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These 7 players will make the Peoria Rivermen season interesting

dave eminian, peoria journal star
·5 min read
Peoria head coach Jean-Guy Trudel tries to rally the Rivermen in the third period Friday, March 24, 2023 at Carver Arena. The Rivermen fell to the Quad City Storm 1-0.
Peoria head coach Jean-Guy Trudel tries to rally the Rivermen in the third period Friday, March 24, 2023 at Carver Arena. The Rivermen fell to the Quad City Storm 1-0.

PEORIA —The Peoria Rivermen open training camp for the 2023-24 SPHL season on Tuesday with some work to do.

They will try to repair a roster that lost 10 players from the postseason last spring after a two-year run that included a President's Cup championship in 2021-22 and a league regular-season title last season.

With that in mind, here are seven must-have players who signed over the summer that will keep the Rivermen a contender — plus other questions ahead of the season.

Alec Baer

The center was SPHL MVP and league scoring champion in Peoria's 2021-22 championship season. It was believed he might head to Europe this season, but he decided to come back to Peoria.

Joe Widmar

A center who has spent the bulk of his career in the ECHL and AHL, just a next-level elite playmaker.

Jordan Ernst

A big forward who is immensely popular with Rivermen fans and a nightmare for goaltenders with his sniper-scoring skills and power play impact.

More: Family ties: Peoria Rivermen sign coach's son as schedule, roster take shape ahead of camp

JM Piotrowski

The center who scored the game-winner in overtime to clinch the President's Cup two years ago. A hard-nosed, high-motor competitor who delivers scoring, penalty-killing and leadership.

Zach Wilkie

The SPHL Defenseman of the Year last season, the most passionate player on the team and likely the next captain of the Rivermen.

Hayden Hulton

He is a center who was Evansville's captain last season, a defensive, detail-oriented forward and faceoff specialist.

Tristan Trudel

A rookie from the Peoria Mustangs, his signing made him part of the first father-son duo in SPHL history as the 20-year-old winger will try to make the team coached by Jean-Guy Trudel. An exciting subplot to the season for sure. The Trudels are the fourth father-son playing duo in Peoria's 42-year franchise history.

Do the Rivermen have a goaltender?

Rivermen goaltender Eric Levine blocks a shot from Knoxville's Razmuz Waxin-Engback in the first period Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 at Carver Arena.
Rivermen goaltender Eric Levine blocks a shot from Knoxville's Razmuz Waxin-Engback in the first period Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 at Carver Arena.

For just the third time since they joined the SPHL in 2013-14, the Rivermen do not have a returning goaltender. Gone are the tandem from the last two years of veteran Eric Levine (retired) and 2021-22 SPHL Playoff MVP Jack Berry.

Do they have the guy? Or is Peoria headed to a season-long search at that critical position? The other two seasons in which Peoria started fresh at goaltender were 2016-17 and 2019-20, although in the latter Levine was returning after spending the previous season in Quad City.

Which players did the Peoria Rivermen lose?

Peoria's Alec Hagaman (17) congratulates teammate Nick Neville (25) on a goal in the second period Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022 at Carver Arena. The Rivermen beat the Quad City Storm 7-4.
Peoria's Alec Hagaman (17) congratulates teammate Nick Neville (25) on a goal in the second period Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022 at Carver Arena. The Rivermen beat the Quad City Storm 7-4.

The Rivermen rebuild came into focus during the summer as 10 players from the postseason roster last spring moved on.

  • Mitch McPherson: The Peoria-born left wing retired and took a job here locally.

  • Alec Hagaman: The Peoria-born longtime captain and right wing retired and moved into coaching, now associate head coach of the Rivermen.

  • Austin Wisely: The Chillicothe-born right wing retired and took a job out of state.

  • Nick Neville: The Former SPHL Defenseman of the Year retired.

  • Jake Hamilton: The defenseman was traded for a goaltender.

  • Also moving on: Right wing Marcel Godbout and right wing Alex Carrier.

More: 'Another shot': Rivermen bring back veteran goal scorer and add two players from Europe

What do the losses mean? Neville's loss will be profound, a member of two SPHL championship teams and such a steady veteran influence. Hagaman's retirement as a player will be felt, too, as he transitions into coaching and tries to influence the team from the bench.

Any of those guys could show up back in Peoria during this season, especially the local-based ones. The Rivermen could lure them all back in the spring playoff stretch run.

Never say never in pro hockey.

What's new in the SPHL?

The SPHL will be implementing a pilot program for video replay for the 2023-2024 season through a partnership with Sporfie. Under the pilot program, two arenas will be outfitted with replay equipment for all home games this season — the Ford Center in Evansville and the Pensacola Bay Center. Referees, at their discretion, may review plays that meet the following criteria:

• Puck crossing the goal line.

• Puck entering the net using a distinct kicking motion.

• Puck entering the net before the goal frame is dislodged.

• Puck directed, batted or thrown into the net by an attacking player.

"After discussion by the Board of Governors about video replay, we are excited to create this pilot program with Sporfie," said SPHL commissioner Doug Price. "By starting with two teams, it will allow us to test the replay system and on-ice protocol and see what effect it has on our games."

Sporfie is the same replay provider that was tested by the class-AA ECHL in 2018-19 and put into use at all 27 of its teams a season later.

More: Batman jerseys, cheap tickets and underwear toss: Peoria Rivermen expand promotions for 2023-24

A Rivermen tie to AHL coaching

Former AHL Peoria Rivermen center Matt McIlvane introduced last spring as new head coach of AHL San Diego Gulls, the top farm team of NHL Anaheim.
Former AHL Peoria Rivermen center Matt McIlvane introduced last spring as new head coach of AHL San Diego Gulls, the top farm team of NHL Anaheim.

Former Peoria Rivermen center Matt McIlvane heads into the 2023-24 season as head coach of the AHL's San Diego Gulls, the primary farm club for NHL Anaheim.

McIlvane, a Naperville native, played for the AHL Rivermen in 2009-10, notching a goal with two assists in eight games. He returned in 2010-11 for a goal and an assist in three games.

The 37-year-old launched a coaching career at age 25, and notably was head coach of Salzburg's championship team in Europe during the 2020-21 season.

McIlvane's wife, the former Megan Miller, was a popular grandstand MC at Rivermen games in the AHL era.

River Readings

The Rivermen reached agreement with defenseman Dale Deon and he was on the ice for the first official practice of training camp on Tuesday. Deon is a stead defender who was part of the team's title effort and title defense effort the last two seasons. ... The Rivermen have signed on with Raber Packing (3000 W. Farmington Rd., West Peoria) as its new official location for watch parties, season ticket holder events and more. … The Rivermen Kids Club program is $39 for the 2023-24 season. Call the team at (309) 676-1040 for details or check online through social media links at the team site. ... The SPHL has reached a multi-year agreement with FloSports as its live-streaming platform.

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: These 7 players were must-haves for Peoria Rivermen as SPHL camp opens