The Alaska Aces signed a pair of hockey players Monday who will be trying to make an impression -- maybe even a lineup -- someplace other than Anchorage this week as minor-league training camps open across the country.
The ECHL champion Aces begin training Friday, but the two players they signed Monday -- rookie goaltender Andrew Hayes and returning forward Matt Ambroz -- are in camp today with American Hockey League teams.
Hayes, a 21-year-old who joins the Aces after four seasons of major junior hockey, is one of four Aces who are in training camp with the Peoria Rivermen, Alaska's AHL affiliate.
Forwards Ethan Cox, Chris Langkow and Chris Bruton are also skating with Peoria, which opened camp Monday.
Ambroz, who appeared in one playoff game last season, will begin training today with the Syracuse Crunch.
Scoring an invitation to an AHL camp can help an ECHL player in his pursuit of playing hockey at a higher level.
"They're up there vying for a spot on the roster or trying to make a name for themselves and get some notice," said Josh Bogorad, the Aces' director of media relations.
The signings of Hayes and Ambroz bring to 20 the number of players on contract with the Aces. Of those, 17 were here last season, including Cox and Langkow, who both got call-ups to Peoria during the season.
Though five of the 20 contracted players will be in AHL camps when the Aces open camp Friday, first-year coach Rob Murray will have more than 15 players on the ice. Bogorad said the team is likely to announce at least one more signing before Friday. Additionally, players who aren't on contract but hope to win a roster spot or make an impression will also be in camp.
Unless this week brings the signing of another goaltender, the Aces will open camp with just one contracted goalie -- veteran Gerald Coleman.
Hayes, Coleman's presumed backup, joins the Aces from the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He played 42 games with the Screaming Eagles last season and spent the three previous seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League.
In 153 games, he has an 80-50-12 record, a 2.99 goals-against average and an .869 save percentage. He's 6-foot-1 and weighs 215.
Ambroz, 24, came to Alaska after wrapping up a four-year college career at Nebraska-Omaha, where he enjoyed a 17-goal, 17-assist senior year (34 points in 39 games).
He joined the Aces for the postseason and played in one game -- the series-clinching Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. He's 6-4, 210.
The Aces return to action with Oct. 4-5 preseason games at Sullivan Arena against the Colorado Eagles. They open the regular season Oct. 14 at Sullivan against the Las Vegas Wranglers.
By BETH BRAGG
Anchorage Daily News