Sometimes a demotion isn’t a setback, but a chance to start over.

That’s how six Fort Wayne Komets who played all or most of last season in the American Hockey League are looking at getting sent to the ECHL this year. Will Weber, Cody Corbett, Trevor Cheek, Garrett Thompson, Jordon Southorn and even Garrett Meurs are using an assignment to Fort Wayne as a chance to reboot their careers.

“For me it wasn’t too hard because I understood the situation,” Weber said. “I think for some guys it couple be tougher, but I know what type of player I am. I’m just a hard worker and not a skill guy. It’s good to have that mentality to just be the best you can down here and see what happens.”

Many players like the opportunities they are presented at a lower level to play more minutes, have a more important role on a team and maybe play more on the power play or penalty kill. Playing the fourth line in the AHL means they might get three shifts a period at most, but the ECHL uses three lines so there are more chances.

“Obviously there are a lot of good players here and a lot who could play at the next level,” Thompson said. “The bench is shorter here so unless you are on the top two lines and playing a bunch of minutes you get a lot more icetime here.”

Instead of being strictly a checking line skater, maybe a player gets to skate on the top two ECHL lines and is allowed to show his all-around game more.

“It’s kind of refinding your love of the game and getting to play a lot again,” said Cheek who has scored five goals in the Komets’ first four games. “It’s a good group of guys here and everybody is having fun. If wasn’t such a good group, it probably wouldn’t be as much fun.”

What was his role last year in the AHL?

“Mainly fourth line and scratch,” he said.

Corbett said he never got to play on the power play last year, and he played more during the Komets’ first four games than he had during any 10-game stretch in the AHL.

“I think it’s all positive,” he said. “You play that many minutes in a night, you can’t beat it.”

It helps that Komets coach Gary Graham meets with the players when they report to talk about what their role will be in Fort Wayne and what they need to work on to get back to the AHL. He also shows confidence in them.

“I want them to understand that my goal is to help them get to where they want to get to,” Graham said. “We want to win as Fort Wayne Komets, but I want to be part of the process to help them get to where they want to. They understand they are going to play a lot here and produce.”

And sometimes it’s not as critical for Graham to help the player work on their shot or their defense as it is their confidence.

“Sometimes when you get to the AHL level, maybe you aren’t getting all the minutes you need to develop and get your confidence going,” the coach said. “This can be a great step to get yourself going. Maybe you are in the last year of your deal and you get a chance to have a good year and maybe set yourself up for the future. Confidence plays such a key part in these young kids’ development.”