Published: April 02, 2008 09:46 am         

Stars look to future after .500 campaign

Status of Bonis, Jean, Kaunisto could hold key

TRAVERSE CITY -- Change is the name of the game in the North American Hockey League.

But after their best season in the team's three-year history, the Traverse City North Stars aren't looking to change a whole lot.

If the Stars can get three of their top players back -- Kyle Bonis, Kyle Jean and Kory Kaunisto -- they could be one of the NAHL's better teams on paper, based on their second half performance.

Bonis, who the Stars gave up a player tender for in mid-season, especially seemed to drive the offense late in the season.

"He was huge for us," North Stars coach and general manager Palumbo said. "We got him from Indiana (of the United States Hockey League) and Indiana is interested in having him back."

Jean, a 6-foot-3 forward with good wheels and puck-handling ability, has been drafted in the USHL by Des Moines and could end up there or back in TC.

Kaunisto -- who, like Jean, grew up in Sault Ste. Marie -- has a scholarship waiting at Northern Michigan University and may go there or play another season in juniors.

The Stars will have five plays age out, losing defensemen Jameson Raymond, Alex Breeden, Ben Plocar and Jonathan Sheridan and forward Matt Hughes to the league's 21-year-old age limit.

Only six of the 18 NAHL teams allowed more goals than the Stars, although TC's rate dropped dramatically in the second half when Brandon Stephenson and Chris Paliafito emerged as one of the league's top goaltender tandems and the defense solidified its play.

Paliafito, who had nearly identical statistics as Stephenson, could also leave for the USHL.

Losing four of its top blueliners due to age will leave TC with some work to do in the back half of the ice. The four were not only the backbone of the defense, but accounted for 66 points.

Tenders Mike Schenfeld and Bo Jacobs will join likely returning defensemen Tyler Stephens, Chris Heineman and Phil Wendecker.

Schenfeld is a 6-foot-2, 200-pounder while Jacobs had 10 points and 115 penalty minutes in 27 games for the Soo Indians.

Perhaps the biggest name of this year's class is Mr. Hockey Josh Miller, whose 80 points (39 goals) paced the state and helped his Trenton team to a Division 2 state title. He had a hat trick in the state semifinals.

The Stars also have Soo Indians leading scorer Daniel Radke (26 points in 29 games), Chicago AA Midget center-wing Chris Salomone (31 points in 26 contests), Schenfeld's prep teammate Danny McAuliffe and Compuware forward Ryan Amin (18 points in 29 games) coming in next season.

Teams are allowed to protect any player who played in 10 games the previous year. Then each franchise is allowed a total of 30 between protections, tenders and draft picks.

With up to 18 protections and seven tenders already in camp, the Stars will likely have five draft selections in the May 23 NAHL entry draft.

The Stars set new franchise marks in wins (23), points (58), winning percentage (.500), goals scored (176), fewest goals allowed (203 -- down 73 from last season), notched the first shutouts in team history and had several players write their names in the record books.

Urbaniak set a franchise record with 62 points, Urbaniak and Bonis each scored 25 goals to set new team marks and Paliafito became the first goaltender to finish the season with a winning record (9-6-1).

Stars reborn

A look at how the 2008-09 TC North Stars could shape up:

AGED OUT

LIKELY TO RETURN

QUESTION MARKS TO RETURN

TENDERS