Fury sign ace rookie Clayton Pool
Published on September 9, 2004 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release
MUSKEGON, MI.--- With their collective coronated eyes set on the beginning of their 13th United Hockey League training camp as well as the successful defense of their third UHL Colonial Cup crown in the past five calendar years, the Muskegon Fury are taking dead aim at the last but certainly not least additions in their roster develop-ment for the rapidly-approaching 2004-05 campaign.
Having to rebuild and otherwise reload their key, critical goaltending position for the new season, the Fury hockey operations division seems to have addressed the issue and redressed it with full marks all the way around. Today, Muskegon Club Owner and Team President Tony Lisman, in collaboration with Director of Hockey Operations / Head Coach Todd Nelson have announced that All-Canadian first-year goaltender CLAYTON POOL has agreed to contract terms and inked a one-year deal to launch his pro career in hockeytown titletown.
When Muskegon broaches its annual rites of training camp regimen early next month, POOL, 25, will be introduced to the professional ranks following an absolutely brilliant, star-studded five-year career in the Canadian Collegiate ranks with perennial national powerhouse University of Alberta Golden Bears where he helped spark and spur the Edmonton-based school to five consecutive championships in as many seasons.
The 6-0, 180lb backbone backstop arrives on the Fury titletown scene armed with a massive array of personal accomplishments and achievements with many of those unprecedented in the annals of Canadian Collegiate legendary history.
For his five-year career with the U. of Alberta, the Abbotsford, B.C. native composed an extraordinary overall record of 99-15-13 in 136-games for a winning percentage of an astronomical .831. Moreover, he posted a sterling 2.17 GAA, .916 SPCT and 18-shutouts. In the 2003-04 season alone, he registered a virtually impeccable 15-1-2 mark in 20-outings with 2-shutouts, 1.91 GAA and .935 SPCT as the Golden Bears completed the regular season with an amazing record of 44(40-2-2). With that 1.91 GAA, Pool, for a record-smashing fifth straight year, led the CIS Canada West Conference for lowest GAA, a feat unprecedented in conference history.
His in-conference Canada West Conference career record is even more stunning. In 88-games, Pool authored an utterly remarkable mark of 88(72-5-11) for an .881 win percentage, 13-shutouts, 2.01 GAA and .921 SPCT. Pool's post-season playoffs portfolio is a proud one as well. His career numbers in that category read in 13-games, a 10-2-0 record with 2-shutouts, 2.40 GAA and .910 SPCT.
Furthermore, Pool holds Canada West all-time career records for shutouts (13), shutouts in one season (4), set in the 2001-02 campaign, as well as U. of A. standards for career shutouts (18) and most shutouts in a single season, (6), the latter also set in 2000-01. In the 2001-02 season, he established an all-time Canada West record as well for the longest-ever playoff shutout streak consisting of 160:42.
Pool's first-ever pro coach, Muskegon's number one bench pacer, T. Nelson, likes his team's goaltending stable for another quest of the league crown. "With the departure of Sylvain Daigle, it was imperative for us to land two, top quality goaltenders. First, we signed a seasoned pro in Brent Belecki and now, we have come up with a younger goalie with rookie status and a tremendous upside. Clayton Pool's overall numbers are absolutely outstanding; not to mention that he is a product of a great Canadian College hockey program at Alberta. He comes to us as a somewhat older rookie through his five years of valuable experience at the highest college level. Through those five years and with his age, he will bring much maturity for a first-year pro." In addition, the coach points out that the procurement of Pool should solidify Muskegon's goaltending department for the upcoming campaign. "We are now facing an expanded 80-games' schedule this year and with that we really need two capable net-minders. We strongly feel that we have filled the void and that Clayton will be an excellent complement for Brent Belecki. Clayton is very excited about coming to Muskegon and playing for the Fury and he will have an early opportunity to get ready for the start of our season when he attends the Grand Rapids Griffins training camp. He is the product of a great winning organization at the University of Alberta so his coming to Muskegon should be no different."
The Pool name has been synonymous with goaltending nobility and championship attainments. For three successive seasons, (1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02) he was named CIS All-Canadian and Canada West First Team All-Star.
In his Freshman season of 1999-00, he earned every conceivable major award as he was named to the CIS and Canada West All-Freshman Teams while also being heralded as both CIS and Canada West Best Freshman of the Year and the Golden Bears' top Freshman and overall Best Defensive Player in the same season.
To amplify his vast experience despite his rookie status, Pool also has gained significant experience at the highly-prized International level. In 2003, he earned the starting goaltending slot for Team Canada at the World Student Games in Tarvisio, Italy. In the tournament, he backstopped Canada to the Bronze Medal with a 6-3 triumph over host Italy, leading his team to a stellar 7(6-1-0) mark. Pool posted a 5(4-1-0) mark for himself with a stingy 1.80 GAA and .932 SPCT.
Prior to his brilliant career at U. Alberta, Pool played four years in the prestigious major junior âA' WHL circuit with the Kamloops Blazers and Kootenay Ice.
Today's signing of goaltender CLAYTON POOL brings to 16 the number of players that the Fury have inked to pacts for the upcoming 2004-05 season. Previously, Muskegon announced the signings of goaltender BRENT BELECKI, defensemen NOLAN BROWN, JORDON FLODELL, KEVIN HAUPT, TYLER PALMER and DAVE VAN DRUNEN; centers BILLY COLLINS, JEFF NELSON and TODD ROBINSON; left wings DAVID AMBLER and BRANT BLACKNED; right wings ROBIN BOUCHARD, RUSTYN DOLYNY, SCOTT HOLLIS and JASON LAWMASTER.
International Hockey League 2 Stories from September 9, 2004
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- River Otters Add Rookie Skill and Toughness - Missouri River Otters
- Fury sign ace rookie Clayton Pool - Muskegon Lumberjacks
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