Ice cheX
10-19-2007, 10:52 AM
CHARLOTTE LEFT WING
Jamieson healthy, excited to play (http://www.charlotte.com/checkers/story/325175.html)
Checkers standout was hurt much of last season
CLIFF MEHRTENS - cmehrtens@charlotteobserver.com (cmehrtens@charlotteobserver.com)
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LAYNE BAILEY / Staff Photographer
10/17/2007 - Charlotte Checkers' Dusty Jamieson laughs with his teammates during practice. Jamieson missed most of last season with a serious neck injury.
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<!-- END /pubsys/production/story/story_assets.comp -->Dusty Jamieson will hear a Charlotte Checkers teammate moan about a tough practice, and smile to himself.
"It is 100 times better than sitting in the training room, not being able to play," he said.
Jamieson missed 54 games last season with a concussion and neck injury. He had scored 24 or more goals each of the previous four seasons. Most nights, he donned a suit and watched.
"The longest year of my life," said Jamieson, 26.
"It was frustrating coming to the rink every day not being able to do anything. You feel like an outcast. You're part of the team, but you're really not.
"They're out on the road and you're at home."
Jamieson sizzled at the start of last season, with six goals in the first two games. Then, on Dec. 1, he was backchecking on a 2-on-1 against Pensacola. A collision slammed an opponents' skate against the back of Jamieson's helmet.
Goodbye season.
The frustrating part, for Jamieson and coach Derek Wilkinson, was no target date for his return. He'd skate for a few days, be on the verge of returning and the symptoms -- "fuzziness," Jamieson called it -- would return.
He has been cleared to play when the Checkers open their 15th ECHL season at 7:30 p.m. today against the Columbia Inferno at Bobcats Arena.
Jamieson's 122 goals are the second-most in team history (behind Darryl Noren's 174).
His five seasons here make him Charlotte's most recognizable player. Kids asked for autographs during the postgame skate Saturday after an exhibition.
Teenage girls gawked, and one invited Jamieson rinkside for a photo.
"Our fans are amazing, and the people here have been great to me," Jamieson said. "I love them coming up and talking to me."
He remembers his heroes as a youth in Forest, Ontario -- the Junior B players, only a few years older. But, Jamieson said, he could interact with them, much like the Checkers can.
Wilkinson is guarded about expectations. The ECHL is getting younger, and Jamieson essentially must rebound from a lost season.
"If he scores 30 goals for us, great," Wilkinson said. "But if he scores 10 he can still be a very useful player, and that's what we want. As coaches, we don't have any pressure on him to be our go-to guy. We have a lot of guys who can contribute, and we want to see where he can get to."
To Jamieson, being the go-to guy is nothing new. He's thrilled just to be one of the guys.
"The last few years, I'd take for granted that I'd be coming into camp, and playing," he said. "My outlook on hockey has changed. I've had a blast, being able to come to the rink, hanging out with the boys, telling stories and laughing."
"It's almost like a second life. I'm enjoying every minute of it."
Today's Game
Columbia vs. Charlotte,7:30 p.m., Bobcats Arena
Dusty Jamieson
POSITION: Left wing. HEIGHT: 6-foot-2
HOMETOWN: Forest, Ontario.
IS THAT YOUR REAL FIRST NAME? "No, it's Justin. My dad wanted to name me Dusty, and mom wanted to name me Justin. Mom won out."
BEST HOCKEY MOMENT AS A KID? "Going to see Mario Lemieux play at (Detroit's) Joe Louis Arena. Awesome. He was my idol. My parents took me over, the only NHL game I saw as a kid."
WHAT'S IN YOUR iPOD? "White Stripes, Tragically Hip and Kenny Chesney."
THREE FAMOUS PEOPLE YOU'D INVITE TO DINNER? "Roger Maris, he wasn't a fan favorite and no one expected him to do it. He did it anyway. God, obviously. He could tell some stories. And Mario Lemieux."
Most Goalsin Checkers' ECHL History
(1993-present)
<TABLE class=story-table border=0><TBODY><TR class=story-table-even-row><TD>NAME</TD><TD>GOALS</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-odd-row><TD>Darryl Noren</TD><TD>174</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-even-row><TD>Dusty Jamieson</TD><TD>122</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-odd-row><TD>Matt Robbins</TD><TD>113</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-even-row><TD>David Brosseau</TD><TD>110</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-odd-row><TD>Sergei Berdnikov</TD><TD>85</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-even-row><TD>J. F. Aube</TD><TD>84</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-odd-row><TD>Shawn Wheeler</TD><TD>68</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-even-row><TD>Kurt Seher</TD><TD>73</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-odd-row><TD>Kevin Hilton</TD><TD>62</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-even-row><TD>Andrei Bashkirov</TD><TD>47</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-odd-row><TD>Marc Tropper</TD><TD>47</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Jamieson healthy, excited to play (http://www.charlotte.com/checkers/story/325175.html)
Checkers standout was hurt much of last season
CLIFF MEHRTENS - cmehrtens@charlotteobserver.com (cmehrtens@charlotteobserver.com)
<!-- START /pubsys/production/story/story_assets.comp --><SCRIPT language=Javascript>function PopupPic(sPicURL, sHeight, sWidth) { window.open( "http://media.charlotteobserver.com/static/popup.html?"+sPicURL, "", "resizable=1,HEIGHT=" +sHeight+ ",WIDTH=" +sWidth); }</SCRIPT><!-- photo or image available --><!-- Start: /pubsys/production/story/assets/image_embedded.comp -->http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2007/10/19/07/893-CHECKERS_03.embedded.prod_affiliate.57.JPG (http://www.charlotte.com/checkers/story/325175-a325331-t2.html)
LAYNE BAILEY / Staff Photographer
10/17/2007 - Charlotte Checkers' Dusty Jamieson laughs with his teammates during practice. Jamieson missed most of last season with a serious neck injury.
