The Central Hockey League Report

TEMPE, Ariz. – There were no league announcements this week but there was much buzz among fans as to when the 2012-13 schedule would be released.
Here’s a blurb from the Allen America’s website today:
Obviously the biggest question most Allen Americans fans have these days is “When is the schedule coming out?”
The wait has been hard and we’re just as anxious as you are. Our management has been in conversations with the CHL office every day. The league office is doing everything it can to get the schedule finalized and released, but there are several issues being worked through that have delayed the process.
We still do not have a definite date and time for the schedule to be released, but we are being told it will be soon. Our office is ready to go and we will get the schedule out as soon as we get it from the CHL.
There’s little doubt that the situation with the Texas Brahmas organization has something to do with it. As of today, Brahmas fans are getting little hints that they will have a team to watch this season, but nothing official has been announced.
In other news around the league:
Allen Americans There was no news of note released by the Americans’ organization this week.
Former Americans defenseman Scott Langdon has reportedly signed with the expansion San Francisco Bulls (ECHL).
Arizona Sundogs
The Arizona Sundogs announced the signing of two stand-out second year goaltenders this week, Bryan Gillis and Bryan Hogan.   Gillis is coming off a stellar rookie season, with the sixth highest goals against average rating in the CHL. Last season while playing in Evansville, the 6’0″, 170-pound netminder saw 38 games and posted an impressive 26-8-1 record and had a 2.51 GAA and a .920 Save Percentage while delivering two shutouts. Gillis made 1037 saves and had only 90 goals made against him.  

His collegiate career was just as impressive. While playing back to back seasons with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in 2007-08 Gillis put up a 10-5-1 in 16 games for a 3.26 GAA and a .902 Save Percentage. Then in 2008-09 he had a 2.83 GAA and a Save Percent of .906 and a 22-13-1 record in 37 games. During his 2009-10 season with St. Francis Xavier University, he assembled an 8-11-0 record in 20 games with a 3.79 GAA and a .887 Save Percentage.   The 23-year-old Hogan also completed his rookie season last year splitting his time between the Dayton Gems and Wichita Thunder. While playing for the Gems, the 6’1″, 193-pound Michigan native had a 7-11-5 record with a 3.50 GAA and a .899 Save Percentage. Hogan finished the season in Wichita putting up a 10-3-0 in 14 games with a 1.90 GAA and a .937 Save Percentage.  During the 2011-12 season he had 71 goals against him, while making 1,001 saves and delivering two shutouts.   Prior to turning pro, Hogan had a four-year college career playing for the University of Michigan and spent 2 seasons playing junior hockey. During his time in Michigan, he handed the team seven shutouts with a 2.05 GAA and a .908 Save Percentage.
The Sundogs also announced this week that defensemen Corey Toy and Steven Kaunisto have signed with the team for the upcoming season.    Toy, 24, a Round Hill, VA native is entering his second season as a pro. He played four years with Ohio State University before beginning his career with the Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL. The 6′,0″, 195-pound defenseman played his first game with the Sundogs on October 22, 2011. In his first season, Toy played 48 games and recorded 14 points (2 G, 12 A).   Kaunisto, 25, was acquired by the Sundogs in a trade with the Missouri Mavericks last season. The 6’0″, 200-pound blueliner played in 36 games and had 7 assists while in Arizona. He began his pro career in 2009-10 with the Reading Royals of the ECHL and in 2010-11, skated with the Wichita Thunder of the CHL where he put up 20 points (5 G, 15 A) in 62 games.   “We are glad to have them both back this season,” Sundogs General Manager Chris Presson said. “They both are fan-favorites on the ice and have the type of character we want in our locker room.”
Bloomington Blaze
The Blaze announced on Thursday that they have signed professional newcomer, Marlon Gardner, from Neumann University.
