After being held out the first two games of the regular season, the St. John’s IceCaps have decided to waive 30-year old centre Brian Sutherby from his PTO, as noted on the IceCaps official website:
The St. John’s IceCaps have announced that Brian Sutherby has been released from his professional tryout contract.
The Edmonton native signed the PTO following training camp with the IceCaps in Corner Brook. Sutherby spent the 2011-12 season with the San Antonio Rampage (Florida Panthers), recording four points (one goal, three assists) and 18 penalty minutes in 15 games.
It had become evident that Sutherby would be the odd man out of the line-up, given Aaron Gagnon, Alexander Burmistrov and Patrice Cormiercurrently lay claim to three of the four centre positions on this roster. For Sutherby, he will have the chance to catch on with a team in need of his services more than St. John’s. Unfortunately, due to the NHL lockout and the influx of talent to the league, there’s no timetable as to when that might happen.
It should also be noted that Derek Whitmore— also on a PTO with the IceCaps’ — has yet to factor into the line-up either and may see his release in the upcoming days as well.
We mentioned previously that AHL clubs can only carry 11 veteran players on their roster, but we forgot to add the wrinkle to this rule in which only 5 of said veterans can dress in a single game. For a team that's presently the second oldest in the AHL, getting playing time for the likes of Sutherby and Whitmore is easier said than done.
The IceCaps open the home slate of their season this weekend as they host the visiting Adirondack Phantoms, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers.
