Bats Add Six For Camp

October 8, 2004 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Austin Ice Bats News Release


The Austin Ice Bats of the Central Hockey League today officially announced the signings of six players to contract for the 2004-05 CHL season. The group includes defensemen Trent Brandvold, Jonathan Jolette, Josh Akright and Ryan Leasa, and forwards Shaun Aebig and Alex Cote'.

The 28-year-old Brandvold, a native of Smithers, British Columbia, is the only returning member of the group. After attending the University of Lethbridge in Canada, Brandvold played a full 64-game rookie season with Corpus Christi in 2002-03. Brandvold started last season in Beaumont, Texas in the ECHL before returning to the Rayz around Halloween. Obtained from the Rayz at the trade deadline in February, Brandvold appeared in 18 games with the Ice Bats. Altogether, Brandvold scored 1 goal and 4 assists in 56 games played last season.

Jolette, 21, from Evain, Quebec, comes to the Ice Bats off a five-year junior career in the Quebec Major Junior League. Jolette scored 14 goals and 47 assists in 65 games in his final year of junior play last season with Shawinigan. He began this season attending training camp with Hamilton of the American Hockey League.

The 25-year-old Akright, from Haslett, Michigan, is a four-year product of Western Michigan University, the same school that produced Ice Bats goaltender Matt Barnes and defenseman Brian Pasko. In his first full pro season last year, the physical blue-liner scored seven points in 45 games with Kalamazoo of the United League.

Leasa, 24, from Sarnia, Ontario is a four-year graduate of the Division I program at the University of Alabama-Huntsville. Leasa appeared in four playoff games in 2003 with Indianapolis of the CHL, and scored nine points in 58 games in his first full pro season with Toledo of the ECHL last year.

Aebig, 22, from Rosthern, Saskatchewan, played in the Western Hockey League, then four seasons with the Kindersley Klippers of the Saskatchewan Junior League. An alternate captain and two-time All-Star in the SJHL, Aebig was on the Klippers team that won the league championship in 2002, and left Kindersley as the team's career leading scorer. Aebig played senior hockey in Saskatchewan last year.

Cote', 21, from Waterloo, Quebec, played the past two seasons with the Nipawin Hawks, also in the Saskatchewan Junior League. Cote' scored 21 goals and 24 assists in 53 games with Nipawin last year.

"These are all young players who are hungry to make their mark in pro hockey," said Jeff Greenlaw, Ice Bats Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations. "We expect them to come in and battle for a spot on our roster during training camp."

The Ice Bats now have 17 players officially signed to contract for the coming season. Between 22 and 23 players are expected for the opening of the team's training camp next week.

The Ice Bats are preparing for their upcoming training camp, with the first on-ice practice sessions to take place this Monday, October 11th at Chaparral Ice Center. The Ice Bats will host a preseason exhibition game against the Southeast Division rival Corpus Christi Rayz, beginning at 7:35pm on Friday, October 15th at the Travis County Expo Center. The game is open to the public for general admission seating, with a requested donation to Ice Bats Children's Charities and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Every fan in attendance that donates at least $5 will also receive a ticket to a future Ice Bats regular season home game.

The Ice Bats then open their ninth season of play at the Travis County Expo Center with three home games October 22nd through the 24th, against Southeast Division rivals Corpus Christi, Rio Grande Valley and Laredo.

Opening Night is Friday, October 22nd. Free magnetic schedules will be given away, and the "Bud True Music Concert Series" begins with an appearance from country artist Rick Trevino.

The following evening, Saturday, October 23rd offers free magnetic schedules and a post-game concert from "Pushmonkey." The UT men's hockey team will also play before the contest.

Opening weekend concludes with "Faith and Family Day" on Sunday, October 24th, and an appearance from the James Jean Band.

Season tickets and corporate partnerships are currently available for the upcoming season. Once again, free Belfry Club membership is included with all full-season packages, and free parking with all full-season and 16-game ticket plans.

Individual game tickets are available now through the Ice Bats office at 927-PUCK, on-line at www.GetTix.Net, or at any of a dozen Pinky's Wireless locations in the Austin area, including Round Rock, Cedar Park, Killeen and San Marcos. Tickets are also available at all Texas Box Office locations, including all Austin-area HEB stores, or on-line at www.TexasBoxOffice.com.

To charge by phone, fans may call the Ice Bats ticket office at 927-PUCK, Get Tix at 1-866-4-Get Tix, or Texas Box Office at (512) 477-6060.

Individual game tickets range in price from $10 to $35, depending on section, with discounted rates for groups of 15 or more. Fans may call the Ice Bats ticket office at (512) 927-PUCK, or log onto the team's website at www.icebats.com for more information.



Central Hockey League Stories from October 8, 2004


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