Gardner played his entire collegiate career in Pennsylvania with the Neumann Knights. During his freshman campaign, he scored 32 total points (16 G, 16 A), had 11 power play goals, was a member of the ECAC-West all-rookie team, and won a National Championship. His success continued and during his senior year the Eagle Lake, Ontario native led his team to the ECAC-West championship game. With the second place finish, Gardner ended his season with 11 goals and 15 assists in 24 games played.
“Marlon is coming off a strong collegiate campaign at Neumann University where he was part of a National Championship,” Blaze head coach Brian Gratz said. “He possesses a good shot and a knack for the net.”
Denver Cutthroats
There was no news of note from the Cutthroats’ organization this week. Missouri Mavericks
Missouri Mavericks’ Head Coach Scott Hillman announced on Wednesday that the club has signed forward Jason Dixon and goaltender Austin Lee . 
Dixon, 27, is entering his third season in the CHL and fourth pro season overall. He played 62 games with the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees last season and set career-highs with 41 points and 13 goals. The Belle River, Ontario native won a championship in Germany in 2010-11 with ERC Sonthofen 1999 where he averaged more than a point per contest with 35 points (11 G, 24 A) in 30 games played.
The 5’10”, 175-pound forward started his career with the Laredo Bucks in 2008-09 where he finished with 40 points on 11 goals and 29 assists in 64 games played.  In total, Dixon has 81 points (27 G, 57 A) and 44 penalty minutes in 127 games played in the CHL. 
Prior to turning professional, he played five seasons of junior hockey including three seasons for the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires. “Jason Dixon brings a good skill set and grittiness that we believe will make us a tougher team to play against next season,” Hillman said. “He is a player that earns the respect from his teammates through his determination and tenacity every night.” Lee, 23, will begin his rookie season with the Mavericks after playing college hockey for the Minnesota State University Mavericks. The Bloomington, Minnesota native is one of only a handful of players in the history of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) who have accrued four WCHA All-Academic and four WCHA Scholar Athlete awards. The 6’3″, 195-pound goaltender finished his collegiate career with a 16-32-3 record, .909 Save Percentage and 2.89 GAA. He was named WCHA Defensive Player of the Week twice in his career. 
Prior to playing at Minnesota State, Lee was 24-7-5 with a 2.61 GAA and .925 Save Percentage in 38 games played with the North American Hockey League’s Fargo-Moorhead Jets. He was also awarded the 2005-06 Frank Brimsek Award as the top high school senior goaltender in the state of Minnesota. “Austin Lee is a young goaltender that we have studied closely and believe will make a successful transition into professional hockey,” Hillman said. “He is a big goaltender who anticipates well and has exceptional lateral movement. We are excited to see him in Missouri.” Quad City Mallards
The Quad City Mallards announced on Tuesday that they have signed forward Mike Hellyer .
Hellyer, 26, is approaching his first full professional season after producing a promising playoff performance for the Texas Brahmas last spring. Fresh from the University of Manitoba, Hellyer scored three post-season goals – two of them game winners – and picked up three assists in a dozen games during the Brahmas’ run to the Berry Conference finals.   “For Mike to come straight out of university and have a really good playoffs for Texas and score some big goals for them is pretty impressive,” Mallards head coach and general manager Terry Ruskowski said. “Now I’m looking forward to seeing what he’ll be able to do for the Mallards over a full season.”    Hellyer will arrive in the Quad Cities bidding to build on his eye-catching opening act in pro hockey. The Brandon, Manitoba, native’s first career goal was a vital one – the game winner in Texas’ series-clinching game six victory over the Allen Americans in the opening round of last year’s playoffs. The same night also saw him ice the game and the series for the Brahmas with a late empty net goal. Hellyer struck for another winning goal in game three of the Brahmas’ conference final match-up with the Wichita Thunder, though Texas would eventually fall to Wichita in six games.    The 5’9″, 170-pound Hellyer saw regular season action in three different uniforms last year. He scored four times and collected 16 points in 25 games while captaining Manitoba to the 2011-12 Canada West University Athletic Association regular season title. Hellyer then made his pro debut with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads, for whom he played three games. He also skated in three regular season tilts for Texas before making his playoff breakthrough.     Over five seasons of university hockey, Hellyer scored 36 times and produced 98 points in 135 games. He served as the Bison’s captain each of the last two years. Before matriculating, Hellyer spent four seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders of the major junior Western Hockey League. He notched 54 goals and 143 points in 262 career WHL games and also acted as the Raiders’ captain in 2006-07.
