Ice Bats Sign 3 D-Men
September 7, 2006 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Austin Ice Bats News Release
The Austin Ice Bats of the Central Hockey League today announced the signings of defensemen J.F. Picard, Aaron Wilson and Damir Brujic to contract for the 2006-07 season, the Ice Bats' first at Chaparral Ice Arena. With the signings, the Ice Bats now have ten players officially under contract for the coming season.
The 27-year-old Picard, a Montreal native, will enter his eighth professional season. The veteran blueliner played in two CHL seasons with Memphis, Laredo and Wichita, and was part of the Memphis team that won the President's Cup championship in 2002. He has played the majority of the last three years in the United and Southern Professional Hockey Leagues. Last season, Picard scored 11 goals and 28 assists in 51 games with the SPHL Pee Dee Cyclones.
Wilson, 24, a native of Pickering, Ontario, will enter his third pro season. After spending three years at the University of Toronto and his rookie season in the UHL and SPHL, Wilson played in 54 games for the ECHL Trenton Titans last season.
Brujic, 25, from Sudbury, Ontario, appeared in three seasons at Brock University in St. Catherines, Ontario, then spent his rookie season split among three teams in the UHL and SPHL last year.
"Picard is a guy who, given a chance, can do it all," said Ice Bats Coach Bill McDonald. "He's solid defensively, but can add offense when called upon. He plays with a physical edge and can shoot the puck."
"At 6-4, 220 pounds, Wilson is a big stay-at-home guy who will have benefited greatly from a full season in the ECHL," McDonald said. "Brujic also has some size and is the same kind of player as Wilson, and he'll be looking to earn his spot during our training camp."
The Ice Bats will open their 11th season on Saturday, October 21st at 7:30pm against the defending Northern Conference champion Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs.
The all-new Chaparral Ice Arena is located on I-35 between Howard Lane and Wells Branch Parkway. Season tickets and corporate partnerships for the '06-'07 campaign are currently available, with full-season and half-season ticket plans on sale now. Fans may call the Ice Bats ticket office at (512) 927-PUCK, or log onto the team's website at www.icebats.com for more information.
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