Fort Wayne, IN-- The Komets announced Thursday their Season-Ending Roster.  Appearing on the roster are 20 players including two goaltenders, seven defensemen and 11 forwards.

Players on the Fort Wayne roster are as follows:

Pat Nagle (G), Garrett Bartus (G), Jason Binkley (D), Curtis Leonard (D), Bobby Shea (D), Dan Milan (D), Will Weber (D), Cody Sol (D), Ryan Lowney (D), Taylor Crunk (F), Mason Baptista (F), Mike Cazzola (F), Gabriel Desjardins (F), Shawn Szydlowski (F), Jamie Schaafsma (F), Kyle Thomas (F), Travis Ewanyk (F), Brett Perlini (F), Trevor Cheek (F) and Garrett Thompson (F).

Season-Ending Rosters may include up to 20 players. Season-Ending Rosters cannot include any players who did not sign an ECHL contract in 2016-17.

Each team is entitled to reserve rights to a maximum of eight players from the list of 20 by extending a qualifying offer no later than July 1. Of the eight qualified players, no more than four can be veterans (260 regular season professional hockey games played as of the start of the 2017-18 Season). Players on open qualifying offers cannot be traded. Teams are not required to extend a qualifying offer to players who sign a contract prior to July 1.

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, or to a goaltender who has played more than 180 regular-season games, will retain the rights to that player until Aug. 1.  After Aug. 1, if the veteran player or goaltender is not signed to a contract by the team, the veteran or goaltender 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.

Trio becomes first to ink agreements for 2017-18

The Komets announced Monday that three players have agreed to terms and will be returning for the 2017-18 season.  Forward Mason Baptista and defensemen Jason Binkley and Ryan Lowney become the first names to appear on the 66th Fort Wayne anniversary roster.

Baptista, 27, is expected to return for his third consecutive season with the Komets.  The North York, Ontario native posted 16 goals and 30 points in 56 games last year while adding two assists in five playoff games.  Baptista made his pro debut in 2014-15 with Quad City scoring two goals and three points in four ECHL games after completing a four-year collegiate career with St. Norbert.  The forward skated 47 games with Wichita in 2015-16 before being acquired by the Komets in a trade.  In 71 regular season games over the past two seasons with Fort Wayne Baptista has totaled 20 goals and 39 points.

Binkley, 25, appeared in 67 games with Fort Wayne last year scoring seven goals and 44 points and added a goal and three points in 10 playoff games.  2017-18 will be his third full pro year since making his pro debut in the ECHL with South Carolina near the end of 2014-15 after finishing his fourth season of college play with Ferris State.  Binkley logged 45 ECHL games between Utah and Cincinnati in 2015-16 before joining Fort Wayne for the 2016-17 campaign.  The defenseman has scored ECHL totals of nine goals and 53 points in 119 games.

Lowney made his pro debut last season skating 14 games at the end of year with the Komets collecting a goal and six points prior to dishing four assists in eight playoff games.  The Redford, Michigan defenseman completed a four-year stint with Ferris State last season and recorded collegiate totals of seven goals and 58 points in 158 games with the Bulldogs.

"All three players announced today will be important contributing players for the Komets next season," Komet general manager David Franke said.  "Jason Binkley and Ryan Lowney will be important defensemen who we will look to for offense from the blue line, five-on-five and on the power play.  Mason Baptista has the potential to score 20-plus goals in this league with regular ice time.  It's a good start to the Komets' recruiting season."

Opening night for the 66th season of Komet Hockey is slated for Saturday, Oct. 14 in Fort Wayne against the Toledo Walleye.

Got tickets?  Single game tickets go on sale soon.  Season Tickets with Early Bird Pricing are on sale now at the Komet office at 1010 Memorial Way in Fort Wayne.  For more information visit Komets.com or call 260-483-0011.