Three ex-Barracudas taken in dispersal draft

It's still more than five months before the Richmond Renegades' 2008-09 training camp opens, but it's never too early to start lining up players.

The Renegades acquired the rights to three of Jacksonville's top players in a dispersal draft earlier this week. The Barracudas, who were runners-up in the Southern Professional Hockey League playoffs for the second consecutive season, have suspended operations for next season.

Richmond picked up centers Ryan Webb and Kahlil Thomas, along with defenseman Connor MacDonald. Thomas, 32 and a veteran under SPHL rules, led the Barracudas in scoring (30 goals and 75 points), while Webb was third (27 goals, 56 points).

Coach Brian Goudie is in the process of trying to get in touch with each of them to see if they will play for the Renegades next season.

"I don't know if we'll be able to get Thomas to come here because he's married and got three kids," said Allan B. Harvie Jr., president and general manager of the team.

SPHL players are supposed to receive $315 a week under the salary cap, but it's likely Thomas was making considerably more than that in Jacksonville.

"Webb has been a consistent player the last two years," Goudie said. "Thomas was second in the league in scoring. But he's an older guy, so we'll have to see about him. The other guy, MacDonald, adds a little element to our defense that we didn't really have. He's tougher and a little more fearless. Likes to hit and bang. Big guy. Not afraid to mix it up for his teammates."

Smaller league means more with same teams

With the departure of Jacksonville, the SPHL will operate with only six teams next season, the smallest number in its five-year history. The number of games increases from 52 to 60, so the Renegades will see clubs such as Fayetteville and Twin City (Winston-Salem, N.C.) quite a few times.

"You look at the [International Hockey League], they had six teams this year and played 76 games," Goudie said. "Back in the day, the NHL was just six teams. We'll probably have a heavier schedule against Twin City, Fayetteville and Knoxville, then the rest with Huntsville and Columbus."

The schedule should be released by the end of next month, Harvie said, following the league meetings in Myrtle Beach, S.C., on June 9-12.

Had Jacksonville not suspended operations, it's possible the league would have added Roanoke as its eighth team. Harvie confirmed that he and a group of investors were prepared to operate a franchise at the Roanoke Civic Center.

"Roanoke should be in the league, and we're currently looking at seeing if we'll be involved with getting them in next year [2009-10]," Harvie said.

Sunday afternoon with the Renegades

Harvie said the Renegades are planning to have Sunday afternoon games in 2008-09, as well as a couple of midweek games. Richmond has avoided Sunday games since Harvie started the SPHL franchise in order to avoid conflicts with the NFL season. - John Packett