Arriving late in the morning skate at Wonderland (because there’s basketball at the arena): Calder Cup champion Philip-Michael Devos, who’s joining the Sound Tigers on a pro tryout. (And yes, if you remember his stops in Norfolk and Syracuse, tonight he’ll become the first Sound Tiger to wear No. 88; he’ll actually become the first Sound Tiger to actually wear a number in the 80s, considering the unfortunate case of 2006-07’s No. 81, Brandon Cullen.) Sean Wiles was let go from his PTO, keeping them at today’s skate at 14 forwards (including Joey Diamond, who might not be ready to go quite yet, and Kirill Kabanov, who appears to be out again tonight with the effects of that blocked shot a week ago) and eight defensemen (though defenseman Scooter Vaughan has been playing forward and will again tonight).
“I’ve had some good communication throughout the league, and his name popped up, that he’s been playing very well at center,” Scott Pellerin said. “He’s got a lot of AHL experience.”
Wiles returns to Reading after being the odd man out the last little while, getting in every other game the past couple of weeks, playing Thursday only once Pierre-Marc Bouchard wasn’t able to go (it appears Bouchard is in tonight, by the way).
“Sean and I had some really good talks regarding the way he’s been playing and what our expectations were,” Pellerin said. “We were honest with each other. He knows he needed to play better. It’s an opportunity for him to go down and get some games, play and find that confidence, to play the way he needs to.”
Anders Nilsson was first off the ice. More from up there.