PRE-SEASON ROSTER SET AFTER FINAL CUTS

Thunder Bay, ON- The Thunder Bay Timberwolves have finalized what looks to be their Opening Night lineup for the 2010-11 season. After some hefty contracts were sent to the minors and a change in club policy will limit those inactive from game action while on a practise squad.

>>>First the cuts, and some major ones indeed. Many vets were re-assigned to Duluth. In the likes of Ethan Moreau, Dean McAmmond, Tom Kostopoulos and Thunder Bay-native, Taylor Pyatt were sent to the Pups. They join a youth-laden cast in Magnus Paajarvi, Brandon Pirri, Matt Halischuk, etc.

>>>That leaves the rookies John Tavares and Matt Duchene up front with Marc Savard, Marian Gaborik, Ales Hemsky, Simon Gagne, Patrick Sharp, Mike Fisher, Milan Lucic, TJ Oshie, Antti Miettinen and Colby Armstrong.

>>>On the blueline, with the acquisition of Anton Volchenkov (pictured) and Douglas Murray for Matt Niskanen, things were already tight for roster spots before Training Camp. Along with these two, the Timberwolves also had three rookies looking to add their name to the game 1 media guide. John Carlson, Jason Garrison and Carl Gunnarsson made things very interesting. The ladder of those three in the end was the only one to make it past the final cut. Carlson and Garrison were re-assigned to Duluth. The play of Gunnarsson made things difficult for veteren defensemen Sheldon Souray and Adam Foote. Both were expected to solidify the 6th and 7th spots. But both will start the season down the Lake Superior shore. Yes, Souray and his $12 million/per will be playing in the minors.

>>>"It's a tough pill to swallow from a financial aspect," said Timberwolves GM, Blake Wendt. "We'd love for Sheldon to be up here and playing to that contract. But he simply was outplayed and lost his spot. This is a game of performance, not how much someone is making. Obviously I have and am going to continue to take heat for sending a guy with $24 million left on his contract to the minors. That's fine. We're just hopeful at this point that Sheldon refines his game in Duluth and we see him back up in Thunder Bay soon and earns what he's being paid."

>>>With no pairings set for now, the top-6 will be captain, Keith Ballard, Volchenkov, Murray, Gunnarsson, Nick Schultz and Erik Johnson who missed all of last season due to injury.

>>>In net, there are no changes. Jonas Hiller and Brian Elliott will battle this pre-season for who starts in game 1. But after that, it is likely that the two will alternate from game-to-game. 2010-draftee, Chad Johnson made a push, but was ultimately sent to Duluth.

>>>Now in respect to running a practise squad of 4-to-5 players as in years past, that will no longer be the case according to Wendt and head coach, Craig Hartsburg.

>>>"No one sits is basically what's going to happen," said Wendt. "This is why you're seeing some of these veterens sent down that normally would still be with the top club and practise and travel, but not play unless there were an injury. This is good for the player as they still get in game action and good for the logistics of travel and the added luggage, equipment and hotel rooms. But I will add that for any extended periods in Europe, we will bring in a player or two simply because it'd be impossible to fly over a guy that would be ready for a game with little to no rest."

>>>As the league awaits for a finalized pre-season schedule, the 20 Timberwolves will spend the next week in Ely, Minnesota for some "team building".