Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - IceRays camp opens without MVP Robertson

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Tuesday, September 28, 1999

IceRays camp opens without MVP Robertson

By Mark Button
Caller-Times

The last time Chris Robertson skated on the ice at Memorial Coliseum, the chant of "MVP! MVP!" filled the arena.
   The chant's echo seemed to last forever, lingering around the coliseum like the ghost of a desperate hockey fan that didn't want the season to end.
   Hockey has returned, but Robertson may not.
   The Corpus Christi IceRays open training camp for the 1999-2000 season today and coach Taylor Hall is uncertain if last season's Western Professional Hockey League Most Valuable Player will make the final roster of the American Hockey League's St. John's (Newfoundland) Maple Leafs.
   "He's still up there," Hall said of Robertson. "I wish Chris the best, but it will be a couple of days before we know."
   When the subject of Robertson's immediate future came up Monday as the players picked up their equipment, most of them shared the same, torn position: They want him back but they would love to see him make the jump to the AHL, a much more established and respected league than the WPHL.
   St. John's is the top farm team for the NHL's Calgary Flames.
   "He's good enough to play there; he's probably the most talented guy at that camp," said IceRays forward Mike Tomlinson, who is starting his ninth year of professional hockey. "The thing that works against Chris is his age: He's 31 now. But you never know what they (St. John's) are looking for. I'm hoping to see him back here, but at the same time, I would be happy for him if he did make the jump. Anytime an older player can make the jump to a better league and make more money toward the end of his career, you have to be happy for him."
   Twenty-eight of the players Hall invited to camp took physicals Monday - all the players are in good shape, Hall said - and starting today at 8:30 a.m., the players will skate twice a day for two weeks. Veterans will look to find their timing and secure their jobs; rookies will be looking to impress the coach and earn a spot on the team or even steal job or two.
   The coach's job is different. "I'm looking to evaluate players, to get players in shape, and go over all of our systems and the team concept," Hall said. "But I also have a lot of decisions to make. I've got 28 guys coming to camp and I'm not going to keep all 28. So we need to evaluate in a short time period who the best guys are to keep."
   And then there's Robertson to think about.
   "Our roster will be between 18 and 20 players," Hall said. "It depends on if Chris makes the AHL or something. I've got some good young kids here, but if Chris comes back, I may not need as many. If he didn't come back, we may have a 20-man roster."




Staff writer Mark Button can be reached at 886-3613 or by e-mail at buttonm@caller.com.

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