Victoria, BC - The Victoria Salmon Kings, proud affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks and Manitoba Moose, announced today that they have signed forward Randall Gelech for the 2009-10 season.The Wynyard, Saskatchewan native fills the Salmon Kings' recently-vacated fourth veteran spot, and joins Victoria after splitting the 2008-09 season between the AHL's Grand Rapid Griffins and Rochester Americans. Gelech began the year in Grand Rapids playing five games while scoring no points and tallying two minutes in penalties. After being loaned to the Americans, Gelech dressed for 56 games in Rochester notching 18 points (9g-9a) and 33 minutes in penalties.
The 6-2, 212 lb. Gelech spent the 2007-08 season entirely with Grand Rapids where he scored seven goals and assisted on eight others for 15 points in 70 games played while serving 37 penalty minutes.
The 25-year-old spent two season (2005-06 and 2006-07) playing for the AHL's San Antonio Rampage. In 2006-07 he scored 34 points (17g-17a) in 79 games played with 64 minutes in penalties. Gelech's first year in San Antonio saw him play in 75 games scoring nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points while accruing 39 penalty minutes.
Gelech's professional career began in the 2004-05 season with the Utah Grizzlies in the AHL where he scored 27 points (15g-12a) in 76 games played with 72 minutes in penalties.
Gelech was a seventh-round draft pick (#208 overall) of the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He has previously been under NHL contract with two teams (Phoenix Coyotes in entry-level contract, and Detroit Red Wings in 2007).
For his professional career, Gelech has played in 361 games scoring 115 points (57g-58) while accumulating 247 penalty minutes.
The veteran's entire four-year junior career was played with the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL). In his junior career Gelech amassed 112 points (62g-50a) in 237 games with 262 penalty minutes. In each year of his junior career Gelech participated in the WHL playoffs where he scored 29 points (20g-9a) in 57 career games while registering 58 minutes in penalties. In the 2003-04 season Gelech helped lead the Rockets to the Memorial Cup Championship and was named to the tournament's All-Star team.
The Salmon Kings are in Ontario this weekend to take in a two-game series versus the Reign on Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7. Victoria returns to the Save-On-Foods Memorial Center to play the same Ontario team in a three-game set that begins on Wednesday, November 11th with games following on Friday, November 13, and Saturday, November 14. Puck-drop for all three games is 7:05 p.m. For tickets, call 250-220-7777 or visit www.salmonkings.com.
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