The Columbus Cottonmouths are on the verge of claiming an SPHL playoff berth for the sixth straight season, but coach Jerome Bechard still is tinkering with his team.
Wednesday, Bechard waived forward Tommy McMonagle, plucked Daryl Moore off the waiver wire and signed rookie defenseman Tommy Upton.
Moore, a 5-foot-7 forward from Brampton, Ontario, was waived by the Louisiana IceGators. Moore spent one season with the Pee Dee Cyclones and parts of two seasons with the Twin City Cyclones. He also spent part of last year with Rio Grande Valley of the Central Hockey League.
“Daryl is an 85-point guy,” Bechard said. “He’s had a tough year because of an injury, but now he’s healthy and ready to go.”
This season, Moore played 37 games with Louisiana and tallied 34 points.
Bechard plans to place Moore on the line with Sam Bowles and Ryan McCarthy.
“We’ve got one line clicking and two lines not producing,” he said. “I needed somebody who would match up well with Bowles and McCarthy.”
The signing of Moore made McMonagle expendable. McMonagle was a member of the Snakes’ SPHL championship team in 2004-2005. He started the season in Knoxville, and Bechard claimed him off waivers in January. He had only 12 points in 26 games played.
“It hurts me because it was Tommy I had to waive,” Bechard said. “I had the same dilemma this summer. I didn’t bring him back at the beginning of the year because I didn’t want to be the guy who had to cut him.”
The Snakes signed rookie defenseman Tommy Upton to a three-game contract. Bechard still has three three-game contracts remaining. If McMonagle clears waivers and remains in town, Bechard could use a three-game contract to re-sign him.
Playoff rosters must be turned in by March 29.
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