Eight return from AHL Camps, Five released

Today, the Cyclones announced that eight of thier players have returned from AHL camps and have released, Jon Higgins, Anthony Iqatino, Ryan Hitchcock, Eric Slias and Ted Nischan from their try-out offers. The Clones' recieved back from the Rochester Americans camp forwards, Matt Pierce and Ryan Del Monte and also recieved back Defenseman, Brian O'Hanley. The Milwaukee Admirals have sent back forward Dylan Hunter, Defenseman J.C. Sawyer and Goaltender, Jeremy Smith. Forward, Chris Morehouse returns from the Peoria Rivermen camp and Defenseman, Brock Sheahan returns from his skate at camp with the Manitoba Moose.

Del Monte, a native of Mississauga, Ontario, joined the 2009-10 Cyclones in mid-November after being traded from Johnstown in exchange for Bryan Marshall.  In 46 games with the Kelly Cup Champs, Del Monte amassed 27 points (9 goals, 18 assists) and 42 penalty-minutes (PIM).  In the postseason, the third-year pro continued to rack up time in the “sin-bin,” getting whistled for 41 PIM in just 21 games. 

Pierce, an Arnprior, Ontario native, returns for his second full season with the Cyclones after notching 50 points (28 goals, 22 assists) in 60 games last year.  He experienced especially good success in January, netting nine goals during that month – which ranked fifth best in the ECHL.  The 25-year-old was one of two Cyclones players named to the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game (Jeremy Smith was the other).  During the contest, Pierce had a team-high three assists for the American Conference which went on to win 10-9 in a shootout.
O’Hanley, a third-year blue-liner, will begin his second full season with the Cyclones.  Last year, he appeared in 70 regular-season games netting 7 goals and 21 assists.

Hunter, a ninth-round Buffalo Sabres 2004 draft choice, comes to Cincinnati after spending most of the 2009-10 campaign playing with the Utah Grizzlies.  While out west, he finished fourth on the team with 53 points (18 goals, 35 assists) in 43 contests.  The six-foot, 210-pound forward also logged 19 games with two different AHL teams last season – 10 with the Rochester Americans and nine with the Milwaukee Admirals.  Ironically, both are Cyclones affiliates this season.  In total, he has played in 202 career AHL games, notching 95 points (33 goals, 62 assists) and 139 penalty minutes.

Sawyer, a Saint John, New Brunswick native, had a career year with Toledo in 2009-10 by pacing all ECHL defenseman in goals (21), points (59), and game-winnings goals (7).  His 38 assists ranked him second among league blue-liners, while he finished tied for fourth with 18 power-play assists and fifth with 24 power-play points.  A 2004 fifth-round draft pick of the Minnesota Wild, Sawyer was chosen as a starter for the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game and served as captain for the American Conference.

Smith is back between the pipes with the Cyclones after an award-winning rookie season in 2009-10.  The Dearborn, Michigan native posted a 23-15-0-2 record during the regular season with two shutouts, earning him a spot in the ECHL All-Star Game.  In the postseason, Smith went 9-7-1 with a 2.67 GAA, a 90.7 save percentage, and one shutout.  Upon the completion of the Kelly Cup Finals, Smith was awarded Co-Playoff MVP accolades.

Morehouse will skate in his first full season with the Cyclones after being acquired on December 1, 2009 in a trade with Alaska.  In 36 games with Cincinnati in 2009-10, Morehouse racked up 102 penalty-minutes.  Last season, in games that Morehouse was involved in a fight, the Cyclones posted an 11-2-0 record.

Sheahan enters his third year as a professional, his second with the Cyclones.  Last season, the five-foot-eleven defenseman was a mainstay on the Cincinnati blue-line, skating in 71 of 72 regular season games and all 24 postseason tilts.