Kaminski brings dynamic duo to Mississippi

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. – The Mississippi RiverKings may be one of the new kids on the block in their first season in the CHL’s Southern Conference, but their lineup will be anything but new to the league. RiverKings Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Kevin “Killer” Kaminski has been busy building a roster that should have his team in the thick of the playoff race. Defenseman Derek Landmesser and forward Louis Dumont anchor a group of seven players that will return from last season’s squad. Between the two they have a combined 15 years of service with the RiverKings. Andrew Lackner and Dane Marshall will rejoin Landmesser on the blue line, while Darrell Stoddard and Matt Summers return as forwards. Goaltender Kyle McNulty returns in net after seeing action in nine games for Mississippi last season.

Mississippi turned heads earlier this week when they announced the signings of veterans Jeff Christian and Chris Richards. Kaminiski coached the pair for two seasons in Youngstown where they led the CHL scoring race both seasons. “Those are probably two of the best years I’ve had in hockey, playing for Killer,” Richards said. “He’s a great guy and a great coach and he gets the best out of his players and that’s what I’m looking for.” Last season, with the Corpus Christi IceRays, Richards netted 24 goals and  36 helpers for a total of 60 points. He has scored 20 or more goals and added 35 or more assists in each of the last five seasons. Richards, entering his eleventh season in the CHL, has accumulated 294 goals and 620 assists overall in 687 pro games. “He leads by example and has a great work ethic,” Kaminski said. “Offensively, Chris will be a great asset on the power play, make the little passes and he has a great scoring touch.” Christian, who enters his sixth season in the CHL, was the league’s 2006-07 Most Valuable Player after posting 38 goals and 78 assists for 116 points. Throughout his professional hockey career, the second-round draft pick (23rd overall) of the New Jersey Devils in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft has played in 1,253 games while amassing 524 goals, 709 assists and 1,233 points. He has also seen action in 18 NHL games with the New Jersey Devils, Pittsburgh Penguins and Phoenix Coyotes.Mississippi is the third team on Christian’s CHL resume since Youngstown left the league. The 40 year-old forward spent two seasons with the Tulsa Oilers before playing last season with the Missouri Mavericks.
“Jeff has great skills and vision to make the little plays and also loves to score big goals,” Kaminski said. “He’s a pressure player, being well over a point per game. We are excited to have him in a RiverKings uniform.” Over the course of two seasons, Richardson and Christian have combined to score 421 points while combining for 77 goals each year. By comparison, Mississippi’s top three goal scorers during the 2009-10 season combined to score 79 goals. “I’m very excited to come to Mississippi for a number of reasons,” Christian said. “One is the chance to reunite with Killer, (with whom) I’ve had a lot of success.” he said. With Landmesser, Dumont, Richards and Christian, the RiverKings now have a dynamic group of veteran players that will make them one of the favorites in the Southern Conference. The four have combined to score 3,821 points (1,320 goals and 2,501 assists) in 3,789 professional games. With those numbers, Mississippi is sure to put up some big numbers during the 2010-11 season. While big offensive numbers are nice, the team hopes that the leadership of these key vets will help them secure more wins during the upcoming season. “I feel very fortunate that I’ve been given this opportunity to come in and be a part of this team,” Christian said. “It doesn’t matter who gets the credit, just as long as we get the win,” he said. The RiverKings open the 2010-11 season on Friday, October 15 at Bossier-Shreveport. The two teams will then travel to Southaven for Mississippi’s home opener the following night. Contact the author at: john.hall@prohockeynews.com