<!-- End: /pubsys/production/story/assets/image_embedded.comp -->
<!-- no polls to display -->
<!-- END /pubsys/production/story/story_assets.comp -->Dusty Jamieson will hear a Charlotte Checkers teammate moan about a tough practice, and smile to himself.
"It is 100 times better than sitting in the training room, not being able to play," he said.
Jamieson missed 54 games last season with a concussion and neck injury. He had scored 24 or more goals each of the previous four seasons. Most nights, he donned a suit and watched.
"The longest year of my life," said Jamieson, 26.
"It was frustrating coming to the rink every day not being able to do anything. You feel like an outcast. You're part of the team, but you're really not.
"They're out on the road and you're at home."
Jamieson sizzled at the start of last season, with six goals in the first two games. Then, on Dec. 1, he was backchecking on a 2-on-1 against Pensacola. A collision slammed an opponents' skate against the back of Jamieson's helmet.
Goodbye season.
The frustrating part, for Jamieson and coach Derek Wilkinson, was no target date for his return. He'd skate for a few days, be on the verge of returning and the symptoms -- "fuzziness," Jamieson called it -- would return.
He has been cleared to play when the Checkers open their 15th ECHL season at 7:30 p.m. today against the Columbia Inferno at Bobcats Arena.
Jamieson's 122 goals are the second-most in team history (behind Darryl Noren's 174).
His five seasons here make him Charlotte's most recognizable player. Kids asked for autographs during the postgame skate Saturday after an exhibition.
Teenage girls gawked, and one invited Jamieson rinkside for a photo.
"Our fans are amazing, and the people here have been great to me," Jamieson said. "I love them coming up and talking to me."
He remembers his heroes as a youth in Forest, Ontario -- the Junior B players, only a few years older. But, Jamieson said, he could interact with them, much like the Checkers can.
Wilkinson is guarded about expectations. The ECHL is getting younger, and Jamieson essentially must rebound from a lost season.
"If he scores 30 goals for us, great," Wilkinson said. "But if he scores 10 he can still be a very useful player, and that's what we want. As coaches, we don't have any pressure on him to be our go-to guy. We have a lot of guys who can contribute, and we want to see where he can get to."
To Jamieson, being the go-to guy is nothing new. He's thrilled just to be one of the guys.
"The last few years, I'd take for granted that I'd be coming into camp, and playing," he said. "My outlook on hockey has changed. I've had a blast, being able to come to the rink, hanging out with the boys, telling stories and laughing."
"It's almost like a second life. I'm enjoying every minute of it."
Today's Game
Columbia vs. Charlotte,7:30 p.m., Bobcats Arena
Dusty Jamieson
POSITION: Left wing. HEIGHT: 6-foot-2
HOMETOWN: Forest, Ontario.
IS THAT YOUR REAL FIRST NAME? "No, it's Justin. My dad wanted to name me Dusty, and mom wanted to name me Justin. Mom won out."
BEST HOCKEY MOMENT AS A KID? "Going to see Mario Lemieux play at (Detroit's) Joe Louis Arena. Awesome. He was my idol. My parents took me over, the only NHL game I saw as a kid."
WHAT'S IN YOUR iPOD? "White Stripes, Tragically Hip and Kenny Chesney."
THREE FAMOUS PEOPLE YOU'D INVITE TO DINNER? "Roger Maris, he wasn't a fan favorite and no one expected him to do it. He did it anyway. God, obviously. He could tell some stories. And Mario Lemieux."
Most Goalsin Checkers' ECHL History
(1993-present)
<TABLE class=story-table border=0><TBODY><TR class=story-table-even-row><TD>NAME</TD><TD>GOALS</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-odd-row><TD>Darryl Noren</TD><TD>174</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-even-row><TD>Dusty Jamieson</TD><TD>122</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-odd-row><TD>Matt Robbins</TD><TD>113</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-even-row><TD>David Brosseau</TD><TD>110</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-odd-row><TD>Sergei Berdnikov</TD><TD>85</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-even-row><TD>J. F. Aube</TD><TD>84</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-odd-row><TD>Shawn Wheeler</TD><TD>68</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-even-row><TD>Kurt Seher</TD><TD>73</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-odd-row><TD>Kevin Hilton</TD><TD>62</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-even-row><TD>Andrei Bashkirov</TD><TD>47</TD></TR><TR class=story-table-odd-row><TD>Marc Tropper</TD><TD>47</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>