Giosa thrilled to sign with Komets

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Because he wants to learn and win, Eric Giosa signed with the Fort Wayne Komets on Wednesday.

Giosa, 27, a 5-11, 182-pound center, and rookie defenseman Daniel Maggio are the latest Komets signings, and both should be cornerstones for the upcoming season. Giosa scored 28 goals and 70 points last year in 64 games with Quad City of the Central Hockey League, and Maggio, 21, had a huge presence during the playoffs for the Komets.

``Being that team guy is one of the things that sold me on Fort Wayne,'' Giosa said. ``It's always about putting the W's up, and no one cares how it goes as long as you win. It's something I want to be a part of.''

Giosa said he was sold on the Komets after a half-hour phone conversation with player-assistant coach Colin Chaulk. Giosa thinks he can learn a great deal from Chaulk.

``I want to come in and learn from a vet like that because I play the same style,'' Giosa said. ``It will be a win-win or everyone.''

Giosa also played a year in juniors with Komets forward Kaleigh Schrock.

``He's always been really good at creating space in the offensive zone for himself and his linemates,'' Schrock said. ``I'm sure depending on the centers we get back he could be utilized as a winger, too. He's also a guy who is pretty good defensively as well.''

Maggio said he knew immediately he wanted to sign with the Komets. He scored two goals and five points in 15 playoff games but earned more ice time as the postseason went on.

``I was pretty blessed to be on a great team and jump on a team at the end of the season that went on to win a championship,'' Maggio said. ``My main concern when I came was I didn't want to step on anyone's toes. Colin brought me aside and said, `We're here to win.' After the first game, I think everyone accepted who I was as a player.''

Maggio's goal is still to advance to the American Hockey League, and he is convinced the Komets can help him do that.

``He didn't look like a rookie at all,'' Komets General Manager David Franke said. ``He's young and hungry and I think he has a lot of upside. I think he can be one of our top three or four defensemen on the team.''

Franke also said the Komets do not expect to re-sign Jamie Lovell, Bobby Chaumont, T.J. Miller, Jamie Milam, Gerry Festa or Tom Mele for next season.

The Komets are still working on finding a way to re-sign Chris Auger, J.M. Rizk, Stephon Thorne, Frankie DeAngelis and Mike Vaskivuo. Vaskivuo has already signed to play in France, but the Komets think they can entice him back with a two-way agreement with an AHL team.

``We're probably 50-50 that we'll be able to get something done to keep him here, but that's a little bit higher than it was a couple of weeks ago,'' Franke said.

bsebring@news-sentinel.com