With the regular season set to begin in less than a month, the Salt Lake Golden Eagles begin training camp Friday in Calgary.
The parent Calgary Flames have invited 74 players to workouts, including 16 players from the 1990-91 Eagle team. By the end of September, the Eagles will bring a team of approximately 20 players to Salt Lake for the start of the season, which begins Oct. 3 in San Diego.Those 16 from last year include several offensive players, team MVP and leading scorer Rich Chernomaz, Kerry Clark, Bryan Deasley, Todd Harkins, Paul Kruse, Corey Lyons, Martin Simard, Tim Sweeney, Richard Zemlak, Darren Banks and C.J. Young. On the defensive side are Kevin Grant, Darryl Olsen, Kevan Melrose and Mark Osiecki. Warren Sharples, who played 35 games for the Eagles last year, is one of seven goaltenders in camp.
Also in camp are Todd Gillingham and Shawn Heaphy, who joined the Eagle squad for the last week of the season.
Among those gone from the Calgary organization are goalie Steve Guenette (traded to Minnesota), defenseman Rick Lessard (signed by San Jose), center Randy Bucyk (retired after midseason injury) and Andrew McKim, Wayne Cowley and Scott McCrady who were not re-signed by Calgary.
Back to coach the Eagles for a third year is Bob Francis. He's joined by Jim Leavins, a former Eagle player, who was named an assistant last week. He is replacing Jamie Hislop, who is a new assistant with Calgary.
The Eagles will play four preseason games beginning Sept. 12 against the University of Calgary. Other games will be Sept. 14 against Cape Breton in Edmonton, Sept. 16 vs. Team Canada and Sept. 21 vs. Cape Breton.
The Flames will play an exhibition game in Salt Lake Sept. 18 against the U.S. Olympic Team in what will probably be the last hockey game at the Salt Palace.
The Eagles' first game in the new Delta Center will be Oct. 16 against the defending IHL Western Division champion Peoria Rivermen.
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(Additional information)
1991-91 Golden Eagles Schedule
October
3 - at San Diego; 4 - at San Diego; 5 - at Kansas City; 10 - at Phoenix; 11 - at Phoenix; 16 - PEORIA; 18 - PHOENIX; 19 - at Indianapolis; 23 - at Kansas City; 25 - at Kansas City; 26 - SAN DIEGO; 28 - SAN DIEGO; 30 - KALAMAZOO.
November
1 - KALAMAZOO; 2 - KALAMAZOO; 6 - MILWAUKEE; 8 - MILWAUKEE; 9 - at Kalamazoo; 13 - at Milwaukee; 15 - at Peoria; 16 - at Peoria; 19 - KANSAS CITY; 21 - KANSAS CITY; 23 - at Muskegon; 24 - at Peoria; 30 - PEORIA. December
2 - PEORIA; 3 - KANSAS CITY; 6 - at San Diego; 7 - at San Diego; 9 - MUSKEGON; 11 - MUSKEGON; 13 - at Phoenix; 14 - at Phoenix; 20 - SAN DIEGO; 21 - SAN DIEGO; 27 - at Phoenix; 29 - at San Diego.
January
3 - SAN DIEGO; 4 - at Milwaukee; 7 - at Peoria; 10 - at Kalamazoo; 11 - at Fort Wayne; 15 - KANSAS CITY; 17 - PHOENIX; 18 - at Peoria; 19 - at Peoria; 24 - PHOENIX; 25 - PHOENIX; 28 - SAN DIEGO; 30 - SAN DIEGO; 31 - at Kansas City. February
1 - at Kansas City; 6 - at San Diego; 7 - SAN DIEGO; 8 - PHOENIX; 12 - PEORIA; 14 - PEORIA; 15 - at Kansas City; 18 - INDIANAPOLIS; 20 - INDIANAPOLIS; 21 - at Phoenix; 22 - PHOENIX; 24 - PHOENIX; 26 - at Kansas City; 28 - at Kansas City; 29 - at Fort Wayne.
March
3 - FORT WAYNE; 5 - FORT WAYNE; 6 - at San Diego; 7 - SAN DIEGO; 13 - at Muskegon; 14 - at Indianapolis; 15 - at Peoria; 18 - KANSAS CITY; 20 - KANSAS CITY; 24 - KANSAS CITY; 28 - at San Diego; 30 - at San Diego.
April
2 - PHOENIX; 3 - at Phoenix; 4 - KANSAS CITY.