw new people to the ice rink. If you’re looking for a unique approach to staying fit, give Icersize® Fitness a try. Created by figure skating coach Valerie Palencar, Icersize® is an innovative program that helps people to get in shape, lose weight, and improve the quality of their lives. Another group that shares ice at the Coal Street Complex is the Anthracite Curling Club. Skating lessons, birthday parties, private rentals, group rentals, and public skating sessions are also available at the ice rink.
A new perk that the ice rink will offer is the ability for fans to watch the Penguins during their practice sessions. With the exception of game day, all practice sessions will be open to the public. Fans can enjoy a cup of hot chocolate in the lobby while watching the team practice, or they can watch from the nearby stands.
Anyone who’s had the pleasure of skating at the Ice-A-Rama will be pleasantly surprised by all the renovations made to the rink, lobby, snack bar, and lounge areas. The interior boasts a warm atmosphere, with plenty of seating areas and lockers in which to store your items while you skate.
We’re excited about the new ice rink, and we encourage you to take advantage of all the different amenities that the Coal Street Complex has to offer. We also look forward to seeing you at this year’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins games. Let’s go Pens!
The Coal Street Complex is located at 38-40 Coal Street, Wilkes-Barre. To learn more about the WBS Penguins or to purchase tickets, call (570) 208-7367 or visit www.wbspens.com. For information about the new skating rink, call (570) 208-9471 or visit www.coalstreeticerink.com.
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