The Central Hockey League Report

TEMPE, Ariz. – Here we are, just eight days from the start of training camps, 12 days from the opening of the pre-season schedule and 19 days from the start of the 2012-13 Central Hockey League season – can you feel the excitement? That’s more nervous excitement for fans of the Texas Brahmas who have yet to hear from the club, but Brahmas fans can be assured there will be hockey at the NYTEX Sports Centre (and elsewhere), this season. The timing and details involved with the sale of the franchise have no doubt created numerous circumstances that have led to continued silence from the club, but things are being worked out and players are beginning to head to North Texas in anticipation of the team’s training camp. It’s an understatement to say that nothing has worked out the way everyone would have liked this off-season, but continue to be patient Brahmas fans – and be happy there will be a season after all.
In other news around the league: Allen Americans
The Allen Americans announced the signing of forward Ryley Grantham on Friday, to a contract for the up-coming 2012-2013 season. Grantham is a former sixth round draft pick of the of the Calgary Flames, 161st overall, in the 2008 NHL entry draft.   Grantham, 24, is a native of Hanna, Alberta, standing 6′ 3″, 210 pounds. He will begin his first season with the Allen Americans, after spending last year under the direction of Head Coach Steve Martinson with the Chicago Express of the ECHL. In 19 games, Grantham had 11 points, and 75 penalty minutes.   “Ryley Grantham is a tough physical forward with great hands,” Martinson said. “I expect him to score goals, make plays, and be a tough forward to play against.”   Prior to Chicago, Grantham spent parts of two seasons in the ECHL,with both Gwinnett and Utah. He played in 89 games with the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League from 2009-2011, collecting 163 penalty minutes in 2009.   Grantham played junior hockey for three seasons with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL from 2006-2008, and a stint with the Kelowna Rockets in 2008-2009. Grantham has been invited to the Houston Aeros training camp scheduled to open on September 28th in Minnesota. The Aeros are the AAA minor league affiliate of the Minnesota Wild.
In other news, the following players will attend AHL training camps:
Trevor Ludwig (D) – Oklahoma City Barons
Ryley Grantham (F) – Houston Aeros
Scott Howes (F) – Texas Stars
Arizona Sundogs
There was no news of note from the Sundogs organization this week.
Bloomington Blaze
The Blaze announced the return of one of last season’s top scorers – Kyle Laughlin. The 6′ 0″, 190-pound forward begins his fourth professional season and his second campaign in Bloomington. He registered 22 goals with 19 assists for 41 points during the Blaze’s inaugural season of 2011-12. He was second on the squad in goals and third in points while playing in 62 games. “Kyle had a strong season with the Blaze last year scoring 22 goals,” Blaze coach Brian Gratz said. “He has worked hard this summer to continue to improve his game to be an even bigger contributor this upcoming season. I look forward to seeing his improvement on the ice.”
He was a standout and co-captain during four years at Providence College. He is the son of former NHL player and current Washington Capitals television analyst Craig Laughlin.
Denver Cutthroats
There was no news of note from the Cutthroats organization this week.
In other news, the following players will attend AHL training camps:
A.J. Gale (F) – Lake Erie Monsters Missouri Mavericks
There was no news of note from the Mavericks organization this week. Quad City Mallards On Wednesday, the Mallards announced they have signed defenseman Mitch McColm and forward Mike Owens.  McColm, a 6′ 4″, 212-pound 23-year old, scored three goals and added a pair of assists in 12 games for South Alberta Institute of Technology last season.   “Mitch is a big, strong, tough, reliable defenseman who you put out there when the game is on the line,” Mallards coach and general manager Terry Ruskowski said. “He may not be flashy but he sure is effective and is a mainstay at the point position. I’m really excited to have him on our team.” McColm spent last season in the Canadian university ranks after missing most of the prior campaign due to injury. 