The Unofficial Web Site's Exclusive Interview with Jed Whitchurch We were all impressed by Jed Whitchurch's performance on the ice this season for the Trenton Titans: 22 goals, 37 assists, and a team leading +29 plus/minus rating. He was a consistent leader on offense throughout the regular season and a stablizing force while other players came and went on call-ups. His determination and perseverance were evident from the beginning of training camp through to the final buzzer at Peoria. An excellent compliment to Jed's performance is his great personality and devotion to his fans. In an Unofficial Web Site fan poll, he was just one vote shy of being selected as "Favorite Titan". Jed's "An Open Letter to Titans Fans" is an excellent testament to his character. It came as no surprise that Jed was more than willing to be interviewed for The Unofficial Web Site:

20 Questions with Number 20
• 1) At what age did you begin playing hockey?
  I was 4 when it all began.
• 2) What person (or event) provided your greatest inspiration to play hockey?
  Hockey in Canada for youngsters is almost like a ritual. My parents gave me a chance to play and I loved it, and they never held me back after that. I would have to say my parents.
• 3) Which player was your biggest inspiration on the Trenton Titans this season?
  There are a few. I would have to say that all of the Players on the team that played against me in the ECAC. To see all those guys succeed really inspired me. I wanted to leave the same impression that they left because we all had the same background.
• 4) What was your first thoughts about moving to New Jersey to play hockey?
  While attending Colgate Univeristy there were many students from New Jersey and I was always told that it is a busy state and there are some areas that are dangerous. After living there for one year I can not say anything bad about it, that is for sure. The people are great and there always seems to be something new to discover each day.
• 5) What do you like most about New Jersey?
  Trenton Titans fans for starters. The support is great. I also like the fact that there are many nice small towns around the Trenton area and also that New York and Philadelphia are so close. IT offers a great deal.
• 6) What do you like most about the City of Trenton?
  I like the fact that it can support minor league market sports teams. There is a lot of movement with regards to these teams and I do not see Trenton allowing that to happen over the next few years.
• 7) Do you come from a large family?
  No. I have one older sister Becky and my folks Mike and Deb. Of course my chocolate lab Co-Co is a big part of the family as well.
• 8) How did you and your fiance Danielle meet?
  We met while we were both at school. Late in her senior year which was my sophmore year.
• 9) Do you and Danielle have a Wedding date set?
  We are getting married on July 7 of 2001.
• 10) What are you favorite off-ice hobbies?
  I enjoy fishing a great deal. Golf with my buddies is fun as well. I also enjoy the water. Living right on Lake Erie in the summer gives me a chance to enjoy the water.
• 11) How do you plan to spend the Summer?
  I am skating regularly in order to keep my timing down. I am also working out on a regular basis. Golf and fishing seem to take up the rest of my time.
• 12) Is there truth in the recent fan quote from The Unofficial Web Site's Guestbook and Forum:
  "Regarding the summer residence of Jed Whitchurch, it should be noted that he has recently been cast in the upcoming Ice Capades Extravaganza. His fiance, Danni, is the costume designer, and they look forward to merging their professional talents."?
  Absolutly not......I was informed by some person I knew that it was posted. My informant also told me who it was. The person who posted that message is friend of my fiance and did it for laughs...I think it worked as well.
• 13) How did it feel the night of your professional hockey debut with the Titans compared to playing in college?
  I enjoyed both debut experiences a great deal. In college it was great because you worked so hard for that scholarship and you also had many of your fellow students watching. The Pro debut was greater though. I looked at hockey differently then because it was my job and I wanted to keep my job. Also, the fans in Trenton made us all feel welcome and that electricity in the SBA made my debut fantastic.
• 14) You not only had a solid professional debut but also emerged as one of the offensive leaders of the Trenton Titans: were you surprised?
  In a way I was, but in a way I was not. I had confidence in my abilities which every player has to have. I was more surprised in the chances that Coach Cassidy gave to us rookies. He gave us the chances to excel and I think for the most part we did. Us young players owe him a lot, that is for sure.
• 15) What is your best memory from the 1999/2000 season with the Trenton Titans?
  From a team standpoint, I think it was the positive reflection at the end of the season. We all looked back and could say that we battled hard and did very well for a first year club. Personally, the winning goal that I scored in the play-offs at home against Hampton Roads was a thrill. It kept us alive and it was a goal that was huge for the team, the fans, and the organization.
• 16) What is your worst memory from the 1999/2000 season with the Trenton Titans?
  I think that final buzzer in Peoria realizing that it was over. At that moment you are physicaly and emotionaly drained. You are upset and that feeling is not a good one. Personaly, there were a few nights that I was off my game and those nights are low ones for sure.
• 17) You have developed quite a fan following with the Titans: what was the most bizarre fan experience that you had this season?
  This question is a tough one to answer. I really did not have any bizzare experiences. Our fans are the best fans in the world and they all made playing in Trenton great. If I had to choose one thing it was the reaction a fellow gave us when he was walking beside a few of us in the concorse of the SBA. A few of us were there watching the WWF mathces and when this fellow looked at us and realized who we were he was ecstatic. It made us realize just how much some people respect the effort that we put forth night in and night out. I think there were a few signs that I saw about me and the other players that made us chuckle. Chuckle in a good way though.
• 18) Who is your favorite NHL player?
  I was always a big Mario Lemieux fan. The things he went through in his career like Hodgkins and back problems were hard, I am sure, but he always seemed to battle through and still be the best player in the world. Now that he is gone, I enjoy watching the smaller statured players. I try to pick up little things from them that in turn might help me be a better player.
• 19) Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
  I see myself being involved in hockey somewhere. I really hope that I am still playing because I enjoy what I do so much.
• 20) If you had your choice of one NHL team to play with, which would you choose?
  I would really not have any problems playing for any team. Growing up I was always a huge Mario Lemieux fan so I think I would have to give that organization a nod seeing that Mario owns the team now.

