Former Mariner signs contract with pro hockey team

By Tina Comeau

THE VANGUARD

NovaNewsNow.com

Former Yarmouth Mariners player Ryan Penney has signed a contract to play hockey with the Elmira Jackals, a pro-team in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL).

The team recently signed a one-year affiliation agreement with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators. Through the agreement Elmira will serve as the Senator’s secondary affiliate. The team will also be the primary affiliate of Ottawa’s American Hockey League Binghamton Senators.

Penney said he’s very excited to be playing in the ECHL with the New York team. He will participate in the team’s training camp in early October.

Former Yarmouth Mariner Steve Yetman also plays on the Elmira team.

Until this opportunity presented itself, Penney – who had 62 points in his last season with the Mariners – had been contemplating playing university hockey in Windsor, Ontario, where he would have played with former Mariners teammate Danny Anger.

“I decided to take the pro route instead because university will always be there.” Asked how playing with the Mariners positioned him to further his hockey career, Penney said, “I played in the Q (QMJHL) for a year before I came to the Mariners and I was limited there in what I could and the role I had on the team. But when I came to Yarmouth they let me do my own thing, let me play my game.

“And with Steve Kasper here last year as coach, he really taught me that some things I have control over and some things I don’t. He just wanted me to play with a calmer attitude than what I’ve been playing,” added Penney who attributes a lot of his success on the ice to his former coach.

The Jackals open their 2008-09 regular-season ECHL schedule on Friday, Oct. 17. Asked if he’s an Ottawa Senators fan, Penney laughs, “I’m more of a Montreal Canadiens fan but I guess I’m going to have to be a Sens fan now.”