Icehawks Sign Two Veterans As They Prepare For Camp

Published on October 3, 2008 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Port Huron Icehawks News Release


PORT HURON, MI - The Port Huron Icehawks announced that they have signed two veteran players as they prepare to open training camp. Defenseman B.J. Adams and goalie Mike Minard will join the team when they kick-off camp on Monday, October 6th at McMorran Arena.

Adams (6-2, 210 lbs) returns as player/assistant coach under Head Coach and General Manager Stan Drulia. The defenseman is entering his ninth professional season and third in the city of Port Huron. He served as player/assistant coach for the Port Huron Flags in the 2006-07 season and posted ten points (1g, 9a) and 87 penalty minutes in 66 games. Last season with the Icehawks, he tallied 12 points (3g, 9a) in 75 games. He also reached a career milestone as he played in his 500th professional game.

The 32-year old Scarborough, Ontario native played four years of collegiate hockey at Bowling Green University before turning pro at the tail end of the 1999-00 season with the Milwaukee Admirals of the IHL. He spent the next three seasons in the East Coast Hockey League before joining the UHL Rockford IceHogs in 2003. After stints in Odessa and Toledo, Adams came to Port Huron.

"B.J. has consistently been one of our steadiest defenseman," Drulia said. "He is also a veteran leader and is instrumental in our recruiting process over the summer."

Minard (6-3, 220 lbs) comes to the Icehawks with 12 seasons of professional experience, including 141 games in the American Hockey League. A fourth round draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, he won his only NHL start with the Oilers in the 1999-00 season.

The 31-year old Owen Sound, Ontario native signed as a free agent with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2001 and went on to enjoy some of the most prolific seasons of his career with Toronto's AHL affiliate, the St. John's Maple Leafs, in the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons. He also played eight games with St. John's in the 2003-04 campaign.

Minard has played in a number of leagues throughout his career including the IHL, UHL, CHL and ECHL. Last season he played 33 games with the New Mexico Scorpions in the Central Hockey League and posted a record of 15-12-4, with a 3.74 goals against average and a .895 save percentage.

"Minard's experience will be extremely valuable for us," Drulia said. "He knows the game inside and out and has incredible work ethic."

The Icehawks will hit the ice for the first time on Monday morning from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. Training camp then continues with workouts from 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday through Thursday. The team will also practice from 10 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday prior to a pair of exhibition games with the Flint Generals next weekend. All training camp practices are open to the public.

The Icehawks host the Generals on Friday, October 10 at 7:30 p.m. Manon Rheaume, the only woman ever to play in the National Hockey League, will play in the first period of the game. Tickets are just $5 and the first 500 fans will receive a free Manon Rheaume poster.

The Icehawks head to Flint on Saturday, October 11 to wrap up the home and home preseason series.

The Icehawks open the International Hockey League regular season with a Turner Cup Finals rematch versus the Fort Wayne Komets at home on Friday, October 17. Single game tickets and flex packages will be on sale October 1 at the Icehawks office, 325 Huron Avenue, Port Huron. For more information, please call the Icehawks office at 810-966-3800 or visit www.porthuronicehawks.com.

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