Chirps from Center Ice

In news that shocked most, including yours truly, it was announced today that long time voice of the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins Tom Grace is moving up to the NHL to take a position with the Florida Panthers as their Manager of Team Services within the next two weeks.

Grace had his many detractors in the AHL, but for as many there were against him it seemed that there were double for him. Say what you want about him, I don’t think I have ever come across someone who loved the Penguins more than he did. I wish him the best in Sunrise, Florida.

There’s been a few other things rolling around the tumbler that is summertime hockey blogging. I’ve done my best to corral them for you and now present them for your reading enjoyment:

— Mike O’Brien had a podcast with newly minted WBS goalie Peter Mannino last week. I listened. Mannino sounds like an intriguing fellow and excited to be coming here.

— Our ECHL affiliate. the Wheeling Nailers, had a lot of news. First, they extended head coach Clark Donatelli for another year. Second, they announced their first signing. He’s Chaz Johnson. Johnson was with Elmira of the ECHL last season. He will be in Wilkes-Barre in the Fall, per his Twitter. Finally, the Nailers signed Barry Goers, a big offensive defenseman late of the Las Vegas Wranglers of the same league.

— The Nailers also announced a preseason schedule of their own on Tuesday.

— Tampa Bay signed goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis to a contract. With an overflow of bodies in the crease in Syracuse, Gudlevskis looks tabbed for Florida of the ECHL this Fall.

— The Hershey Bears add depth, signing G Riley Gill and F Tyler Ruegsegger to deals on Tuesday.

— Cody Wild has found work in a much warmer climate, inking a deal with the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL Monday. I have already updated the 2013 Offseason Moves List.

— Ian Altenbaugh from HockeysFuture.com has a Penguins prospects ratings page that he published recently. Have a look.

That’s all for now.