FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRINCE GEORGE, BC - The Prince George Spruce Kings are excited to announce the signing of four players for the 2010-11 season. The first of a number of signings during the off-season were made after the team received commitments from Riley Spraggs (F), Faiz Khan (F), Trevor Esau (D) and Chris Bodo (F).
Spraggs, Khan and Esau were all members of the Revelstoke Grizzlies of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) winning the 2009-10 league championship, the Cyclone Taylor Cup and the Keystone Cup. Bodo comes via the Strathroy Rockets of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) where he finished the season third in league scoring with 97 points.
Riley Spraggs, who played five games with the Spruce Kings last season, is a '91 forward 5' 9" 175 lbs from Vernon, BC. In 47 regular season games, Spraggs had a record of 25 goals, 23 assists and 41 PIMs.
Faiz Khan, from Santa Clarita, California is a '90 forward 5' 9" 160 lbs. As a rookie last season, Khan led the Grizzlies in scoring with 27 goals and 41 assists in 42 games played.
Trevor Esau comes in as an 18 year old defenceman born in 1992, 6' 4" 205 lbs from Abbotsford, BC. Esau finished last season with a record of 1 goal, 6 assists and 95 PIMs in 48 games.
Chris Bodo is a 5' 9" 185 lbs '91 born forward from St. Thomas, Ontario. Playing on the right side, Bodo was the 2009-10 Strathroy Rockets regular season and playoffs scoring champion recording 49 goals and 48 assists in 50 regular season games. Bodo comes with a NCAA Division I scholarship to Mercyhurst College for the 2011-12 season.
"We are extremely happy as an organization that we were able to secure commitments from these four players," said Spruce Kings assistant general manager and director of player personnel, Mike Hawes. "Spraggs, Khan and Bodo are extremely gifted forwards with great numbers to show from last season and Esau is a key addition to our defence next year and for years down the road."
For more information, please contact the Prince George Spruce Kings at 250.564.1747.
Showing posts with label player signings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label player signings. Show all posts
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Monday, May 25, 2009
First Interview with Jeff Earnest
I was fortunate enough to be able to catch up with one of the four new players signed to the Spruce Kings roster. What might come as a surprise to some is that Jeff Earnest has actually skated for the past two years with the Spruce Kings.
Okay it is a bit of a twist on what is fact, but Jeff has been in the past two Prospects Camps and last season's main camp. This August he will be back for his second main camp and this time he isn't leaving afterwards.
I talked with Jeff about being on the Spruce Kings radar for the past two years, how those seasons have shaped his game and what fans can expect to see from him on the ice in 2009/10 and beyond.
download audio file
At 5'10" and 175 lbs, Jeff may not be the biggest player on paper, but don't let those numbers fool you as he is solid. Putting a few more pounds on will make it just that much harder for defenders to keep him away from the front of the net and off the score sheet.
Look (and listen) for more on the other three signings from last week as well as future signings, which of course more are sure to come.
Okay it is a bit of a twist on what is fact, but Jeff has been in the past two Prospects Camps and last season's main camp. This August he will be back for his second main camp and this time he isn't leaving afterwards.
I talked with Jeff about being on the Spruce Kings radar for the past two years, how those seasons have shaped his game and what fans can expect to see from him on the ice in 2009/10 and beyond.
download audio file
At 5'10" and 175 lbs, Jeff may not be the biggest player on paper, but don't let those numbers fool you as he is solid. Putting a few more pounds on will make it just that much harder for defenders to keep him away from the front of the net and off the score sheet.
Look (and listen) for more on the other three signings from last week as well as future signings, which of course more are sure to come.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Four New Players
They say that the junior hockey season is done after the RBC Royal Bank Cup, that just isn't the case anymore as the sport has become a year round sport. More proof of that can be seen right now as teams around the league are finalizing their coveted recruits over the previous season (and sometimes seasons). Earlier this week the Spruce Kings announced the addition of four players; Jeff Earnest, Chris Gularte, Clayton McEwan and Luke Hannas signing with the team for the 2009/10.
Next week I hope to have been able to track down all four for a first introduction via an interview for the fans of the Spruce Kings.
Jeff Earnest has attended the two previous Spruce Kings Prospects Camps and this August will be in his second main camp, this time as committed player with the team. Earnest played last season with the San Jose Junior Sharks and earlier this week was also drafted by the North American Hockey League to his home state team, the Alaska Avalanche. Earnest showed off some of his speed at the Prospects Camp, a skill set that led to his 48 points (17 goals and 31 assists) with the Junior Sharks last season.
Another San Jose Jr Sharks player from last season was a stalwart on the blueline, Chris Gularte played in 49 games picking up 6 goals and 3 assists while serving 60 minutes in penalties. Gularte was also seen at the Spruce Kings Prospects Camp where he looked very comfortable playing with a couple of Junior Shark team mates - Daniel Senkbeil and Jared Melman.
Clayton McEwan is another defenceman that played two games last season as an affiliate player with the Prince George Spruce Kings. Playing with the Aldergrove Kodiaks of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League, McEwan picked up 14 points and racked up 154 penalty minutes.
Another player that played games in the Coliseum (albeit against the Spruce Kings) was Luke Hannas who was an affiliate player with the Quesnel Millionaires when not playing for the BC Major Midget Cariboo Cougars. Suiting up in 25 games for the Major Midgets, Hannas was able to tally 17 points (7 goals and 10 assists) and was assessed with 70 penalty minutes.
For these players I highly doubt that they will be taking the summer off as they realize that hockey is a year round sport. Not just for the decision makers sitting in their offices, but also for the players that will want to be in their best physical shape for main camp and the start of the 2009/10 season.
Next week I hope to have been able to track down all four for a first introduction via an interview for the fans of the Spruce Kings.
Jeff Earnest has attended the two previous Spruce Kings Prospects Camps and this August will be in his second main camp, this time as committed player with the team. Earnest played last season with the San Jose Junior Sharks and earlier this week was also drafted by the North American Hockey League to his home state team, the Alaska Avalanche. Earnest showed off some of his speed at the Prospects Camp, a skill set that led to his 48 points (17 goals and 31 assists) with the Junior Sharks last season.
Another San Jose Jr Sharks player from last season was a stalwart on the blueline, Chris Gularte played in 49 games picking up 6 goals and 3 assists while serving 60 minutes in penalties. Gularte was also seen at the Spruce Kings Prospects Camp where he looked very comfortable playing with a couple of Junior Shark team mates - Daniel Senkbeil and Jared Melman.
Clayton McEwan is another defenceman that played two games last season as an affiliate player with the Prince George Spruce Kings. Playing with the Aldergrove Kodiaks of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League, McEwan picked up 14 points and racked up 154 penalty minutes.
Another player that played games in the Coliseum (albeit against the Spruce Kings) was Luke Hannas who was an affiliate player with the Quesnel Millionaires when not playing for the BC Major Midget Cariboo Cougars. Suiting up in 25 games for the Major Midgets, Hannas was able to tally 17 points (7 goals and 10 assists) and was assessed with 70 penalty minutes.
For these players I highly doubt that they will be taking the summer off as they realize that hockey is a year round sport. Not just for the decision makers sitting in their offices, but also for the players that will want to be in their best physical shape for main camp and the start of the 2009/10 season.
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