The Central Hockey League Report

TEMPE, Ariz. – The Central Hockey League The CHL announced on Tuesday that the Laredo Bucks franchise rights have been transferred to the market of St. Charles County in Missouri and that the new franchise will compete in the CHL beginning with the 2013-14 season. The new team will be called the Chill.
The Chill fits neatly into the CHL’s footprint as three clubs sit within 275 miles (Bloomington Blaze, Missouri Mavericks and Quad City Mallards) and the Tulsa Oilers and Wichita Thunder are roughly 400 miles from the new team.
“It is with great excitement that we announce that St. Charles and The Family Arena are now a part of the Central Hockey League family,” CHL Commissioner Duane Lewis said.  “We know the Chill is in great hands with the very accomplished and highly decorated people that are heading up this effort.
In other news around the league: Allen Americans
Defenseman Dylan King, who played 48 games with the Americans last season has reportedly signed with the expansion San Francisco Bulls (ECHL). Arizona Sundogs
The Arizona Sundogs announced that they have signed forward Chad Nehring to their 2012-13 roster. The 25-year-old, 5’ 11” native of Springside, Saskatchewan began his pro career with the Idaho Steelheads(ECHL) where he played in 64 games and tallied 35 points (18 G, 17 A). Prior to signing in Idaho, Nehring played for four seasons at Lake Superior State University.  During his time in the NCAA he scored 53 points (30 G, 23 A) in 147 games. Nehring spent his three junior years from 2004-07 playing for the Yorkton Terriers (SJHL) where he tallied 129 points (59 G, 70 A) in 151 games.  Nehring is no stranger to the high pressure associated with playoff games, having played in 10 post season games last season in the ECHL. He also contributed to the Yorkton Terriers SJHL League Championships in 2005 and 2006.  Nehring also won a gold medal in The World Junior “A” Challenge, for Team Canada West, an international event featuring the best under-20 players in Junior A hockey in Canada, as well as national teams from across Europe.
Forward Samson Mahbod, who played 43 games with the Sundogs last season has reportedly signed with the Orlando Solar Bears (ECHL).
Defenseman Zach Carriveau, who played 35 games with the Sundogs and 25 games with the Missouri Mavericks has reportedly signed with the Fife Flyers (EIHL). Bloomington Blaze

The Blaze has signed a second goaltender for the 2012-13 season, Pier Olivier Pelletier. Pelletier made his first professional appearance in the 2009-10 season with the Thetford Mines Isothermic of the LNAH followed by stints with the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL and the CHL’s Laredo Bucks. Last season with the Evansville Icemen, Pelletier had an average of 2.93 goals allowed per game with a .911 save percentage. “With the addition of Pier to our roster, I feel that we have two very strong goaltenders,” Blaze head coach Brian Gratz said as Pelletier joins previously-signed goalie Dan Dunn on the pre-season roster. “Pier is a big technical goaltender with AHL experience who will give us a great chance to win every night.” Denver Cutthroats
The Cutthroats increased their pre-season roster by two with the signings of forward Takuma Kawai and rookie defenseman Tyler Atkins. Kawai will begin his fourth professional season and first in the CHL after playing in the Asia League for the past three years. The Eniwa, Japan native also was a member of Japan’s National Team each of the last three years. “Kawai is a speedy forward with Canadian Major Junior experience who’s ready to shift his game to the U.S.,” Cutthroats Head Coach Derek Armstrong said. “He has a connection to our team after playing with Aaron MacKenzie last season in Asia and we’re exciting to bring him in.” While playing alongside MacKenzie last season, the 23-year-old recorded 26 points (6 G, 20 A) in 36 games for the Tohoku Free Blades. The 5’ 11”, 185-pound forward also skated for the Free Blades the two previous seasons, registering 56 points (14 G, 42 A) in 89 total games from 2009-12. Prior to turning pro, Kawai spent two seasons in the QMJHL – appearing in 72 games and tallying 16 points on six goals and 10 assists. Atkins, 25, begins his pro career after completing a four-year stint at Castleton State College in Vermont where he co-captained the Men’s Hockey Team his senior season and registered 25 points (2 G, 25 A) in 27 games.
“Tyler is a young, puck-moving defenseman that will have a chance to learn from some of our veteran players as he begins his career,” Armstrong added. “He was a leader in college and he steadily improved on the ice during his college career. Now we’re looking for him to continue that progress with us.” The 5’ 11”, 185-pound product of Brockville, Ontario finished his collegiate career tied as the leading scorer in school history among defensemen with 63 points and second in games played with 103. Atkins scored 43 points in 54 games over his final two years at Castleton State College. Missouri Mavericks
Mavericks Head Coach Scott Hillman announced on Tuesday that the team has signed forward Brian Bicek and defenseman Blake Forsyth .
Bicek, 26, is entering his fifth professional season and fourth in the CHL. The Downers Grove, Illinois native played the past two seasons for the CHL’s Evansville IceMen where he had 121 points (60 G, 61 A) and 164 penalty minutes in 124 games. The 5’ 9”, 175-pound forward led the IceMen in goals in each of the past two seasons and he set a career-high with 33 goals last season.
Prior to playing for Evansville, Bicek played the 2009-10 season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks (IHL) and he played his rookie season with the CHL’s Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees in 2008-09. Overall, Bicek has 215 points (100 G, 115 A) and 325 penalty minutes in 263 professional games. Forsyth, 32, returns to the Mavericks after playing last season with the Rapid City Rush.  The 6’ 3”, 191-pound defenseman finished with 16 points (1 G, 15 A) in 60 games with Rapid City in 2011-12. Forsyth played for the Mavericks the previous season and led all defensemen in the CHL with a +26 plus/minus rating. He joined the Mavericks at the end of the team’s inaugural season and played in seven games with Missouri and all seven playoff games. In total, the Winnipeg, Manitoba native has three goals and 17 assists in 73 regular season games with Missouri and two assists in 16 playoff games. Forsyth has played eight seasons professionally and has played in 475 games with 24 goals, 113 assists and 805 penalty minutes.
The Mavericks also announced that their slogan this season will be a throwback to the days when Harry Truman was in the White House.
 
