2002 OFF SEASON NEWS

ROSTER ALMOST SET AS PRESEASON LOOMS
The Markham Waxers are pleased to announce that we have now committed to 22 players for the upcoming season.  Included in that number are 13 returning veterans, and 9 first year players.  With preseason games ahead and a few players attending OHL training camps this week, there are still a few roster spots up for grabs.  When the final team is selected, we will post the players' profiles. (2002-03 roster as at August 24) 

REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE ARRIVES
The Markham Waxers Regular Season Schedule has just been released and is now posted on the website. The Waxers start at home on September 13, and finish on the road February 3 some 49 games later. (schedule)

BIG ACQUISITION AS TRAINING CAMP OPENS
The Waxers are excited to announce that they have acquired winger Tony Rossi from the Wexford Raiders for the upcoming season.  Rossi, a two year veteran, is an explosive offensive talent who last year collected 28 goals and 36 assists for 64 points in 44 games.  A graduate of Brother Andre Catholic High School (where he played with Kevin Cribari), Rossi also played with Mark Menonte on the Richmond Hill Midget All-Ontario Champions in the 1999-2000 season.  The Waxers sent Mark Skeels to the Raiders in exchange for Rossi.  

WAXERS PRESEASON BEGINS AUGUST 25
The Waxers have now confirmed four preseason exhibition games for the 2002-2003 squad.  Opening on the road against the Newmarket Hurricanes, the Waxers follow up with a home-and-home with Milton and then complete the preseason by hosting Newmarket:
Sunday, August 25 - 1:30 pm @ East Gwillimbury Arena vs Newmarket
Wednesday, August 28 - 7:30 pm vs Milton
Friday, September 6 - 7:30 pm @ Milton
Sunday, September 8 - 7:30 pm vs Newmarket

FORMER CAPTAIN BECOMES A FATHER
Former Waxer Captain, fan favourite and South Division MVP Kevin Tompkins became a father on July 15th when his fiancée Stacey gave birth to a baby boy.  Tanner Tompkins was born at 9:46 am and weighed in at 4 lbs 13 oz and was 18 inches long. The Waxers staff and management look forward to the day that  Little Thumper will don the blue and white like his dad.   

WAXERS ADD MORE STAFF
The Markham Waxers are excited to announce the addition of three staff members for the upcoming 2002-2003 season.

Sean Basilio has been hired as the Goaltending Specialist.  A teammate of Head Coach Russ Herrington at the University of Western Ontario, Basilio led the Mustangs to back to back CIAU Final Four berths in the mid-90s.  Prior to UWO, Basilio played 3 seasons in the OHL with the London Knights and Owen Sound Platers.  After graduating from UWO, Sean pursued a Professional career that included stops in Austria, Great Britain, Western Professional Hockey Leaugue, East Coast Hockey League and Central Hockey League.

Rob Pagliaro has been added as the Strength and Conditioning Coach.  Pagliaro worked with the Waxers in the 1995-96 season (under then Head Coach Stephen Spott) and with the Thornhill Islanders under Head Coach Russ Herrington in the 1996-97 season.  He currently runs a personal training service and teaches at Mary Ward Catholic High School.

Richard Clayton has been hired as Assistant General Manager.  Richard has been a long time fixture with the Waxers and has been responsible in the past for the statistics.  A long time resident of Markham, Richard will assist General Manager Larry Herrington with many of the Anniversary Celebrations that will take place this year.

WAXERS LOOK TO CELEBRATE TWO MILESTONES
The Markham Waxers are excited to announce that the upcoming 2002-2003 season will be one in which they celebrate two major milestones in the rich history of the Hockey Club.  

This season will mark one hundred years of competition of Markham based hockey clubs in the Ontario Hockey Association, the first being an Intermediate entry in the OHA back in 1902.  

For the Waxers themselves, this marks the fortieth anniversary of the sponsorship by The International Group, Inc.  Formerly named International Waxes Inc., the company became the title sponsor in the 1962-63 season and the team has been known as the Waxers ever since that time.  

Look for a number of announcements on this site concerning special events and opportunities through out the upcoming season!

BOUCHER JUMPS 34 SPOTS IN NHL RANKING
The NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking list is out and Jesse Boucher has jumped 34 spots from the Mid-Term Rankings.  Boucher, the Waxers and South Division leading goal scorer and points getter, jumped from spot 181 to 147 on the Domestic Players list. The NHL Draft will be held on June 22 and 23 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

WAXERS WELCOME VOUTIER BACK HOME
The Markham Waxers are pleased to announce the return of Athletic Therapist Phil Voutier for the 2002-2003 season.  Phil joined the Waxers last summer after 4 years in the OPJAHL and subsequently was hired on by the Mississauga IceDogs of the OHL. The Waxers are excited about the opportunity to welcome Phil back with the team and look forward to the knowledge and experience he will provide to the players in preventing and rehabilitating injuries. 

WAXERS ADD ASSISTANT COACH
The Markham Waxers are pleased to announce the addition of Matt Gibson to the coaching staff for the upcoming 2002-2003 season.  Matt, who currently resides in Stouffville, is a Waxer Alum, having donned the blue and white during the 1994-95 season.  The past two seasons Matt has coached against the Waxers as an assistant in Ajax (2000-2001) and in Pickering (2001-2002).  The Waxers are excited about Matt joining forces with the returning coaching staff in an effort to capture the elusive South Division and OHA Championships next season.

WAXER CENTRE JOINS KINGFISH
Waxer Joey Grasso's season continues as he has signed with the Baton Rouge Kingfish of the ECHL.  After collecting 6 goals and 11 assists in 27 games for the Waxers, Grasso signed with Baton Rouge on March 14 and played all three games over the weekend collecting 2 assists as the Kingfish went 1-1-0-1.

WAXER GRADUATE MANS BLUELINE FOR NCAA CHAMPIONS
 ALUMNI UPDATE
Waxer Alum Milan Tomaska (1996-98) and his University of Wisconsin-Superior Yellow Jacket teammates are celebrating tonight after winning the NCAA Division III Championship, 3-2 in overtime.  Tomaksa, a senior defenseman for the Yellow Jackets, played in four consecutive Division III Final Fours, with this being the first time they had won (after previously finishing second, third and fourth).  The Waxers congratulate Milan for a terrific career at UW-Superior, capped off in the perfect way. 

PAST-GRADS HAVE GREAT SUCCESS: FORMER WAXERS CLARKE AND SNYDER EARN ALL-STAR BERTHS, EX-RATTLER EARNS GOALTENDER-OF-THE-YEAR
 ALUMNI UPDATE
The long list of graduating players that have moved on to represent Markham and the GTA as ambassadors of their roots continues to grow. This past week former Waxers Mike Clarke and Lawne Snyder (both defensemen) earned recognition with their selection to the ECAC West All-Star Teams. Clarke, in his junior year at Elmira copped a first-team spot and Snyder in his sophomore year gained a spot on the second team. Also noteworthy was the selection of Rob Ligas, a former netminder with the Rattlers (played for current Waxer Head Coach Russ Herrington after being picked-up in a mid-season trade by then Rattler GM Larry Herrington), also with Elmira and in his senior year was named First-Team All-Star and Goaltender-of-the-Year. The Waxers are extremely proud of their accomplishments and are certain that the many hockey fans will join with them in congratulating those three young men.

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