FHL: Danville Dashers Make First Signings for 2012-13

The Danville Dashers made their first roster moves for the upcoming season on Friday, signing forwards Ryan Stern, Ray Tremblay, Paul Weisser and Andrew Owsiak to professional try-out (PTO) agreements.

Stern and Tremblay are two of the longest-tenured Danville players—logging 69 games between them in the Dashers' inaugural season—on a team that dealt with a great deal of roster turnover, which saw at least fifty-five different skaters put on the Dasher black and gold. The duo also ranked second and third in team scoring respectively, combining for 62 points. 

Stern, 25, came to the Dashers last season after three games with Brooklyn and immediately chipped in offensively with 10 goals and 34 assists. A four-year veteran at the Single-A level, Stern has also played in the EPHL (Danbury) and AAHL (Chi-Town, Wooster, Troy) totaling 90 points (25 goals, 65 assists) with 42 PIM in 85 career games.

The playmaking center also earned his first Double-A callup to Cincinnati (ECHL) in December, going scoreless in four games with the Cyclones.

Tremblay, 26, will begin his second professional season after three years at SUNY Brockport. The British Columbia native was second on the Dashers with 15 goals to complement 13 assists in a team-high 41 games played.

The 5'10" winger wasn't as much of a goal scorer in college, totaling 15 goals and 35 assists in his three seasons as a Golden Eagle, but he certainly found a scoring touch in Danville and will be a key part of Rob Schweyer's offense in 2012-13.

Weisser, 25, suited up for just two games in Danville at the end of 2011-12, following a whirlwind season that saw the rookie out of Suffolk University bounce around the Federal League at an unprecedented rate.

After attending camp with the Danbury Whalers, Weisser signed a one-game tryout with Brooklyn, but was waived after that game. The Delaware Federals, a traveling road team, picked up Weisser, but soon after traded him back to Brooklyn where he'd log six more games before being waived again. After a one-game stint with 1000 Islands, Weisser was dealt back to Delaware who would trade him themselves two days later to Cape Cod.

After a month as a Bluefin, he was dealt to Danville for Justin Barr just before the playoffs and would play the final two games of the regular season as a Dasher. Through it all, Weisser totaled 22 games, had five assists and 16 PIM, and the Massachusetts native will definitely be looking to earn a more secure roster spot this season.

Owsiak, 25, comes to Danville via the Brooklyn Aviators' dispersal draft, and should step right in as a go-to guy offensively this season. In 44 games last season, Owsiak totaled 45 points (19 goals, 26 assists) with 10 PIM.

His play earned him his first Double-A callup to Toledo (ECHL) where he was scoreless in three games. The Moose Jaw, SK native spent four years at Dartmouth College and totaled 42 points in 107 games with the Big Green.

These first four signings provide a solid starting point for Schweyer's offense in his first season behind the bench.

Additionally, the Dashers currently hold the FHL rights to forwards Kevin McCready, David Lun, Justin Levac, Ryan Pearson, Lee McClure, James Brooks and Darick St. Marie, defensemen Michael Jordan, Chris Clark and Chad Bazin, as well as goaltender Josselin St. Pierre. None have officially signed deals yet with the team.

The Danville Dashers kick off their 2012-13 season on the road against the expansion Dayton Devils on Saturday, October 27 at Hara Arena.