Walleye make contract offers to 3 forewards, 5 defensemen

7/2/2012

Editor's note: This version corrects the number of forewards from four to three and defensemen from four to five.

The Toledo Walleye have extended qualifying offers to eight players.

The organization has extended offers to three forwards and five defensemen to play for the team this season.

Forwards Todd Griffith, Joey Martin, and Nick Oslund have been offered contracts along with defensemen Paul Cianfrini, Matt Krug, Cody Lampl, Kyle Page, and Joey Ryan.

Martin had a breakout year as a rookie last season. The forward led the team in scoring with 49 points. He also led the team in goals scored with 22 and in assists with 27.

Page, who was a captain at Bowling Green State University, would enter his fourth season playing for the Walleye.

The ECHL on Monday released the list of players who received qualifying offers. Each player has until Aug. 1 to accept the offer.

“This allows us to retain their rights as players and we are hopeful to continue this process and sign some of them,” Walleye coach Nick Vitucci said.

Each team can reserve the rights to a maximum of eight players. Of those eight, no more than four can be veterans (players that have played in at least 260 regular season games).

The Walleye are expected to begin signing players over the next few weeks.

The Walleye open the 2012-13 season at home against Kalamazoo on Oct. 13.