Athletes Fuel Cup To Showcase Areas Top Hockey Players
Jamie Schaafsma (left) and Seth Griffith (right) captain their respective teams for the second year at the Athlete Fuel Cup in Chatham – Contributed Photo
The best-of-six series between Team Schaafsma and Team Griffith will feature many of the areas top players, including many players with professional and OHL experience.
“The reason I started this event last year was to get my players on the ice close to training camps, in hopes to simulate as much of a close to game-pace as they are used to playing in their respective leagues,” said Colin Roeszler, owner and trainer at Athletes Fuel.
The games, which take place at 7:30pm at Thames Campus and are free to the public, will run July 31, and August 3, 7, 10, 15, and 17.
Team Schaafsma will feature Jamie Schaafsma himself, who will also captain the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets, along with Wes Cunningham, who spent last season with the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers, OHLers Trent Fox and Nolan Gardiner, and OJHL star Ross Krieger.
Team Griffith, captained by Wallaceburg’s Seth Griffith, who recently signed with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, also features NHL star TJ Brodie of the Calgary Flames, and OHL players James McEwan, Joseph Raaymakers, Grayson Ladd, and Brady Pataki.
According to Roeszler, the event, which features 30 minutes of skills and drills directed by his brother Tyler Roeszler, who was hired this summer as the Player Development and Skills coach for the Windsor Spitfires, followed by a 45 minute game, allows local midget, Junior, college, and pro players compete on the same ice surface and learn from each other.
“It’s also the only opportunity that kids get to see guys like Seth (Griffith) and TJ (Brodie) all play at once and compete against others in town,” he added of the two NHL players involved in the game. “The Athletes Fuel Cup format just makes the games a little more fun and meaningful for the players.”