Fort Wayne, IN — The defending 2008 IHL Turner Cup champion Fort Wayne Komets announced Monday that they have added four rookies to the 2008-09 preseason roster.

Fort Wayne area native Brandon Warner has agreed to terms for a second season with the Komets and will carry his rookie status over to the 2008-09 campaign. Warner, 25, skated his first pro season last year scoring six goals and 13 assists for 19 points in 59 games. Warner appeared in all 13 playoff games enroute to the IHL Turner Cup championship. The defenseman is a native of Huntertown, Indiana, and graduated from Carroll High School. Warner attended Michigan State where he appeared in NCAA play with the Spartans for four seasons becoming only the second Indiana native to have joined the Michigan State Spartan program.

The Komets also signed the leading tandem of last year's Quebec QJAHL team. Jean-Philippe Roy-Vallieres and Samuel Bergeron combined for a total of 106 goals and 130 points for the AssurExperts.

Roy-Vallieres (roy val-ee-AIR-uh), 20, completed four seasons in the Quebec juniors last year leading Quebec of the QJAHL with 54 goals and 118 points.

Bergeron, 21, completed two seasons of Quebec junior hockey last season scoring 52 goals and 112 points with Quebec.

Rookie center Maxime Gravelle, 21, was also added to the Komet's preseason roster. Gravelle is an Ottawa native and skated the last two seasons in the Quebec junior system. Last year the center skated seven games with Vaudreuil in the QJAHL registering two goals and eight points. Gravelle also appeared in 29 games with Sorel Tracy of the LNAH (4a) last year.

"Today's player signings represent some of the youth we will be bringing to the hockey club this season," Komet general manager David Franke said. "Brandon Warner is the elder statesman of the group at 25 years old and we are very happy that he has decided to return. His play improved game by game last year and he was a very valuable defenseman in the playoffs. Bergeron, Roy-Vallieres and Gravelle will be making their U.S. pro debut with the Komets and all three are very capable offensively. Gravelle will also add a physical presence to the lineup."

The Komet's 2008-09 roster grows to 13 players including eight forwards, four defensemen and one goaltender with 10 weeks remaining before training camp. Camp begins Monday, Oct. 6 at the Coliseum.

The Komet's defense of the Turner Cup championship begins on the road at Port Huron Friday, Oct. 17. The Fort Wayne home opener is slated for Saturday, Oct. 18 against the Flint Generals at 7:30pm.