Press Release

Central New York is hockey heaven today

Major NHL trophies in Rome, Hamilton

August 11, 2007
By Craig Muder

For at least today, the center of the hockey universe is Central New York.

Andy McDonald of the National Hockey League champion Anaheim Ducks is bringing the Stanley Cup to Hamilton, and Westmoreland resident Robert Esche will have several NHL award trophies with him at the Think Rink Festival at Kennedy Arena in Rome.

"Oddly enough, we're going to have all the trophies in Central New York Saturday," said NHL goalie Esche, who will appear at the festival to celebrate the refurbishing of Kennedy Arena. "It's great for the area, and we really want to show fans how much work they're going to do on Kennedy Arena.

"It's going to be important for not just people in Rome, but for people all across the area."

McDonald, a 2000 Colgate graduate, will spend part of his day with the Cup at a ceremony in Hamilton before flying to his home in Strathroy, Ontario. The NHL forward is expected to arrive in Hamilton between 9:45 and 10:15 a.m., where fans can take pictures of the Cup and get autographs.

Esche, meanwhile, has arranged with the Hockey Hall of Fame to have several trophies in Rome from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., including the Art Ross Trophy (for the top points scorer in the league), the Hart Trophy (Most Valuable Player) and the Vezina Trophy (top goalie).

Other area pro hockey players like Tim Connolly, Tim Sestito, Tom Sestito and Nick Palmieri also will be at the festival, and children will have a chance to shoot on Esche in street hockey. Fans also can take pictures with the players.

The festival marks another community event for Esche, a Whitesboro native who has spent the last eight seasons in the NHL. His contract with the Philadelphia Flyers expired after last season, and Esche has spent the last few months waiting for new offers.

"It's been frustrating, that's for sure," said Esche, who recently changed his agent to Rick Curran, the agent for Esche's friend and NHL star Mark Recchi. "So we're going to try something different.

"More than likely, I'm probably not going to get signed until the end of August or beginning of September. That will be the last little mad dash before training camp, the next time when players get signed," he said.