Brahmas sign veteran center Chad Grills
Published on July 18, 2002 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Fort Worth Brahmas News Release
Fort Worth- Chad Grills knows what it feels like to be on a championship winning hockey team. The veteran center from Peterborough, Ontario has skated a trophy around the ice in three of his seven previous professional hockey seasons. The Ft. Worth Brahmas are hoping that Grills will continue his winning ways this season as they signed the talented pivot to a contract for the 2002-2003 CHL campaign early Thursday morning.
Grills, 6'1", 185, has played in 437 regular season professional games in his seven year career. He becomes the first player signed by Ft. Worth for the 2002-2003 season that will be classified as a veteran (more than 260 regular season professional games played). CHL League rules mandate that each member team can have no more than five players on the active roster that qualify as veterans.
Grills has spent the entirety of his professional career in the United Hockey League (which was known as the Colonial Hockey League until the spring of 1997). Last season, he skated in 71 games for the Fort Wayne Komets, scoring 15 goals, adding 43 assists, and accumulating 150 penalty minutes. Prior to joining the Komets, Grills played for the Flint Generals, Muskegon Fury, and Brantford Smoke.
Known as a top notch playoff performer (56 points in 78 postseason games), Grills won his first Colonial Cup in 1995-96 as a member of the Flint Generals. He earned his second championship ring in 1998-99 with the Muskegon Fury. In 1999-2000, Grills returned to Flint where he helped the Generals to another Colonial Cup title.
Grills had his best offensive season in 1999-2000 when he scored 20 goals and earned 48 assists in 70 games for the Flint Generals. For his career, Grills has scored 117 goals, tallied 213 assists, and picked up 1163 penalty minutes.
Prior to turning pro, Grills played junior hockey for four seasons in the talent rich Ontario Hockey League, splitting time with the Peterborough Petes and the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
Brahmas head coach Todd Lalonde envisions Grills having a major impact on what should be a very young Ft. Worth team.
"Chad Grills is a proven performer. His track record of success and positive results, especially in the playoffs, speaks for itself. The best way to describe him is that he is very dynamic. Offensively he is capable of creating and finishing scoring chances. Defensively he is very smart and is an effective penalty killer. He's got a leadership personality and he comes to play every night. He's a winner, a veteran player, and he should be one of the guys that leads us night in and night out," stated Lalonde.
Grills expects to continue his professional success in Ft. Worth.
"The Brahmas have a reputation as one of the top organizations in minor pro hockey. Ft. Worth is a great city and Todd Lalonde is an exceptional young coach. I expect that we'll have a good team in Ft. Worth and hopefully we'll be able to make some noise in the playoffs. I'm excited to be joining the Brahmas and am looking forward to getting to Ft. Worth and getting started," said Grills.
The addition of Grills gives the Brahmas seven players on their 2002-2003 roster. Chad Woollard (LW), Adam Davis (D), Ryan Rivard (LW), Brant Somerville (D), Lee Jacobson (D), and Scott Roche (G) have already inked contracts this off season with Ft. Worth.
The Brahmas will begin their sixth season, and second in the CHL, in mid October of 2002. Season ticket and advertising packages remain on sale now. For more information, please contact the Brahmas office at (817) 336-4423.
Central Hockey League Stories from July 18, 2002
- Gorillas Sign Proven Goaltender - Amarillo Gorillas
- Scorps sign second rookie - New Mexico Scorpions
- Brahmas sign veteran center Chad Grills - Fort Worth Brahmas
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.