Rapid City Rush
The Rapid City Rush announced two new signings for the 2012-13 season this week, – John Snowden , formerly of the Quad City Mallards and Jeff Lee, who recently completed a career at the University of New Brunswick. Snowden, 30, is entering his tenth professional season and fourth in the CHL. “I’m ecstatic to be a part of the Rush,” Snowden said. “Rapid City is a team that I wanted to play for over four years now. The building is electric and get’s you going and I can’t wait to play there. The town seems great with all of the things to do and the fan support and my family and I are very excited. The team itself is shaping up the way it always does, poised to win a championship. I hope I can do my part and get this franchise another President’s Cup.”
A native of Everett, Washington, Snowden is coming off of his sixth twenty-plus goal season, totaling 52 points (22G, 30A) in 58 games with the Mallards. In addition to the Mallards, Snowden has suited up for the Bloomington PrairieThunder, Amarillo Gorillas and Rocky Mountain Rage during his time in the CHL. In all, the veteran forward has appeared in 185 CHL games, amassing 143 points (59 G, 84 A) and 165 penalty minutes. “We know that John will be a player that picks up some of the scoring that we lost from last year,” Head Coach Joe Ferras said. “He is a guaranteed twenty-plus goal scorer year in and year out. We will be looking for him to bring his leadership skills to this club. John has expressed great desire to be a part of this first class organization and he wants to be a part of something real special here. He’ll also be a main cog on our powerplay, especially with his ability to play on the back end.”

Snowden has spent the majority of his career in the ECHL, playing 305 games spread over five seasons. During that span, the 6’0″, 205-pound Snowden racked up 106 goals and 104 assists along with 288 penalty minutes while also being called up to the AHL for three games. After four years of USHL hockey, Snowden turned pro in 2003 with the Texas Wildcatters of the ECHL where he led the team with 22 goals as a rookie. The Rush also announced the addition of rookie forward Jeff Lee who brings a 6’3″, 210-pound frame and also a strong bloodline. His older brother is former CHL All-Star and Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees star Aaron Lee. “We know that Jeff had a tremendous junior career,” Ferras said. “Speaking with coaches in the CIS, he’s a great skater and has great size. During his junior career, he was a point-per-game guy and had over twenty goals in his final season. Obviously, the pro game is different, but when you have his skating ability, size, and strength, he is built for the pro game and we know Jeff wants to show what he can bring to the pro game.” Lee recently finished a three-year career at the University of New Brunswick in the CIS where he appeared in 53 games and totaled 28 points (11 G, 17 A). Prior to joining UNB, the Calgary, Alberta native played two years of junior hockey in the WHL for the Edmonton Oil Kings. Lee was especially impressive during his 2008-09 campaign where he served as team captain and racked up 22 goals and 40 assists in 72 games played. In that same season, the 24-year-old was called up for two games for the AHL’s Springfield Falcons. “I am very excited to be joining the Rush organization,” Lee said. “The Rush have established themselves as one of the top teams in the league and I am eager to join and help them continue the wining culture they have created. I have only heard good things about the team, staff, and city and look forward to the beginning to the season. I feel I am suited well for the pro game and look forward to making the transition. A lot was asked of me when I was one of the leaders of the Edmonton Oil Kings in my last season of WHL hopefully some of those experiences will help in succeeding at this level.” Prior to teaming up with the Oil Kings, Lee played one year of NCAA Division I hockey for the University of Alaska (Fairbanks) where he picked up six points while playing alongside his brother Aaron. “I have heard from players around the league that Rapid City fans are the best,” Lee continued. “I’ve been told they are very loyal fans and do an unbelievable job making Rush players feel comfortable in both the arena and the community. I feel as though Rapid fans and the city itself might be among the top cities in the United States for hockey and look forward to joining a team that will give them a lot to cheer about.”
