Aces welcome ex-UAA star back to Anchorage
August 29, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Alaska Aces have signed defensemen Matt Shasby and Kelly Paddon to one-year contracts for the 2005-06 season.
Shasby has spent the bulk of his first two professional campaigns in the ECHL after graduating from the University of Alaska-Anchorage in the spring of 2003. Last year, he began the season with the Hamilton Bulldogs in the American Hockey League, appearing in 11 games before joining Hamilton's ECHL affiliate in Long Beach. With four goals and 18 assists in 40 games, the 25-year-old Shasby helped the Ice Dogs reach the West Finals, where as he was beset by injuries and illness, Long Beach fell in three straight games to Alaska.
Originally a fifth-round pick of Montreal in the 1999 NHL Draft, Shasby enrolled at UAA in the fall of that year. He led all Seawolf defensemen in scoring with 27 points on seven goals and 20 assists in his junior season of 2001-02, earning second team all-WCHA recognition in the process. The 6-2, 200-pound Shasby finished his UAA career with 65 points (12g-53a) in 127 games, then led all Columbus defensemen in scoring during his rookie year of 2003-04, scoring eight goals and assisting on 20 others in 66 games for the Cottonmouths. He grew up in Eagle River, Alaska (just north of Anchorage), and attended Chugiak High School, where he earned all-state honorable mention honors in 1997 before leaving the area to play two years of junior hockey in the United States Hockey League.
Paddon enters his rookie season at the age of 25 with two full years in the Ontario Hockey League and four more at the Canadian University level to his credit. The 6-2, 195-pounder from Belleville, Ontario attended the University of Western Ontario after helping lead his hometown Belleville Bulls to the 1999 Memorial Cup semi-finals by averaging nearly a point per game (3g-17a-20p-21gp) in the playoffs. Last year, he scored three goals and assisted on five others with a +5 rating as the Mustangs went 17-7 in league play. In 92 college games, Paddon contributed a total of 46 points (18g-28a) and racked up 135 minutes in penalties.
The Aces open the 2005-06 regular season at home, Friday, October 21 at 7:15 p.m. against the San Diego Gulls. Pre-season games have been scheduled against the Dayton Bombers October 12 and 13 at Sullivan Arena, with both contests also slated for a 7:15 p.m. start. Alaska advanced to Game Seven of the National Conference Finals last year after winning its first division title in 10 years as a professional club. The Aces are proud affiliates of the St. Louis Blues (NHL) and the Peoria Rivermen (AHL). For season ticket information, please call 258-ACES.
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