November 2, 2004
Gardiner will be coach, GM of North Stars
Ex-Enforcers coach ready
to get to work
By
Record-Eagle staff writer
TRAVERSE CITY - The coach of the new Junior A hockey team is the same as the old one.
Scott Gardiner, who coached the Traverse City Enforcers of the now-defunct Continental Elite Hockey League (CEHL) the last two seasons, will just have a few more titles with the Traverse City North Stars.
Gardiner will be the coach and general manager of the new Junior A team in Traverse City. The North Stars will begin play in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) in September of 2005.
So Gardiner isn't going anywhere.
"We weren't going to do that anyway," Gardiner said. "I'm coaching my son's team. Our kids love it here.
"It is just a blessing that they came here and gave us this opportunity."
The age of the NAHL players range from 17 to 20 years old. The CEHL allowed teams to carry 21 year olds.
Aside from the similarities between the ages of the players, Gardiner said the new NAHL team will be much different from the CEHL squad on the ice.
"We were at the bottom of the food chain," Gardiner said. "(Players) would look at the (United States Hockey League), the NAHL and then they'd come to us."
Another expected difference between the two junior leagues is less fighting during games.
"You don't see much fighting at all," Gardiner said. "Once in a while, which is fine. But it shouldn't be part of a strategy to win a game."
In his opening comments at the press conference, Gardiner talked about being able to connect the Junior A team with area youth hockey.
When he was coach of the Enforcers, Gardiner said the Grand Traverse Hockey Association wanted little, if any, to do with the CEHL. Part of that may have been because of a propsensity of fighting on the ice.
"We've got to do this for our kids," Gardinder said. "I have two little ones myself."
Michael Santos, commissioner of the NAHL, said the league won't allow games to turn into boxing matches on skates.
"We won't tolerate that," Santos said. "We put a lot of responsibility on our coaches and we hold their feet to the fire."
Job one for Gardiner, who will also have an ownership stake in the North Stars, is to start finding players.
A scouting list is already put together. The team can start offering 10 tenders to players in the middle of this month.
These tender offers prevent another NAHL team from acquiring these players. After a tender is signed, the player cannot go to another junior or minor professional team without the North Stars receiving compensation.
There's an NAHL draft in May, but each team only makes five selections.
But Gardiner said the team will have no problem filling out his North Stars' roster.
"I don't think we'll have a problem attracting players," he said.
Gardiner also said he'll be looking to local talent, both in the high school ranks and from former Enforcers.
"I have 17 players that would have been eligible to play this season and next season," Gardiner said. "I want some of them back."
Being a part of a more-established league, one that began in 1975 will also help. Plus the NAHL is certified by USA Hockey.
During the press conference, Santos talked about the league's focus on sending players on to the collegiate ranks. He said there are some 200 NAHL players who have earned collegiate scholarships.
"Our goal is to develop young men and to prepare them for the opportunity to earn college scholarships and perhaps, some day, professional hockey," Santos said.
"Having that USA Hockey endorsement doesn't hurt us, but I think we do a good job on our own of attracting college scholarships."
The NAHL held a four-day showcase event in Blaine, Minn. that attracted college scouts.
"It's a total difference in credibility," Gardiner said. "I went to the showcase in Baline and there were college scouts everywhere.
"I could not get people to return my calls to come look at my players."
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