Bees Add More Buzz

Published on July 16, 2003 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees News Release


HIDALGO, TX: July 16, 2003 – The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees of the Central Hockey League are thrilled to announce left wing Troy Linna has signed with the team for the 2003/2004 season.

"Troy has improved every season as a professional," said Killer Bees Head Coach Tracy Egeland. "He competes hard every shift and he plays a physical game. Linna was a major contributor for the Buzzards in two playoff runs and he has a strong knack for scoring goals."

Linna (leh-nuh), a native of Winthrop Harbor, Illinois, joins the Killer Bees after spending three seasons with the El Paso Buzzards. He has played his entire career in El Paso and has amassed 40 goals and 63 assists for 103 points in 180 career games. Linna posted 35 points off of 9 goals and 26 assists in 67 games during his rookie campaign in 00/01. He followed that season with 22 points (8g,14a) in 01/02 and posted solid numbers in the playoffs with 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points in 11 games, as the Buzzards lost out to the Austin Ice Bats in the CHL Western Conference Finals. Linna wrapped up his El Paso career posting career high numbers last season with 23 goals and 23 assists for 46 points. The 23 goals ranked tied for second on the squad and the 46 points ranked fourth. During his first two seasons with El Paso, Linna was a teammate of Killer Bees goaltender Jeff Levy.

Prior to turning pro, the 6'1" 180-pound forward played three seasons of junior hockey in US junior leagues. Linna played two seasons in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with Des Moines (97/98), North Iowa (98/99) and Omaha (98/99), and a season in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) with the Springfield Junior Blues (99/00). He combined for 27 goals and 26 assists for 53 points in 79 games over his junior career.

The signing of Linna places five names on the Killer Bees roster, as he joins goaltender Jeff Levy, forward Bill Newson, and defensemen Sean Gillam and Darcy Smith.

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Central Hockey League Stories from July 16, 2003


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