6-2-99. The Pilots Seat is commentary, written from a fan's perspective, about the Pensacola Ice Pilots
by Scott Gregory
Someone kindly hand me a pencil. My empty Pilots scorecard needs an update.
The Pilots called a press conference last week for the announcement. Scott LaGrand, is it? Goaltender? Got it.
In January, the last time the Pilots called such a press conference, GM Joe Bucchino was complaining that coach Al Pedersen talked him into making Craig Brown the No. 1 goalie in the name of loyalty when the man Bucchino really wanted was LaGrand.
So here is Pedersen, front and center, presenting Pilots fans with the man he should have been presenting to them a year earlier.
"We feel the biggest position we have to start with is the goaltending position, and defense," Pedersen said. "There are a lot of forwards and scorers out there. But the toughest job is finding a very good goaltender, and defensemen."
I'm not quite convinced there's a goal scorer under every rock, but if there is, I hope Pedersen and Bucchino have overcome what must have been a fear of fire ants last season.
Nevertheless, the Pilots begin by signing a goalie. I would have picked a dominating defenseman as the place to start reconstructing, but that's arguable and I'll take it.
Here's what we know about LaGrand: he and Bucchino go back to LaGrand's days as a player at Boston College. Pedersen used to play hockey with LaGrand in Atlanta and has kept in frequent contact through the years. In other words, they both like the guy.
"(Bucchino) was instrumental in helping me come here," LaGrand said. "I trust him as a GM. One of the things I asked him is what kind a team we were going to have here. I know things were a little rocky last year. Joe assured me it's going to be a very good team this year."
LaGrand, 29, went 15-18-4 with a 3.36 goals-against average in 39 games with Tallahassee last season, and a 4-3-1 mark (2.53 GAA) with Utah of the IHL. He had zero shutouts last year, one the year before that, and seven total in his 296-game career dating back through college.
Expect strong goaltending from LaGrand, but history says the Pilots are dead in the ice water on nights they can't score more than a goal or two. And those nights were all too frequent last season.
"To sum it up, not to compare him to Sean Gauthier, but he's going to bring a lot of qualities that Sean brought to our team, most importantly, in the locker room," Pedersen said. "I know that in the short time he was in Tallahassee, talking with some teammates of his, he takes the locker room in his fists."
Pedersen was sizing LaGrand to Gauthier in words but was really comparing his new goalie to Darrin Madeley, who seems to be getting more of the blame for last season from the organization every day. Astoundingly, not one reporter mentioned the name Madeley, who is still in town but clearly out of the picture.
I've come to the following conclusions about Madeley, who did not respond to repeated attempts for an interview:
- He never had a chance here. Pedersen likely took a beating from Bucchino about the failed Brown experiment in goal, and Madeley wandered right into a losing locker-room situation;
- Sources within the team contend Madeley was not hurt at times he said he was, and I believe that's true to some degree;
- When Madeley played, he played fantastic hockey. And that's more than I can say for some of his teammates, who did not give anything close to their all on the ice, and some of whom suffered no repercussions and might be back next season.
- He had to go. There was no support for Madeley within the organization, and he had hard feelings about how he was treated last season. A change had to be made.
I commend the Pilots for signing LaGrand, who has proven to be a solid if not dominating goalie.
But to place so much of the blame on Madeley -- and to send the clear message that this was the most important step in righting a troubled hockey program -- tells me that the organization continues to place personal issues ahead of hockey issues. And that has been an ongoing source of trouble.
Madeley had a better GAA (3.08) than LaGrand last season, and Madeley played on a team with a horrible defense. Madeley had more shutouts in 32 games with the Pilots than LaGrand has had in the last three years combined. The Pilots have improved at goaltender off the ice; whether they have on ice remains to be seen.
"We have a big job in front of us this summer, recruiting," Pedersen said. "It's doubtful we'll have a lot of players from last season returning, so we'll be busy on the phones."
LaGrand, who is coach and assistant GM of a roller hockey team in Orlando, also will serve as Pilots assistant director of player personnel. He'll help Pedersen recruit.
"We have a lot of work to do," Pedersen said.
True, coach. True.
© Scott Gregory. All Rights Reserved. Gregory is a Pilots season
ticket holder from Navarre. He is a former Florida Gators football beat writer and sports editor for Copley Newspapers. He can be reached at scott@thefivehole.com. Comments and information from coaches, players and fans are always welcome.
