Sports stats



Anchorage Product Mike Lee Returns Home

October 2, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release


ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The Alaska Aces have agreed to terms with winger Mike Lee for the 2003-04 season after acquiring the Anchorage native from Reading in exchange for the rights to forward Jason Boily and defenseman Corey LeClair.

Lee, 23, left Anchorage during the 1997-98 season to play for the U.S. Junior National Team and later suited up for three seasons in the Western Hockey League, mostly for the Tri-City Americans. He appeared in 32 games for the Pee Dee Pride under current coach Davis Payne after being acquired in a midseason trade from Charlotte midway through his rookie campaign of 2001-02. Last year, the six-foot, 230-pound Lee contributed nine points (2g-7a) and 281 penalty minutes for Columbus in the ECHL before being shipped to Reading after the season. Payne wasted no time in making the trade once Reading indicated some interest in Boily and LeClair.

Center Kimbi Daniels has signed on for a fourth year with the Aces after finishing third on the team in scoring with 63 points (23g-40a) despite playing on the third line for much of the year. During his three seasons in Anchorage, Daniels has averaged more than a point per game and led the club with 29 goals in 2002. Originally a third round pick of Philadelphia in 1990, the 30-year-old Daniels played 27 games in the NHL for the Flyers and owns a 1996 Kelly Cup title from his days with the Charlotte Checkers. Daniels was a teammate of Payne during the 1997-98 season.

"Kimbi looks like he's in terrific shape and poised to have a great season," said Payne. "Mike played very well for me when I had him in Pee Dee—he has the size and skill necessary to be a real force up front."

The Aces also have re-signed defensemen Dave Csumrik, Ryan Moren and Valdemar Pelikovsky to one-year deals. Although hampered by injuries, Csumrik managed to contribute 24 points (4g-20a) in 46 games. Moren played all 72 games last year, finishing with six goals and 16 assists. He scored twice, including the game-tying goal with 4.8 seconds remaining, in Alaska's most dramatic victory last season, a 4-3 shootout win over San Diego March 14. Pelikovsky, the man who scored the game-winner in that shootout, also registered a game-winning goal against Long Beach March 7.

Alaska has brought in two regulars from last year, Wes Dorey and Petr Chytka, for this year's training camp. Dorey spent about a month with the club before leaving to play for Sheffield in the British Super League. He scored two goals and assisted on seven others in 13 games for the Aces. Chytka joined the team late last season and tallied one assist in eight games after registering 43 points (24g-19a) in four years at UAA.

Training camp begins at Tesoro Sunday at 3:00 p.m. and continues Monday morning at 9:00 a.m. with a two-hour session. Alaska opens its regular season against the Fresno Falcons on October 24 in Sullivan Arena at 7:00 p.m. after a two-game exhibition set with Trenton at Sullivan October 10-11. For non-season ticket holders, exhibition game tickets go on sale at the Aces office today ($8 for lower mezzanine, $5 for balcony). Admission to the exhibition games for full season ticket holders is free of charge.

• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...

ECHL Stories from October 2, 2003


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Alaska Aces Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central