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Press Release
KONSTANTIN
SHAFRANOV ADDED TO KOMET ROSTER Fort Wayne, IN --- The Komets announced Tuesday that veteran winger Konstantin Shafranov will be returning to the Fort Wayne fold for his 4th career stint. Shafranov first skated a Komet line during the 1995-96 IHL season posting a team and career high 46 goals and adding 28 assists for 74 points in 74 games earning the IHL's Rookie of the Year award. The Kazakhstan native also represented the Komets as a member of the IHL Eastern Conference All-Stars in 1996.
Shafranov has appeared with Team Kazakhstan in World Championship competition in 1993, 1994, 1998, 2001 and 2006. He also skated with Team Kazakhstan in the 1998 and 2006 Olympics. Shafranov, 38, will be returning to North American hockey after skating 301 Russian Elite league games the last 7 seasons posting a total of 114 goals, 172 assists and 286 points. Shafranov's last game with the Komets was Friday, May 5, 2000, at Quad City. Shafranov scored the Komet's first goal of the game, a power play tally, in an eventual 6-2 loss and Fort Wayne's elimination from their UHL playoff debut in 3rd round action. The Komets also announced the addition of 3 more rookies to the preseason roster. Defensemen Jamie Dowhayko and Randy Upshall and forward Evgeny Saidachev have inked agreements. Dowhayko, 24, skated juniors with Lincoln (USHL) and Selkirk (MJHL). He also appeared the last 3 seasons with the University of Manitoba CIS. Dowhayko was an MJHL First Team All-Star for 2002-03 with Selkirk. Upshall, 24, began junior play skating 4 seasons at Halifax, QMJHL from 2000-2004. The rookie defenseman also appeared in 2 seasons with St. Mary's University CIS from 2004-2006. Saidachev, 22, will be starting his rookie season after appearing the last 4 seasons with Middlebury College in Vermont. The skater enjoyed 4 straight NCAA III Championships with the Panthers accumulating 31 goals, 54 assists and 85 points in 111 games. Saidachev, while born in Russia, was raised in Gig Harbor, Washington. The addition of Shafranov, Dowhayko, Upshall and Saidachev brings the Komet's preseason roster to 19 players including 12 forwards, 5 defensemen and 2 goaltenders. Shafranov, Saidachev, Upshall, Dowhayko career stats The Komet's 2007-08 IHL campaign
begins at home Saturday, Oct. 20 against the Port Huron IceHawks at 7:30pm. The
Komets will host 2 pre-season tilts including Wednesday, Oct. 10 against the
Bloomington PrairieThunder at 7:30pm and Saturday, Oct. 13 against the Kalamazoo
Wings at 7:30pm. Season tickets for the Komet's 56th season in Fort Wayne are on sale at the Komet office at 1010 Memorial Way in Fort Wayne. Fans can also call the Komet office for information at (260) 483-0011, make inquiries via email at komets@komets.com or visit the Komet's website at www.komets.com.
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800 x 600Copyright © 2007 Fort Wayne Komet Hockey Club, All Rights Reserved |
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Following
his first pro season in America, Shafranov was selected by St. Louis in the 9th
round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft and appeared in 5 games with the Blues (2g,
3pts) while finishing out 1996-97 in Worcestor of the AHL (62gp, 23g, 25a,
48pts). Shafranov returned to the Komets for 1997-98 and registered a career
high 52 assists and 80 points before returning to Russian elite league play for
1998-99. He re-visited Fort Wayne for 2 playoff games in 1999 and skated 20
games with Fort Wayne during 1999-00 scoring 15 goals and 30 points. Shafranov
has appeared in a total of 161 IHL and UHL Komet games scoring 89 goals, 95
assists and 184 points.