Jackals Stay Local with Marks, Ratchuk
August 17, 2011 - ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release
The Elmira Jackals announced on Wednesday that they have signed Upstate New York natives Tim Marks and Mike Ratchuk to standard player contracts for the 2011-2012 season.
Click herefor video of Jackals coach Pat Bingham's comments on Elmira's signings to date including Marks, Ratchuk, and Mario Larocque.
Marks, a 6'2", 217-pound left wing, skated his first full professional season in 2010-2011 with the AHL's Norfolk Admirals, notching four goals and an assist in 45 games along with 67 penalty minutes. He also spent time with the Admirals after completing his four-year collegiate career at the end of the 2009-2010 season, contributing three assists in 14 games.
The Brownville, N.Y. product played four seasons as an amateur at Clarkson University (NCAA, D-I), compiling 14 goals and 22 assists for 36 points along with 164 penalty minutes in 141 career games with the Golden Knights.
"Tim is a physical power forward who has good size and will provide a strong presence up front for us," Bingham said. "He has the ability to create space for himself and for his teammates."
Ratchuk, a 5'11", 186-pound defenseman, enters his fourth professional season after playing the majority of his first three years in the AHL, spending time with the Springfield Falcons, Syracuse Crunch, and Philadelphia/Adirondack Phantoms.
The South Buffalo, N.Y. native split 2010-2011 with Springfield and the CHL's Fort Wayne Komets, compiling two goals and 12 assists for 14 points. Ratchuk played in 35 games with Syracuse in 2009-2010, posting three goals and seven assists for 10 points while notching an assist in five games earlier that season with Adirondack. He scored five goals and garnered 12 assists for 17 points in 77 games with Philadelphia in his rookie year of 2008-2009 while collecting his first three points (1g-2a) as a pro at the end of 2007-2008 with the Phantoms.
Ratchuk played two seasons at Michigan State University (NCAA, D-1), winning a national championship in his freshman season with the Spartans in 2006-2007. He totaled 10 goals and 27 assists for 37 points in his two years with the program.
After playing two seasons with the U.S. National Under-18 Team, Ratchuk was selected 42nd overall in the 2nd round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers.
"Mike is a quick and talented defenseman with the ability to provide an offensive spark from the blue line on a consistent basis," Bingham said.
"GET JACKED" FOR JACKALS HOCKEY IN 2011-2012!
The Jackals also announced that "Get Jacked" will be the official team slogan for the 2011-2012 season.
"We want our passionate fans to be excited about the tough brand of hockey we plan to bring to the ice this season," Jackals general manager Robbie S. Nichols said. "Jackals fans should 'Get Jacked' about seeing their team in 2011-2012!"
Follow JackalsHockey.com for the latest updates about the Jackals this offseason and become a fan of the Jackals on Facebook at Facebook.com/ElmiraJackals .
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