BIASUCCI BEING SHOPPED

The Ontario Hockey League Brampton Battalion is listening to trade offers for 18-year old goalie Joey Biasucci, SooToday.com has learned. Biasucci, a native of Sault Ste. Marie, won seven games as a rookie this past season for Brampton, which missed the OHL playoffs. An 11th-round pick of the Battalion at the 2000 OHL draft, Biasucci played in a backup role to Brad Topping during the '01-02 campaign. Biasucci and Topping are both the same age. With Topping firmly cemented as Brampton's no. 1 goalie, Battalion coach/general manager Stan Butler is apparently willing to give Biasucci the opportunity to be a starter elsewhere. The Windsor Spitfires and Owen Sound Attack are two teams who have reportedly shown an interest in Biasucci. Butler is said to want a fourth-round draft choice and a conditional pick in exchange for Biasucci, who is the son of Soo Greyhounds' president Sam Biasucci. Both Windsor and Owen Sound have graduated their starting goalies with Cory Campbell having departed the Spitfires and Derek Dolson having exited the Attack. With Biasucci being shopped around by Brampton, it's also possible that the Greyhounds might show an interest in the local product. Goalie Ray Emery is a possibility to return as a Greyhound overage even though he's under contract to the National Hockey League Ottawa Senators. The Hounds also have Brock McGillis and Jeff Weber, who served as backups to Emery last season. The elder Biasucci, when asked if the Hounds were interested in his son, laughed before adding: "That's something you'll have to ask (Hounds' coach/general manager) John Vanbiesbrouck. "I have heard that there is interest being shown in Joey and I do know where Stan (Butler) is coming from. As a parent I'm looking after the best interests of my son but as an owner of an OHL team, I have to be careful what I say."