Texas Brahmas
As Brahmas President Mike Barack wrote on the Brahmas fans’ message board on Tuesday:
“When and if there is something to report, obviously the team will send out an announcement immediately as the club has always done.” 
‘Nuff said.
Tulsa Oilers
On Monday, the Tulsa Oilers announced that a familiar fan favorite, Michel Beausoleil,   will be back on ice at the BOK Center during the 2012-13 season. 
Beausoleil, 32, enters his twelfth season as a professional and his fifth as a member of the Oilers. The 5,10″,192-pound right wing has 205 games in a Tulsa uniform, more than any other player on the Oilers roster. Last season, Beausoleil finished fourth on the team with 48 points and reached the 20-goal mark for a third straight season and the eighth time in his career.  “I’m really happy to be coming back,” Beausoleil said. “I think we’ve signed some really good players in the off season and I think we’ll be able to make the playoffs and compete for a championship so it made my decision very easy. I live here in Tulsa, I love this city, and I’m excited to get back out on the ice.” “I know Michel is extremely loyal to our team and our city and he wants to win as much as anybody I know,” Oilers Head Coach Bruce Ramsay said. “As he’s gotten older, he’s become more involved in the defensive side of the game and in our penalty kill. He’s valuable for our team at both ends of the ice and we’re happy to have him back.” Beausoleil, who has averaged nearly a point per game over the course of his career, registered his 600th point last season with an assist against Wichita. The Montreal native provides a potent shot on the Oilers powerplay and even though he may be one of the elders in the Tulsa locker room, Beausoleil shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. “I haven’t really thought about how long I want to play,” Beausoleil said. “As long as I love the game and as long as I can go out there and compete with the younger guys, then I’ll keep going. I hope this year I can be more consistent as a player and that we can be more consistent as a team.”
Also this week, the Oilers announced the return of veteran forward Marty Standish . Standish will be entering his fourth year with the Oilers and his fourteenth season as a professional. Last season Standish chipped in six goals and tied for second on team with 30 assists. The 5’7″,160-pound center anchored the Oilers penalty kill and consistently shut down the opposition’s top line. Since joining the Oilers in 2009, Standish has been a reliable presence in the lineup, missing only 16 games over the last three seasons. A leader in the locker room and a favorite among faithful Oilers fans, the 34-year old Standish still feels the itch to continue his career. “I keep waiting for it to go away but it doesn’t,” Standish laughed. “It’s always a tough decision because I’m getting older but it’s hard to give up something I’ve been doing my whole life. I still love it and I still think I can help this team.” “Marty is a consummate leader and he’s always been one of the hardest working players on our team,” Oilers Head Coach Bruce Ramsay said. “He’s one of the best penalty killers in our league, he’s a great faceoff guy, he’s just a great teammate and he understands his role.”
That role has changed for Standish since his days with the Oklahoma City Blazers. In 2000-01, Standish burst onto the CHL scene with 87 points (43 G, 44 A) in 63 games and helped the Blazers win a championship.  These days, the Kelvington, Saskatchewan native isn’t expected to put the puck in the net but knows he still plays a vital part in the Oilers success. “I know I’m more of a defensive guy now,” said Standish, who has suited up for 824 pro games. “It may not always be appreciated by the fans but I know it’s appreciated by my coach and my teammates. As time goes on, that’s what happens to all players, you have to adapt your game.” The 2011-12 campaign ended in disappointment for the Oilers as they finished just five points out of the final playoff spot in the Berry Conference. Standish, along with fellow veterans Tyler Fleck, Gio Flamminio, and Michel Beausoleil, is hungry to make one more run at a CHL title before he’s satisfied with hanging up the skates. “There’s a lot of motivation for me and the older guys on the team going into this season,” Standish said. “There’s definitely something we want to prove and for me, it’d be the icing on the cake to my career to go through another run with those guys.”
