Rivermen Add 3, Release 4 from Camp Roster
October 18, 2016 - 08:40 pm
Rivermen Add 3, Release 4 from Camp Roster
Forwards Ognev, Harris, Taulien join Peoria 72 hours before opener
PEORIA, IL – The Peoria Rivermen announced on Tuesday that the team has signed forwards Dmitri Ognev, Ian Harris, and Alex Taulien to professional tryout agreements while releasing goaltenders Troy Passingham and Tyler Green, along with defenseman Kyllian Kirkwood and winger Al Graves, just three days before Peoria is set to open its 2016-17 season at home against the Huntsville Havoc.
The moves come just over 24 hours before the SPHL’s mandatory 18-man roster deadline at midnight Wednesday, with Peoria’s training camp roster currently sitting at 19 players. Tuesday’s moves bring Peoria’s training camp roster to six defensemen, 10 forwards, and three goaltenders the day before head coach Jean-Guy Trudel is expected to make final cuts.
Ognev, 26, comes to the Rivermen after playing 253 games overseas, including 24 games last season between the Asian League and Belarus, tallying two goals and 12 assists. In 2014-15, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Russian netted a career-high 30 points in Asia over the course of 48 games.
Harris, 21, comes to the Rivermen after finishing his junior career last season in the Ontario Junior Hockey League with the Kingston Voyageurs, notching 13 goals and 26 assists in 51 games while racking up 61 penalty minutes. The 6-foot-1, 190-pount native of Fort Wayne, IN, comes to the Rivermen after being released from ECHL camp with the Brampton Beast.
Taulien, 24, concluded a three-year collegiate career at Division 3 Elmira College last season, where he finished with 27 career goals and 23 assists in 65 total games. The 6-foot-4, 218-pound native of Crystal Lake, IL made his pro debut in the ECHL last season, skating in one game for the Missouri Mavericks, and was with ECHL Quad City in training camp this season.
Peoria will need to release one more player before sending its final 18-man roster to the league Wednesday in advance of Friday night’s season opener against the Huntsville Havoc, scheduled for 7:05 at Carver Arena.