2010-11 would have been McColm’s first full professional season had he not been limited to just three games- two for the ECHL’s Florida Everblades and one for the CHL’s Allen Americans. The Calgary native broke into pro hockey with Florida at the tail end of the 2009-10 season. Before joining the Everblades, McColm spent three full seasons- and parts of two other campaigns- in the major junior Western Hockey League, where he skated for the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Tri-City Americans, Chilliwack Bruins and Regina Pats.  Owens, 24, joins the Mallards after enjoying a standout senior season at Massachusetts-Dartmouth that saw him named a 2011-12 Division III Third Team East All-American. Owens, who served as the Corsairs’ captain, finished last season tied for second in the nation in goals (23) and tied for seventh in points (40). He also scored seven power play goals and three game winners over 27 games. “Mike’s coming off an outstanding final season in college where he’s shown he can be very productive and also taken on leadership responsibilities as a captain,” Ruskowski said. “Now I’m looking forward to seeing him show those skills in the Quad Cities.” All-American status was just one of a host of honors Owens earned last year. The South Boston native was also named Massachusetts Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year, a member of the All-MASCAC First Team and a MASCAC Academic All-Conference selection. In addition, he was named a finalist for the Sid Watson Memorial Award, which is presented to the top Division III player in the nation. Over his four-year collegiate career, the 5′ 10″, 187-pound Owens scored 42 times and recorded 80 points in 101 games. As a junior, Owens helped propel UMD to the MASCAC regular season title.  On Thursday, the Mallards announced they have signed goaltender Kurt Jory and forward Eddie Effinger. Jory, 25, went 12-13-0 with a 3.28 goals against average and a .871 save percentage in 25 games while serving as team captain for Brock University in Ontario last season. The Brandon, Manitoba native made a remarkable return to the ice with Brock for the 2010-11 season after suffering a severed artery in his neck during a November, 2008 game. “Kurt’s not only a solid goaltender but also a leader and someone who’s good in the locker room,” Ruskowski said. “It takes a lot to overcome the kind of injury he had especially because something like that stays with you, so he’s shown a strong will and strong mind to overcome that. He just wants a chance to show what he can do on the ice and we’re happy to give him that chance.” The 6′ 1″, 185-pound Jory posted a 2.96 goals against average and a .890 save percentage while going 30-36-0 over three seasons at Brock. His 2010-11 comeback campaign proved so successful that Jory was named the Badgers’ Most Valuable Player for the second time after going 12-14-0 in 27 games with a 2.84 goals against average and a .899 save percentage. He first earned team MVP honors in his first year at Brock, a season that saw Jory set a school single season record by turning in a 2.63 goals against average.  Jory enrolled at Brock after spending four seasons in the Canadian junior ranks with the Neepawa Natives of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, the Brandon Wheat Kings of the major junior Western Hockey League and the Langley Chiefs of the British Columbia Hockey League.  Effinger, 24, last season scored 11 goals and totaled 21 points in 23 games while captaining Amherst College to a New England Small College Athletic Conference title and the school’s first ever berth in NCAA Division III Frozen Four.  “Eddie’s a promising young player who’s coming off a strong college career where he was a key contributor to a winning program,” Ruskowski said.  “He’s also another guy who’s shown really good leadership qualities. Good two-way players like him are an important part of any team.” Effinger, a 5′ 9″, 175-pound Belleville, Illinois, native, scored 38 goals and produced 77 points in 97 games over his four years at Amherst. Last year marked the second time during Effinger’s college career that he and the Lord Jeffs claimed both the NESCAC title and an NCAA tournament bid. Amherst also accomplished the feat in 2008-09. Eddie Effinger also boasts strong hockey bloodlines- he is the younger brother of goaltender Charlie Effinger, who signed with the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets this off-season after competing against the Mallards for the Missouri Mavericks last year.
Rapid City Rush
There was no news of note from the Rush organization this week.
In other news, the following players will attend AHL training camps:
Jordan Behler (D) – Worcester Sharks
Michael Glaicar (D) – Peoria Rivermen
Texas Brahmas
There was no news of note from the Brahmas organization this week, but we’re quite used to that.
