The Alaska Aces have made a move on the back end, releasing defenseman Danny Markowitz and signing rookie blueliner Chris Haltigin, who last spring wrapped his four-year college career at RIT.
Markowitz joined the Aces last season when they plucked him out of the Southern Professional Hockey League.
Haltigin, an RIT captain, was in training camp this fall with Fort Wayne (very briefly) and Orlando. Last season at RIT, he racked 5-16--21 totals in 39 games. In 147 career games, the 6-foot-1, 195-pounder, who shoots left and practiced with the Aces this morning, bagged 24-50--74 totals -- strong numbers. (From the hockey-is-a-small-world file: Haltigin played junior with former UAF goaltender Scott Greenham).
In other Aces news, rookie winger Tim Hall will sit out this weekend's series with Utah -- Friday night's game is Alaska's home opener -- to rest an upper-body injury.
Also, James Reid will get the start in goal Friday, according to Aces bench boss Rob Murray.
Elsewhere in the ECHL, Greenville released former Aces defenseman Brock Shelgren, who joined Alaska from Michigan State at the tail end of last season. But Reading made a waiver claim on Shelgren, so he wasn't out of work long.
Also, in the Central Hockey League, the Missouri Mavericks have released former Aces center Jordan Foreman.
On the junior front, a couple of guys who left UAA after last season and returned to juniors, are off to strong starts. Center Eric Scheid, with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL, is tied for 10th on the circuit in points with 4-3-7 and +7 totals in four games. And Sam Mellor, who is with the Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey League and has committed to Western Michigan University for next season, is tied for fifth in the league in points with 4-12--16 totals in 13 games.
And defenseman Justin Woods, who is ticketed for UAF, has been named by USA Hockey to the Select team for the World Junior A Challenge, Nov. 5-11, in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Woods, 18, a defenseman, owns 0-2--2 and even totals in four games for the Lincoln Stars of the USHL.