“We’re going back to our roots, and Independence’s roots with former President Harry Truman,” Thiessen said. “Our slogan will be ‘Give M Hell,’ which of course is a reference to President Truman’s ‘Give ‘em hell.’ We’re really thrilled with this slogan and will use it on a variety of items during the upcoming season.” Quad City Mallards There was no news of note from the Mallards organization this week.
Rapid City Rush
The Rush announced the signing of defenseman Kyle Peto for the 2012-13 season this week. Peto, 29, has been an offensive force from the blueline since his pro debut in 2006-07 and most recently for the Colorado Eagles. Last year, the Lethbridge, Alberta native poured in 26 points (2 G, 24 A) and added a career-high 64 penalty minutes in 69 games.
“It’s very exciting to get an elite defenseman,” Head Coach Joe Ferras said. “Kyle has been a big time player his entire career and was a huge member of the defensive corps with the Eagles, so we’re very familiar with him. To get his leadership and skill is huge and he will be a vital part of our organization going forward. Kyle is a tremendous skater and a prototype defenseman for the new game. He can activate on the rush and use his skating ability to get back in the play. He’ll be a big contributor on the offensive side and a big part of our special teams, especially the power play.” The 6-foot, 190-pound defenseman has previously played two seasons in the CHL, skating for the Corpus Christi IceRays in 2009-10 before joining the Colorado Eagles where he has played each of the past two years (2011-12 in the ECHL). In back-to-back CHL seasons, Peto led his teams’ defensive corps in scoring, accumulating 46 points (13 G, 33 A) in 64 games with the Icerays, and 54 points (7 G, 47 A) in 63 games with the Eagles. In 127 games in the CHL, Peto has racked up 100 points (20 G, 80 A) and 95 PIM. Peto was a member of the Kelly Cup champion Idaho Steelheads in 2006-07 before splitting the 2008-09 season with the Florida Everblades and the Mississippi Sea Wolves, leading the latter’s d-men in scoring with 24 points (4 G, 20 A) in 59 games. In 181 total games in the ECHL, Peto has registered 74 points (15 G, 59A) and 170 PIM. Peto played in the 2010 CHL All-Star Game, registering three assists and a game-high +4 plus/minus rating. In back-to-back CHL seasons, he finished as the league’s third-highest scoring defenseman, and tied for the league lead among blueliners in assists (46) during 2010-11. Prior to turning pro, Peto played four seasons at Minnesota State University (Mankato), tallying 78 points (14 G, 64 A) and 151 PIM in 111 games.
In addition, the club unveiled their 5th-year anniversary logo and theme that will be used throughout the upcoming season – ‘The Year of the Fan’. Texas Brahmas
Still not a peep out of the Brahmas organization as of this week – one has to wonder what the strategy of silence is all about. Tulsa Oilers
The Tulsa Oilers added some depth on their defensive corps with the signing of Kyle Mariani. The 23-year-old native of Toronto, Ontario will be entering his second season of pro hockey after spending his rookie campaign with the Laredo Bucks. In 65 games last season, Mariani recorded 13 points (6 G, 7 A) and 42 penalty minutes. Before turning pro, the Toronto native played four years of junior hockey in eastern Canada and recorded a career-high 32 points during the 2009-10 season with the Halifax Lions (MJAHL). “I was always impressed with Kyle when we played against Laredo last year,” Oilers Head Coach Bruce Ramsay said. “He’s a solid defenseman who can contribute on the offensive end of the ice and I think he’s going to be a great addition to our team.” “Now that I have a year under my belt, I know this season will be better for me,” Mariani said. “The experience I had in Laredo was definitely valuable. I’ve learned from it and I’ve worked extremely hard to improve my game in the off-season so I can come in and help this team win.”
The team also announced that two more memorable names are returning to Tulsa later this month for the Oilers Alumni Game. Former Oilers center Jim Wiley and left wing Todd Marcellus will lace up the skates in the fourth annual event on Saturday, August 25th at the Oilers Ice Center.
 
Dylan Clarke, who played all 66 games during his rookie year with the Oilers last season, has reportedly signed with the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL).
 
Ryan Raven, who played 35 games with the Oilers last season has reportedly signed with the Pensacola Ice Flyers (SPHL). Wichita Thunder There was no news of note from the Thunder organization this week.
Contact the writer/photographer at robert.keith@prohockeynews.com Follow us on Twitter (@prohockeynews)