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Snakes Invite Quintet from Free Agent Camp to Training Camp

October 13, 2015 - SPHL (SPHL)
Columbus Cottonmouths News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Columbus Cottonmouths of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) signed five players from their free agent training camp, held this past weekend in Columbus, Georgia. Forwards Al Graves, Shane Halaas, and Scott Stafford; defenseman Ryan Devine; and goaltender James Robbins will participate in training camp, set to begin this Wednesday as the Snakes kick off their 20thanniversary season.

Graves, a 6'4", 210-pound forward, hails from the Philadelphia suburb of King of Prussia, Pa. The 26-year-old played one season collegiately at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass. in 2008-09.

Halaas, also a 210-pounder and 6'2", has two seasons of junior hockey experience under his belt in the North American Hockey League with Kenai River in 2009-10 and Port Huron in 2010-11. The 24-year-old Halaas notched three goals and three assists in a combined 46 games over those two seasons.

Stafford, 25, scored a goal in a pair of games last season with Dayton in the Federal Hockey League. He also has played AAA level senior hockey the last four seasons with the Dundas Real McCoys in his home province of Ontario, averaging a little over a point a game as he scored 25 goals and 52 assists for 77 points in 75 total games. The most remarkable feat about the 6-foot, 180 pound Stafford is that he has played professional hockey with only one hand, a handicap he has lived with since birth.

Like Stafford, Devine also played in the FHL last season, notching two goals and three assists in 25 games with Danbury. He also played for Watertown in the FHL in 2013-14, scoring once and adding two assists in eight games. The 6'4", 215-pound 23-year-old Devine hails from Wayne, Pa.

James Robbins, 26, will be the fourth goaltender in training camp for the Cottonmouths, joining Shannon Szabados, Joel Danyluk, and Brandon Jaeger. Robbins has also spent the past two seasons in the Federal Hockey League with stops in Danville, Watertown, and Steel City. The 6'2", 190-pounder is a native of Rockford, Ill.

The Cottonmouths will begin their 20th season of pro hockey on October 23 with their season opener at home against the Huntsville Havoc, but not before hosting the Havoc in an exhibition game this Friday night at7:30 PM at the Columbus Civic Center. Season tickets, group sales, and sponsorship opportunities are available now for the upcoming season. To find out how you can become a part of what will be an exciting 2015-16 season, contact the team at 706.571.0086 or visit them online at www.cottonmouths.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cottonmouths, or by following @Cottonmouths on Twitter.

Below is a full list of players that were invited to training camp:

Name Position Previous Team

Andy Bathgate Center Brampton ECHL

Scott Stafford Winger Dundas ACH

Shane Halaas Winger Port Huron NAHL

Ryan Devine Defense Danbury FHL

Al Graves Winger Cornell University ACHA

James Robbins Goalie Steel City FHL

Kyle Johnson Defense Cottonmouths SPHL

Shannon Szabados Goalie Cottonmouths SPHL

Craig Simchuk Center Cottonmouths SPHL

Joel Danyluk Goalie University of Alberta-Augustana CCAA

Tyler MacPherson Defense Cottonmouths SPHL

Andy Willigar Defense Cottonmouths SPHL

Garret Lockeridge Winger Nipawin SJHL

Tyler Henry Center University of Regina CIS

Shawn Bates Center Cottonmouths SPHL

Louis Belisle Winger Cottonmouths SPHL

Will Aide Winger Cottonmouths SPHL

Andrew kolb Winger University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point NCAA III

Chris Rial Winger St. Norbert College NCAA III

Kyle Shapiro Defense Evansville Icemen ECHL

Bryan Dallaire Defense SUNY-Plattsburgh NCAA III

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