Sundogs Add to Both Sides of 2007-08 Roster

August 24, 2007 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - The Arizona Sundogs Hockey Club, in preparation for its second season in the Central Hockey League, today announced the signing of four players for the 2007-08 campaign. Players signed include Matt Suderman, Darryl McKinnon, Jason Visser and Matt Moreland.

Matt Suderman, 24, a seventh round (199th overall) pick of the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, spent much of his junior career in the Western Hockey League with the Saskatoon Blades before a brief three game stint with the Everett Silvertips in 2003-04. As a pro, the 6-foot-3, 235 pound defenseman has skated in the Central and Southern Professional Hockey Leagues, and most recently, the United Hockey League. In 121 professional games, the Winkler, Manitoba native has tallied nine points (2g/7a) and 244 penalty minutes.

Darryl McKinnon, 27, joins the Arizona Sundogs after a four-year stretch with Colgate University of the NCAA. During his collegiate career, the centerman appeared in 134 games collecting 26 goals and 41 assists. In 2005-06, McKinnon skated overseas Peiting EC of the German Oberliga (GerObL) finishing with 56 points (17g/39a) in 52 games.

Like McKinnon, forward Jason Visser is also a product of the NCAA, skating for four seasons with the Union College Dutchmen. In 126 contests, the 25-year-old from Mississauga, Ontario notched 20 goals and assisted on 19 more for 39 points. During his sophomore season in 2003-04, Visser led his team in power play goals with six and was voted most improved player by his teammates.

Matt Moreland, 21, comes to the Arizona Sundogs and the Central Hockey League to begin his professional career after three years with the Fargo-Moorhead Jets of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). In 131 regular-season games with his junior club, the Grand Forks, North Dakota native tallied 63 goals, 65 assists and 201 penalty minutes. Reaching the playoffs in each of his three seasons with Fargo-Moorhead, Moreland averaged nearly a point a game with 23 points (9g/14a) in 24 games.

"These four guys share a common pursuit in that they all thirst to play at the highest competitive level, which immediately captured our attention," said Sundogs Head Coach/General Manager Marco Pietroniro. "Their desire to play is going to allow for our team to perform at the highest possible level night in and night out. We're pleased to have them on board for the 2007-08 season."

With the addition of Suderman, McKinnon, Visser and Moreland, the Sundogs have now come to terms with 12 players in preparation for the 2007-08 Central Hockey League season. Previously signed players include defensemen Chris Bartolone, Dan Laperriere, Jonathan Bernier and Jon Landry, and forwards Chris Greene, Karl Sellan, Ladislav Kouba and Chris Cook.

The Sundogs open training camp on Monday, October 8th and host the Phoenix RoadRunners of the ECHL for two preseason games on Friday, October 12th and Saturday, October 13th at Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott Valley. Both games are slated for 7:05pm start times. Tickets for the exhibition games cost $13 regardless of location inside Tim's Toyota Center and go on sale on Monday, September 10th at 10:00am.

For more information or to reserve your seats contact the Arizona Sundogs Ticketing Department at (928) 772-5555 or visit www.arizonasundogs.com.



Central Hockey League Stories from August 24, 2007


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central