 
Wichita Thunder
 
The Wichita Thunder of the Central Hockey League announced Friday that they have added four players to their roster with the signing of defensemen Andrew Martens and Nathan Lutz , goaltender Kevin Regan and forward Matt Boyd .     Martens returns to Wichita after spending the final 13 games last season with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. He begins his eighth season of pro hockey and third in the Air Capital. Martens won the CHL Defenseman of the Year Award in 2010-11 after recording 54 points in 65 games. The Friendswood, TX native was named to the 2011-12 CHL All-Star Game, but was unable to play after being called-up to the Oklahoma City Barons of the AHL that same day. Last season, Martens tallied nine goals and 26 points in just 33 games with the Thunder.   “It is great to be coming back to Wichita,” Martens said. “Great organization, great coaching staff and great fan support from the community. It’s exciting to be heading back with a group who made it to the Finals and have great determination to bring a championship back to the city. I am hoping to be a part in the puzzle to help achieve that goal.”   The 6’1″, 205-pound Martens began his pro career in 2005 with the ECHL’s Greenville Grrrowl. He spent two years with the Johnstown Chiefs from 2006-2008, scoring 68 points in 142 games with a +5 rating and 123 penalty minutes. He split time in the ECHL (Ontario) and AHL (Manitoba, Toronto) in 2008-09, combining for 75 games and 42 points. Prior to turning pro, Martens anchored the blue line at Bemidji State University to two consecutive CHA Championships. In just three seasons, Martens tallied 40 points in 101 games at BSU.   Lutz, 34, returns to the CHL after spending one season with the Chicago Express of the ECHL. He was the first player ever signed by Chicago and served as a Player Assistant. The 6’2″, 225-pound Lutz played with the Mississippi RiverKings during the 2010-11 season, where he led the team in assists with 38 and tied for fifth in scoring by defensemen in the CHL with 48. He was also named as a starter to the 2010-11 CHL All Star Game that same season.   “I am really excited to come and be a part of a great organization and do whatever I can to help the team be as successful as we can be,” Lutz said. “I have heard nothing but great things about the city and also the fantastic fans. I am counting down the days until I get to put that Thunder jersey on.”   A native of Mistatim, Saskatchewan, Lutz played at Iona College before turning pro. He spent three seasons at Iona from 1999-02, accumulating 24 goals and 87 points in 104 games. Lutz led all defenseman in goals and points in three consecutive seasons. Lutz enters his 10th season of pro hockey, having spent time in the AHL (113 games), ECHL (172 games), UHL (194) and overseas.   Regan, 28, returns to North America after playing in Italy the past two years. A ninth round pick in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins, Regan enters his fifth season of professional hockey. The6’1″, 195-pound Regan was an unanimous selection as the 2008 Hockey East Player of the Year and also won the Walter Brown Award for best American college hockey player in New England during his highly successful career at University of New Hampshire.   “I am very excited for the opportunity to play for Wichita this season,” Regan said. “Coach McClelland has had great success with the Thunder and I am looking forward to competing for a championship. I have heard nothing but good things about the organization and the town and I can’t wait for the season to start.”
A native of South Boston, Massachusetts, Regan is the all-time leader in save percentage in Hockey East conference games (.932). In addition, he was the All-Hockey East First Team goaltender in 2008 and won Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week seven times. He also set the UNH record for single-season save percentage (.935) and was the first UNH goaltender to win 20 games in two consecutive seasons. From 2004-08, Regan went 50-16-9 with a goals against average of 2.09 in Hockey East play. After graduating, he spent the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons in the AHL (Providence Bruins) and ECHL (Gwinnett Gladiators, Reading Royals, Alaska Aces). The past two seasons, Regan played for Valpellice of the Italian Elite League.   Boyd, 26, played last season with the Laredo Bucks of the CHL. The St. Albert, Alberta native begins