Buzzards Sign Two Tough Forwards
September 26, 2002 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
El Paso Buzzards News Release
EL PASO, Texas â The El Paso Buzzards announced today the signing of forwards Joe Gray and Josh Tymchak for the 2002-2003 season. Both Gray and Tymchak bring Central Hockey League experience to the Buzzards' team.
Gray, 24, comes to the Buzzards from the San Antonio Iguanas (CHL) where he scored 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points in 64 games during the 2001-2002 season as well as 144 penalty minutes. Gray joined the Iguanas for three games at the end of the 2000-2001 season after completing his fourth season with Merrimack College (NCAA). At 5'10" and 190 pounds, Gray, a native of Weymouth, Massachusetts, is sure to add some speed to this towering Buzzards team.
"Joe Gray is a skilled, fast hockey player," said Buzzards' head coach and director of hockey operations Craig Coxe. "He plays bigger than his 5'10" size dictates. He isn't one of the tallest guys in the league, but he plays a tough, hardnosed game."
Tymchak, 25, will enter his fifth professional season this year having played for the B.C. Icemen (United Hockey League), Winston-Salem Icehawks (UHL), Mohawk Valley Prowlers (UHL), Asheville Smoke (UHL), and the Huntsville Tornado (CHL) where he played under Coach Craig Coxe. With Huntsville, Tymchak scored 29 points (11-18-29) in 59 games and has a total of 590 penalty minutes in 181 professional games. The Winnipeg, Manitoba native stands 6'1" and is 170 pounds.
"Josh Tymchak was the captain of my team in Huntsville two years ago," said Coxe. "Josh brings good leadership to our team and he is a smart and disciplined player who also has the ability to play a tough game."
Buzzards' general manager Robbie Nichols is thrilled with Coach Coxe's recent acquisitions and said, "Once again Coach Coxe has worked his negotiating magic and has brought us two skilled players who can play with a lot of grit. The President's Cup run begins for us at home on Saturday, October 26th and this will be a very exciting team to watch."
The signing of Gray and Tymchak brings the Buzzards' 2002-2003 roster to eleven players. Gray and Tymchak join goalies Nathan Grobins and Matt Carmichael, forwards Jeremy Vokes, Derek Reynolds, and Derrell Upton as well as defensemen Aaron Boh, Rhett Dudley, Jason Tessier and Trevor Folk. Gray played alongside Boh, Grobins and Camichael as an Iguana and Tymchak was a teammate of Reynolds, Folk and Carmichael in Huntsville.
The El Paso Buzzards play in the professional Central Hockey League. The team is entering their seventh season of play in El Paso with a home opener on Saturday, October 26th as they take on the San Angelo Outlaws. Season ticket and sponsorship packages are available for the 2002-2003 season by calling the Buzzards' office at (915) 533-PUCK or by visiting www.elpasobuzzards.com.
Central Hockey League Stories from September 26, 2002
- Scorpions past, present attend AHL camps - New Mexico Scorpions
- Gorillas announce game day ticket sales - Amarillo Gorillas
- Two-Time All-Star Holland Re-Signs - Lubbock Cotton Kings
- Buzzards Sign Two Tough Forwards - El Paso Buzzards
- Scorpions plan season kickoff party - New Mexico Scorpions
- Thunder Add Another Offensive Weapon - Wichita Thunder
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