ECHL Bakersfield Condors

Condors Start with Rosebush and Alexander

May 24, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Bakersfield Condors News Release


The Condors have begun the signing season under Head Coach Marty Raymond with the signing of two returning Condors, LW Paul Rosebush and RW Todd Alexander.

Rosebush, 28, served as the team's captain last season, and put together the best offensive year of his career. Last season he racked up 26 goals to tie for the team lead, as well as 47 points. He turned in a hat trick on March 13th, in the middle of a torrid offensive stretch that took up the last month of the season, in which he scored nine goals and 16 points in 12 games. He recorded two separate five-game goal-scoring streaks and two streaks of seven games in a row with at least one point in 2003-04.

Alexander, 24, will return for his second professional season. He recorded 12g-13a-25pts and 77 penalty minutes in 53 games. The Fort St. John, British Columbia native started the year on Injured Reserve with a broken hand, but finished, along with Rosebush, on the teams hottest line at the end of the season, putting up 12 of his 25 points during the final 12 games of the season. Alexander played three seasons at the University of New Brunswick prior to turning pro.

Rosebush is considered a veteran under ECHL rules, having played in over 300 career games. Only four veterans are allowed per team.

"These two young men represent the energy that we need to compete this season," said Raymond. "I was very pleased with the way Todd finished the year and look for that to continue into this season. And as for Mr. Rosebush, I don't think there's any question about his attitude and work ethic and what he brings to the table night in and night out."

Idaho Wins Kelly Cup In First Season

In their first season in the ECHL, the Idaho Steelheads won their first Kelly Cup Championship beating Florida 5-2 in front of a standing-room-only crowd of 5,374 fans at the Bank of America Centre on Saturday.

The Steelheads are the first champion in the expanded ECHL that welcomed nine new markets in 2003-04 and played with 31 teams in 17 states across five time zones. The Premier "AA" Hockey League, the ECHL will play with 30 teams in 2004-05, including the Victoria Salmon Kings. The first ECHL team outside of the United States, the Salmon Kings will play in Victoria, British Columbia.

One of the six teams from the now defunct West Coast Hockey League that joined the ECHL for 2003-04, Idaho becomes only the second expansion team in the 16-year history of the league to win the title joining the Greensboro Monarchs, who beat Winston-Salem in 1990.

The first-ever winner from the Western Conference, the Steelheads hold the distinction of being the ECHL Champion located the furthest west and also the furthest north. Boise's latitude is 43.64564 N surpassing 2000 Kelly Cup Champion Peoria's latitude of 40.687987 N and 1991 and 1992 ECHL Champion Toledo's latitude of 41.640701 N. For the record, the longitude of Boise is 116.13285 W.

Above story courtesy of ECHL office.

Condors Q & A with Jonathan Fleisig

At the start of a pivotal off season in Condors history – coming off the only season in which Bakersfield failed to qualify for the post season and with a "new" head coach in Marty Raymond – Majority Owner Jonathan Fleisig made a cross-country trek to visit with season ticket holders and corporate sponsors last Saturday. The STH Q & A was held poolside at the Holiday Inn Select with more than 120 in attendance.

He fielded questions on a variety of topics ranging from concerns about last season's team and this season's team, the return and/or departure of certain players, the decision to replace Paul Kelly as head coach last season, as well as general questions about the ECHL and his partial ownership of the Las Vegas Wranglers and involvement with the Fresno Falcons. He also spent a lot of time talking about affiliations, both the pros and cons, and what might be on the horizon for the Condors in regards to securing an affiliation with an American and National Hockey League Team. "I think it was a positive experience for everybody who came out," said Fleisig. "There were some very well-thought out questions, and the fans showed me their true dedication. This is Bakersfield's team, and I just wanted them to have an opportunity to be informed and voice their opinions. I'd like to thank everyone who came out on Saturday."

Check out the Bakersfield Condors Statistics



ECHL Stories from May 24, 2004


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