Elmira Jackals Extend Four Qualifying Offers

ELMIRA, N.Y. - The Elmira Jackals announced today that they have extended qualifying offers to four players from the 2013-2014 team.

"We believe this group of men will help create a nucleus for the new era of Jackals hockey," said Jackals head coach Jamie Russell. "This organization will be reborn with a fresh blend of skill, grit and passion. We are laying the foundation for a championship culture in Elmira."

The Elmira Jackals have submitted qualifying offers to the following players:

Patch Alber, 25, finished second among team defensemen with six goals and 18 points in 65 games. The Clifton Park, New York native led all Jackals' rookie blueliners in goals, assists, points, and shots on goal.

Neil Conway, 26, led all Jackals' goaltenders in wins with nine. The Concord, Ohio native joined the Jackals after beginning the season in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) with the Nottingham Panthers. Conway appeared in 25 games last season and finished with a 3.10 goals-against-average and a .913 save percentage.

Jordan Pietrus, 28, finished second on the team with 30 assists and 45 points last season. The Vermilion, Alberta native led the team with three short-handed goals and 246 shots on goal. The alternate captain was the only Jackal to skate in all 72 regular season games last year.

Nick Tuzzolino, 28, started the season with the Fort Wayne Komets before a midseason trade to Elmira. The Buffalo, New York native played in just four games with the Jackals before he was loaned to the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League. The 6'5 225lb blueliner notched three points in 36 games with the Amerks.

Players who had already signed a contract by June 30 did not need to receive a qualifying offer.

Each team was entitled to reserve the rights to a maximum of eight qualified players. Of the eight qualified players, no more than four could be veterans (260 regular season professional hockey games played as of the start of the upcoming 2014-15 season). Players on open qualifying offers cannot be traded.

The qualifying offer must remain open for acceptance until Aug. 1 at which time the qualifying offer becomes null and void and the team may sign the qualified player to any salary or may elect to take no further action. Teams that extend a valid qualifying offer to a non-veteran player shall retain the rights to that qualified player for one playing season.

A team that extends a valid qualifying offer to a veteran player will retain the rights to that veteran untilAug. 1. After Aug. 1, if the veteran player is not signed to a contract by the team, the veteran shall be deemed a restricted free agent and shall be entitled to seek and secure offers of employment from other ECHL teams. Restricted free agents may not be traded. When a restricted free agent receives a contract offer from a team other than the team with the player's rights and the restricted free agent wishes to accept the contract offer, the restricted free agent and the offering member must, within 24 hours, notify the ECHL, the team with the player's rights and the Professional Hockey Players' Association. The member with the player's rights shall have seven days after the date it is notified to exercise its right to match the contract offer.

If a restricted free agent is not signed to either an offer sheet or a contract by an ECHL team by Aug. 31, the player shall be deemed an unrestricted free agent.

Mark your calendars! The Jackals open their home schedule for their eighth season of ECHL hockey on Friday, October 17 against the Kalamazoo Wings at 7:05 p.m. Don't miss a minute of the action with Jackals season tickets! Call 607-734-7825 to order your season tickets today. Can't make it to every game? No problem! The Jackals are offering 10 and 20-game select and flex ticket plans! Get 'em while they're hot!