General Manager Brian McKenna and staff are hard at work building the 2nd edition of the Trenton Titans! Owner Geoff Berman, General Manager Brian McKenna, Head Coach Bruce Cassidy, and the rest of their fine organization certainly set the bar high with their phenomenal performance constructing the inaugural Trenton Titans. The teams' performance on-ice, at the box office, and in the community earned a solid A+ grade, as well as earning McKenna the ECHL's Executive of the Year Award. He was quick to spread the 'blame' throughout the organization. So, what is their reward for builing a great first year franchise? They are handed the intimidating task of delivering a great second year franchise to the fans. Fans will expect nothing but the best after the success of the 1999/2000 Titans.

With the structure of the organization intact and the logistics all worked out from last season, the main focus of the Titans is to fill the roster once again. The re-signing of centers Mike Hall and Jed Whitchurch and defensemen Vince Williams and Dave Risk give the Titans four great cornerstones to build the sophomore team upon. Other players are currently negotiating terms for a second season, including goaltender Taras Lendzyk, and defensemen Kam White and Eric Brule.

However, many key components of the 1999/2000 Trenton Titans will certainly be missing for their sophomore year. Forwards Cail MacLean, Mark Murphy, and Scott Bertoli are almost guaranteed to accept offers in the AHL or IHL for next season. Bertoli is said to be negotiating a contract with the Florida Panthers' organization. Murphy won the praise of the Pittsburgh Penguins after a stint with their AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and is reportedly in discussion with the Washington Capitals' organization as well. MacLean is believed to have multiple opportunities as well. Center Jerry Keefe is another Titan that has received the attention of AHL and IHL clubs and is unlikely to return to Trenton. Netminders Bujar Amidovski and Stephen Valiquette will probably not be seen again in the ECHL after demonstrating their fine goaltending abilities. Center David Hoogsteen and defenseman Ryan Brown have already been lost to trades that completed transactions that helped build last year's Titans.

Meanwhile, right wing Mike Mader and defenseman Sergei Skrobot may have earned their tickets to the AHL affiliate Lowell Lock Monsters and Philadelphia Phantoms, respectively. It is unclear where the Chicago Blackhawks' organization will place defenseman Chris Feil next season with Trenton being an unlikely choice. Also currently up in the air: right wings Stewart Bodtker and Kurt Mallett, and left wing Benoit Morin.

The challenge for McKenna and crew is to work the affiliation deals to their full potential while scouring the free agent markets to plug all of the holes, a task which they handled masterfully when a second-half slump threatened the Titans' playoff hopes last season. The Trenton Titans are lucky to have two solid NHL affiliations: the New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers to bolster their roster. Both organizations are ripe with prospects including this year's number one NHL Entry Draft pick, goaltender Rick DiPietro. (Islanders and Flyers prospects will featured in the next few issues of Titanic). Securing two quality goaltenders is likely to be a key to Trenton's success once again.

The biggest looming threat to the Trenton Titans' bench for the 2000/2001 season isn't the loss of any particular player, it's the risk of losing Head Coach Bruce Cassidy. As permitted under his original contract terms, Cassidy is free to entertain coaching offers at higher levels up until July 15th, despite a year remaining in his Trenton contract. At least one AHL team has interviewed Cassidy for their head coaching position, but he declines to comment on which one. Finding a replacement should Cassidy accept another offer would present Brian McKenna with his biggest challenge to date. One possible solution would be the promotion of Assistant Coach Mike Haviland being promoted to fill the spot (which of course, depends on Haviland returning also). Apart from a Head Coach vacancy, a Cassidy departure raises another strong concern. "Butch" Cassidy's strong bond with his former players helped lure some excellent talent to Trenton, including MacLean, Hall, Mallett, and White. If Cassidy accepts an AHL coaching job, would they follow him or remain with the Titans? We have a couple of weeks to hold our breath until Cassidy is locked in as Head Coach for the 2000/2001 season.

