Bats Return Two Big Guns
Published on October 6, 2003 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Austin Ice Bats News Release
The Austin Ice Bats of the Central Hockey League today announced the signings of veteran forwards Brett Seguin and Gerald Tallaire to contract for the 2003-04 season. With the signings, the Bats now have a full 18 players officially under contract for the coming season.
The 31-year-old Seguin, a native of St. Mary's, Ontario, will enter his 12th pro season, his sixth with the Ice Bats. The Ice Bats' career leader in points and assists, Seguin ranks second in career goals scored and games played. A 6th-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 1991, Seguin spent most of his first four pro seasons in the Colonial League, breaking the 100-point barrier in consecutive seasons with Muskegon.
Seguin then joined the Ice Bats for the first two seasons of the team's existence, and was named to the All-Star squad both years. After two years with Topeka in the Central League, Seguin returned to the Bats, and has played in Austin in each of the past three seasons. He finished third in WPHL scoring in 2000-01 with 95 points, and a close second to teammate Dan Price in 2001-02 scoring with 96 points. A six-time All-Star in the WPHL and CHL, Seguin ranked 4th in team scoring last year with 16 goals and 38 assists in 53 games.
"Brett is an integral part of our team," said Jeff Greenlaw, Ice Bats Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations. "He's one of the big reasons we went to the Finals the last couple of years. He's a proven dominant offensive center in this league. Last year, he was hampered by injury a little bit, but has worked hard over the offseason and is in real good shape. With Brett and Kelly Smart, we have two ânumber-one' centers. Some teams don't have the luxury of even one.
Tallaire, also 31, from Winnipeg, Manitoba will enter his eighth pro season, his third with the Ice Bats. The speedy forward spent four years at Lake Superior State University, winning an NCAA championship in 1994. After two years overseas, Tallaire played two seasons with the Ice Bats' former rival, the Belton-based Central Texas Stampede, and finished as that team's leading career scorer. Tallaire then played one season in Italy, before returning to finish the 2000-01 season with six games in Austin.
A full-time member of the Bats in each of the last two seasons, Tallaire was part of the team's vaunted "S-T-P Line" (which also included Seguin as its center). Tallaire finished 4th in CHL scoring in 2001-02 with 84 points. Last season, Tallaire ranked third on the team with 25 goals, 37 assists in 64 games, and was second in the CHL at +32.
"Gerald's another one of those guys that's a leader for us," Greenlaw said. "He adds an element of speed to our lineup... he's one of the fastest players in the league. Gerald broke his hand early in the Finals in an unfortunate on-ice accident. Otherwise, it might have been a different outcome. He's a proven goal scorer who I'd expect to be around that 30-goal mark once again.
With training camp set to open this coming Wednesday, Greenlaw says he's comfortable with the team he's prepared to ice.
"On paper, things look good," Greenlaw said. "We have 11 players back from last year's team, plus Daniel Tetrault from the team two years ago. But we'll have to see how everything pans out in camp. It'll be a small camp, but there will be a couple of positions up for grabs.
"We had to make some adjustments with our team," Greenlaw said. "Because of the way the League rules are set up, we had to say goodbye to some of our veteran players. That was hard to do, but I think we've done the right thing for our hockey team.
Under CHL rules, teams may have no more than five "veteran" players, those with more than 260 games of professional experience. In addition to Seguin and Tallaire, forwards Kelly Smart, Shawn Legault and Kris Waltze qualify as veterans under that standard.
In addition to those veterans, the Ice Bats have also signed forwards Tab Lardner, Mike Olynyk, Joey Bastien, Josh St. Louis and Brent Hughes, defensemen Darryl McArthur, Pat Brownlee, Daniel Tetrault, Derek Stone, Scott McCallum and Clint Way, and goaltenders Peter Brady and David Haun.
McArthur, a third-year pro defenseman, returned Sunday from camp with the Utah Grizzlies of the American League, top affiliate of the NHL Dallas Stars.
"Darryl acquitted himself well in camp," Greenlaw said. "I've been in close contact with (Utah General Manager) Brian Poile, and he says McArthur had a terrific camp and would make a good depth player in their organization. He got some good exposure with a lot of teams, and I would expect him to see some time in the AHL this season."
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The Ice Bats open training camp this coming Wednesday at the Travis County Expo Center, and will host a preseason exhibition game against the Southeast Division rival Laredo Bucks, beginning at 5pm this Sunday, October 12th. Doors to the Expo Center will open for a public skate from 1:45 to 3:45pm. Ice Bats representatives will also be on hand to give fans an opportunity to choose their seats for the upcoming season. Following the contest, fans can collect autographs in the Belfry Club from Ice Bats players. The game is open to the public for general admission seating, with a requested $5 donation to Ice Bats Children's Charities.
The Ice Bats begin their eighth season of play on Saturday, October 18th, against the New Mexico Scorpions at the Travis County Expo Center. The Bats will raise their championship banners from the past season, and free magnetic schedules will go to 5,000 fans. Two-time defending Southeast Division and Southern Conference champions, the Ice Bats also won the Governors' Cup with the League's top regular season record last year.
Tickets to all Ice Bats home games are available at all Texas Box Office locations, including the Ice Bats ticket office and all Austin-area HEB stores. On-line ordering is available through www.TexasBoxOffice.com. To charge by phone, fans may call Texas Box Office at (512) 477-6060, or the Ice Bats ticket office at (512) 927-PUCK.
Individual game tickets range in price from $10 to $30, depending on section, with discounted rates for groups of 15 or more. In addition to group tickets, season tickets remain on sale at the Ice Bats office, in full-, half-season, or 10-game plans. Free Belfry Club membership is still included for all new full season packages, as well as free parking for all full-season and half-season plans.
For more information, fans may call the Ice Bats Ticket Office at (512) 927-PUCK, or log onto the team's website at www.icebats.com.
Central Hockey League Stories from October 6, 2003
- CHL Training Camps Underway - CHL
- Bats Return Two Big Guns - Austin Ice Bats
- Players Hit Ice Wednesday Afternoon for Camp - Indianapolis Ice
- Ice Add Skilled Centerman on Verge of Camp - Indianapolis Ice
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.
