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ECHL Toledo Walleye

Jeff Mitchell Named Storm Captain

October 24, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
Toledo Walleye News Release


(Toledo, Ohio) The Toledo Storm of the East Coast Hockey League today announced that veteran power forward, Jeff Mitchell, has been selected as the team's captain. Defenseman, Matt Eldred, and right wing, Alexandre Jacques, were named as the Storm's alternate captains.

Mitchell, an eighth year pro from Wayne, Michigan, has scored two goals and picked up two assists in the first five Storm games. Mitchell was acquired by the Storm last season by virtue of a late season trade with the Dayton Bombers that sent right wing, Andrew Williamson, and defenseman, Chris Wismer, to the Bombers in return for forward, Dmitri Leonov and Mitchell. Up until that trade, the twenty-seven year old Mitchell had played his entire 2001-02 season with the Saint John Flames of the American Hockey League. Mitchell joined the Storm on March 1, 2002, and promptly scored the game winning shootout goal to cap off a come-from-behind victory for the Storm over the Reading Royals. Before being recalled by Saint John in mid-March, Mitchell scored three goals, added three assists, and picked up 21 penalty minutes in six games with the Storm. With Saint John, Mitchell scored seven goals and ten points in 64 games. This season is not the first time that Mitchell has played under Storm Head Coach, Claude Noel. From 1995 through 1998, Mitchell was a member of the Michigan K-Wings of the International Hockey League, where Coach Noel served as the head coach. Mitchell is also rather familiar with the role of captain, as he served in that position for consecutive seasons (1999-00 and 2000-01) with the Bombers.

Eldred, a twenty-eight year old defenseman, was born in the Cleveland suburb of Rocky River, Ohio, and had a standout four-year career for Bowling Green State University in the mid-1990's. In 1997-98, Eldred launched his pro career with the Michigan K-Wings, where Coach Noel was the head coach. Since that time, Eldred has played at least a part of each of his six pro seasons under Coach Noel with the K-Wings, the Milwaukee Admirals, and now the Storm.

Jacques, who is in his sixth year of pro hockey, has scored two goals and added three assists in five games for the Storm this year. Last season in Toledo, Jacques had a career year in virtually every category--including goals (29), assists (39), points (68) and pims (37). In that latter stage of last year, Jacques, who was a sixth round draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings in 1996, went on a tremendous tear, scoring at least one point in 40 of his final 52 games. This season, Jacques has picked up virtually where he left off last year, picking up at least on point in every game the Storm has played except one.

With respect to today's announcements, Coach Noel stated, "we believe that Jeff Mitchell possesses all of the attributes of a great natural leader. He has an impeccable work ethic, a tremendous attitude, exceptional hockey intelligence, strong communicative skills, a willingness to learn and listen, skill at his position, physical strength, and flat out toughness. And, above all that, he has earned the respect of the coaching staff and his teammates. Alex Jacques and Matt Eldred have shown that they have similarly strong leadership qualities and tremendous skill at their respective positions. With these three gentlemen, we believe that our core team leadership is as strong as you could hope for at any level of hockey.

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