July 21st marks the Two Year Anniversary of The Unofficial Web Site of the Trenton Titans on the internet !!! It's hard to believe that it has already been two years since General Manager Brian McKenna publicly announced Trenton's ECHL franchise was named the "Titans" and unveiled the team's colors and official logo. It's even harder to believe that it has been two years since the The Unofficial Web Site of the Trenton Titans made it's internet debut, just fifteen days after McKenna's announcement. Those of you who visited the site in the early days can attest that it has come a very long way in 24 months. The images above and below this article 'graced' the homepage back in July of 1998 when it debuted. Now, thanks to the support of Titans' owner Geoff Berman, the official Titans' logo is proudly displayed in their place. Thanks to Peter Bronsteen, dozens of excellent photos bring life to pages of the site. Thanks to hundreds of Titans' fans, a sense of community has grown around the site over the past 24 months.

The Unofficial Site remains a site for everyone: the fans, the media, the players, the family and friends of the players, and even the random web surfers who stumble across the site from time to time. All of you help provide the motivation for the hours spent maintaining the site and provide the feedback that makes it so rewarding. Please continue to provide suggestions, corrections, photos, tips, or any other form of input so the site can continue to evolve over the months and years to come. Thank you!

The ECHL drops back to 25 teams for season 13. While the East Coast Hockey League is alive and well preparing for its thirteenth season of professional ice hockey, the same can not be said for all of the ECHL's franchises. Upon the conclusion of the 1999/2000 season, the Huntington Blizzard and Jacksonville Lizard Kings ceased operations. Huntington cited a continued lack of attendance as the primary reason for closing shop in West Virginia. Despite a franchise best performance on the ice (35-25-10 .571, 2nd in the Northwest Division), Huntington was unable to attract enough fans to avoid being last in the ECHL with an average home attendance of 2385 per game. Jacksonville was six rungs higher on the attendance ladder with 3880 per game, but blamed an old arena for financial 'limitations' that caused them to cease operations. Jacksonville ownership vows to wait for a new arena, while Huntington ownership looks for a more supportive market.

The Blizzard and Lizard Kings join the Miami Matadors, who ceased operations last Summer, in ECHL franchise limbo. By contrast, the third franchise to leave the ECHL at the conclusion of the 1999/2000 season is the highly successful Hampton Roads Admirals - three time ECHL champions. The Admirals' owners have switched operations at the Norfolk Scope to become the AHL's Norfolk Admirals for the 2000/2001 season, while their ECHL franchise takes a one year hiatus. Unlike the struggling franchises, the future of the Hampton Roads' franchise is already well planned: it will re-emerge as the Atlantic City Admirals for the 2001/2002 season. The former Columbus Chill franchise, which also ceased operations last Summer, has escaped limbo after being purchased by the parent company of the Los Angeles Kings. They will resurface in Reading, Pennsylvania for the 2001/2002 season. Along with Atlantic City and Reading, the Columbia Inferno will debut in 2001/2002. Barring any changes, that would bring the ECHL back to 28 franchises once again. Of course, we know the ECHL far too well not to expect more surprises before October 2001.

Memphis, Tennessee appeared to be a strong contender for the return of one of the ECHL franchises (most recently the Huntington Blizzard), but there have been some doubts raised about the potential for success in that market. Memphis missed the boat on the 2000/2001 season (unless the ECHL pulls a last minute stunt like last year's addition of Greensboro) and are only a definite-maybe for the 2001/2002 season. Bridgeport, Connecticut was slated for an ECHL team, but Bridgeport went with the AHL and the area is now fully saturated with professional hockey teams. Only time will tell which other markets will step forward to host ECHL franchises.

I'm a proud member of the United States Figure Skating Association! Relax, I'm not joining the Ice Capades Extravaganza any time soon! Thanks to all of you out there who laughed at the notion that a hockey fanatic such as myself had never even ice skated (you know who you are!), I have enrolled in ice skating lessons. At age twenty-nine, I am determined to defy a natural lack of balance and athleticism to learn how to ice skate. My goal of course is to be able to skate well enough in a few years to actually be able to play in a pick-up game of hockey at the local rink. I am definitely not a natural, but I survived Week One with a few small bruises and a fully intact determination. Stay tuned!