FORT WAYNE KOMETS PRESS RELEASE                    
Posted Monday, July 7, 2008

Fort Wayne, IN — The Komets announced Monday that veterans Konstantin Shafranov and Kevin Bertram will be back in the Fort Wayne fold for 2008-09.

Shafranov, 39, returned to the Komets last season after seven-year stint of Russian Elite League play and posted 23 goals, 35 assists for 58 points in 71 games. Shafranov was selected by St. Louis in the ninth round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft and skated five games with the Blues in 1996-97 scoring 2 goals and 3 points. 2008-09 will be the winger's 18th pro year and fifth regular season in Fort Wayne. Shafranov first skated for the Komets during the 1995-96 season when he was the IHL's Rookie of the Year and led the Komets with 46 goals. Shafranov followed with Fort Wayne stints in 1997-98, 1998-99 (playoffs only), and 1999-00 before returning to his native Kazakhstan for European play. Shafranov's career in Fort Wayne includes 112 goals, 130 assists for 242 points in 232 games over four regular seasons of play.

Bertram, 31, will skate his sixth season on the Komet defense when the 2008-09 campaign begins in October and will be looking for his third championship with the Komets. In addition to last season's title, the defensemen also was a member of the 2003 Fort Wayne championship team. Bertram, named the Komet's Unsung Hero for the year, appeared in 74 games last season registering 15 assists, 17 points while accumulating 271 penalty minutes. Bertram will continue his Komet career while also serving as a Fort Wayne fireman.

Shafranov and Bertram join center Colin Chaulk and winger P.C. Drouin as returnees to the Komets for 2007-08.

"We are retaining two important players for our defending Turner Cup team with the signing of Shafranov and Bertram," Komet's general manager David Franke said. "Once both players got re-acclimated to the IHL style of play they were major contributors to our overall success. Their signing along with the return of Chaulk and Drouin gives us a solid core of players to build from."

The Komet's defense of the Turner Cup Championship begins on the road at Port Huron Friday, Oct. 17. The Fort Wayne home opener is slated for Saturday, Oct. 18 against the Flint Generals at 7:30pm.