9 ex-UM players on NHL teams; openers tonight

There will be nine former University of Maine players on NHL rosters when the season opens tonight and four of them will be goalies.

In addition to 36-year-old goalie Garth Snow (New York Islanders) and his 33-year-old former Maine tandem mate Mike Dunham (Atlanta), Mike Morrison (Edmonton) and Jimmy Howard (Detroit) also earned NHL jobs.

Right wing Niko Dimitrakos (San Jose), defenseman Eric Weinrich ( St. Louis); left wing Paul Kariya (Nashville) and Anaheim defenseman Keith Carney and left wing Dustin Penner are the other Bears on NHL rosters.

Penner, who played one season at Maine (2003-2004) before passing up his senior year to sign with the Ducks, has been an “amazing success story,” according to Ducks assistant general manager Dave McNab.

The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Penner had 10 goals and 18 assists in 77 games for Cincinnati in the AHL a year ago.

“He has been outstanding from day one [at training camp],” said McNab. “If you talk to scouts, he was the most improved player in the American League from beginning to end last season. He makes plays, he’s such a powerful force and he continues to get better.”

McNab also said Carney played “real well” during the preseason.

McNab said the fact Maine has nine players in the NHL including four goalies is a tribute to Maine recruiting coordinator and assistant Grant Standbrook, who works with the Maine goalies.

“He’s an amazing guy,” said McNab, who played for Standbrook when he was an assistant coach at Wisconsin.

Standbrook said it was “nice to see them [the goalies] progressing” and that another ex-Bear goalie, New Jersey Devils minor leaguer Frank Doyle, could be a “sleeper” and find himself in the NHL soon.