Crows sign Vary to new job <br><br>By ALAN ESKEW
<br>The Capital-Journal <br><br>John Vary, a Central
Hockey League All-Star defenseman, will be back with the
Topeka ScareCrows, but with added
responsibilities.<br><br>Vary re-signed with the ScareCrows, but was given the
title as player-assistant coach. Vary is the first
veteran of the four allotted by league rules to sign with
the ScareCrows.<br><br>"I'm happy to have him aboard
again," ScareCrows coach Paul Kelly said. "I feel like we
have one of the best defensemen in the league, and
it's a good start for us."<br><br>Vary, who played in
all but one of the 70 ScareCrows games last season,
ranked among the CHL leaders among defensemen in scoring
with 20 goals, including 12 on power plays, and 56
assists.<br><br>His 76 points tied winger Steve Moore for second on
the team. Vary's plus 15 and 313 shots were team
highs.<br><br>The ScareCrows were without an assistant coach most
of last season after releasing Kyle Haviland, who
was also a player-assistant, on Nov. 16.<br><br>Kelly
said he hopes to bring back center Blair Manning, the
ScareCrows captain last season. Manning, who tallied 59
points, will probably go to camp with a National Hockey
League or International Hockey League club but would
return to Topeka if he does not make it a higher
level.<br><br>If Manning comes back, Kelly would have only two
more openings for veterans.<br><br>Kelly said he is
looking for a prolific scorer to replace Brett Seguin,
who will not return. Seguin, a two-time CHL All-Star
selection, led the ScareCrows with 97 points and 75 assists
last season.<br><br>Kelly is also searching for
another goal keeper. Michal Podolka, who was 10-5-2 as a
backup to Rod Branch last season, said he will not
return.<br><br>Jason Lafreniere, a center with NHL experience who
played three road games with the ScareCrows last season,
could pick up the scoring slack in Seguin's absence.
Kelly would like to have Lafreniere for a full CHL
season.<br><br>"I talked to him and he is going to play next year,"
Kelly said. "He definitely has some interest in coming
back to Topeka." <br><br>Lafreniere is also looking
into the possibility of playing in Europe.<br><br>"He
can make $50,000 tax free there," Kelly said. "They
only play 40 to 50 games in Europe, so it's less
strenuous. He's got to make a commitment if he wants to
comeback. He thinks he's got a couple of years
left.<br><br>"We'll make him a pretty fair offer. It will go on for a
little bit with Lafreniere. It won't be settled in three
days. We'll continue to talk."<br><br>Kelly said he has
also had conversations with Bill Monkman, the only
rookie selected to the CHL All-Star game. Monkman, who
scored a team high 38 goals, was offered a contract
before returning home to Canada, but he
declined.<br><br>"He's looking at his options," Kelly said. "He's also
had some interest in going to Europe to play. I've
left a message with his mother to give me a call."
<br><br>Kelly is also searching for another goal keeper. Michal
Podolka, who was 10-5-2 as a backup to Rod Branch last
season, said he will not return.<br><br>In one rule
change from the CHL meetings in San Antonio, all teams
must carry at least three rookies. Kelly said that
rule should not have much of an impact since most
teams had three rookies last season.
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