Tulsa Oilers
The Tulsa Oilers are bringing back a fan favorite and one of the top scorers in minor league hockey with the signing of David Alexandre Beauregard for the 2012-13 season. Beauregard, a 1994 draft pick of the San Jose Sharks, has played in nine leagues and four countries over the span of a 16-year professional career. The 36-year old spent the last two seasons helping the Nottingham Panthers of the English League win back-to-back championships. “Tulsa is my home and I have so many good memories from playing here before,” Beauregard said. “I’m very excited to be an Oiler again because I know so many people here, I know many of the players on the team and I’m expecting it to be a great year.” “David is a great addition to our team,” Oilers Head Coach Bruce Ramsay said. “He’s a proven winner and a proven goal-scorer and I know his leadership will be a huge contribution to our club. We’re thrilled to have him back in Tulsa.” In Beauregard’s first year in Tulsa (2006-07), the left-winger poured in 39 goals and registered 32 assists in 64 games. The following season, Beauregard continued his torrid scoring pace with 35 goals and 36 assists. Beauregard left the Oilers to play in England and Italy but returned to Tulsa for 16 games during the 2009-10 season. Already a seasoned veteran in his first tour with Tulsa, this time around, Beauregard will be the oldest player on the Oilers roster. “It’s not about the age, it’s all about the passion and I still have the passion for the game,” Beauregard said. “If I didn’t think I could help the team, I wouldn’t have signed but I think I can still score a few goals and I’ll be able to help our young guys. I’m probably not going to have 40 goals and 100 points, but I just want to win, I want to have fun, and I want to help everybody.” After starting his professional career in 1996 with the AHL’s Kentucky Thoroughblades, Beauregard got his first taste of the CHL when he arrived in Wichita in 1997. In 57 games with the Thunder, Beauregard put up 71 points (42 goals, 29 assists) and earned Rookie of the Year honors. In 13 of the next 14 seasons, Beauregard scored 25 or more goals and reached the 50-goal plateau three times. His attitude and demeanor on the ice earned the respect of his opponents, and in 2007-08, Beauregard was named the CHL’s Most Gentlemanly Player. “I’m a guy who gets along with almost everyone,” Beauregard said. “Right now we have a great group of guys on this team who like to compete so I can’t wait to get this season going.”
The Tulsa Oilers announced today the signings of defenseman Chris Waterstradt and goaltender Dan Bakala for the 2012-13 season.
Waterstradt, a native Tulsan who grew up cheering for the Oilers, will get his first taste of pro hockey after finishing successful collegiate career at the University of Connecticut. The 6′ 2″ 185-pound blue liner was six years old when he started attending Oilers games at the Convention Center. The kid who idolized names like Doug Lawrence, Luc Beausoleil, Sly Naud, and Tom Karalis, now has a chance to follow in their footsteps.
“It’s neat to be part of the team I grew up watching and to have the opportunity to play in my hometown, I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Waterstradt said. “The Oilers were like an NHL team to me when I was a kid, and I got to know some of them as I got older. For those great players to know my name and give me advice was something I never would have had in a bigger city.”
“It’s awesome to bring in a guy like Chris because it just goes to show you that pro hockey players can come from anywhere, even right here in our own backyard,” Ramsay said. “There is some good talent right here in Tulsa and I hope some of these young kids in youth hockey will look at Chris as an inspiration.”
After graduating from Thomas Edison High School in 2005, the 25-year old Waterstradt played one season of junior hockey with the Springfield Junior Blues (NAHL) before heading northeast to play for the Huskies. At UConn, Waterstradt was part of a defensive unit that included current Oilers Sean Erickson and Nick Schneider.
“Both Sean and Nick really helped me adjust to the college game, and I know they’ll help me out as I adjust to this level,” Waterstradt said. “I never would have seen us all ending up on the same team after college.  We’re really good friends and this is a unique situation.”
Bakala, a native of Calgary, Alberta joins the Oilers after four years at Bemidji State University in Minnesota where he played alongside Oilers forwards Ryan Cramer and Drew Fisher. In the 2009-10 season with the Beavers, Bakala posted 19 wins and a stellar 2.33 goals against average in 31 appearances.
“I thought it’d be nice to start my career playing with some guys I know,” Bakala said. “I’m familiar with the CHL and I know the guys who play in that league have good track records, so it’s going to be a challenge, but I’m really looking forward to getting into camp and getting started.”
“Dan is an outstanding young goaltender and I think he can be a tremendous asset to our team,” Ramsay said. “It’s such an important position but with his background and experience, I think he can have a big impact as a rookie.”
Bakala, 24, played his junior hockey for the Calgary Royals. The 5′ 11″ 185-pound netminder says he was convinced Tulsa was the right fit after hearing what Ramsay expects from his players.
“He did a good job of selling the program,” Bakala said. “He wants to see guys move up and he finds it in his best interest for players to move up and improve. He wants to develop my game and help me become more successful and that’s exactly the kind of coach I want to play for.”
In other news, the following players will attend AHL training camps:
Ian Keserich (G) – Oklahoma City Barons
Gary Steffes (F) – Oklahoma City Barons
Wichita Thunder
There was no news of note from the Thunder organization this week.
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