Las Vegas Continues to Build For Upcoming Season With New Addition

Published on August 21, 2007 under ECHL (ECHL)
Las Vegas Wranglers News Release


Las Vegas, NV- The Las Vegas Wranglers ® announced today that the team has agreed to terms with defenseman Gerry Burke for the 2007-08 season. Per club policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed.

"Gerry comes highly recommended out of Toledo as a d-man with size who can also help out on the power play," said Wranglers General Manager / Head Coach Glen Gulutzan. "He is a smart hockey player, who should also help clear forwards out from in front of our net."

Burke enters his third season of professional hockey and his first with the Wranglers. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound defenseman spent most of last season with the ECHL's Toledo Storm, also playing briefly with the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins. Burke led all defenseman in scoring for the Storm with eight goals and 26 assists for 34 points in 72 games played. The former Ivy Leaguer also tied for the team lead with a +10 rating and finished third with 19 points on the power play. For his play, Burke was rewarded with a two game stint in Grand Rapids. Over the last two seasons, Burke has played in 140 games for the Storm, notching 16 goals and 59 points, as well as earning 179 penalty minutes. In 16 playoffs games, Burke has two goals and four assists for six points. Prior to turning pro, the Milton, MA native played four seasons at Brown University, suiting up 127 times for the Bears, while collecting six goals and 15 assists for 21 points. Burke graduated with a degree in Economics from Brown in the spring of 2005.

"I'm pretty excited to get out there and put a Wranglers sweater on," said new Wranglers defenseman Gerry Burke. "When I was with Toledo we played there and I got to see what Las Vegas is all about. I've heard nothing but great things about the organization and the bottom line is simple, the Wranglers win games."

The Wranglers are expected to make more announcements regarding player signings over the next few weeks. Burke joins defensemen Jason Krischuk and Jason Jozsa, as well as forward Brandon Kaleniecki as players committed for the 2007-08 season.

Opening Day for the ECHL's 20th Anniversary Season will be October 18th when the Johnstown Chiefs host the Wheeling Nailers at Cambria County War Memorial in a rematch of Game 7 from the first-ever ECHL Finals. The ECHL will play 900 games beginning October 18th and concluding April 5th.

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary as the Premier ‘AA' Hockey League in 2007-08, the ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in three states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league that will have 25 teams in 17 states and British Columbia in 2007-08. The 25 teams includes the Mississippi (Biloxi) Sea Wolves, who return after missing two seasons in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the expansion Elmira (N.Y.) Jackals.

Individual game tickets are now on sale. Fans may purchase tickets on the Wranglers team website at www.lasvegaswranglers.com or the Orleans Arena website (www.orleansarena.com). Fans may also purchase tickets at any of the following locations in the valley: Galleria Mall, Meadows Mall, Orleans Casino showroom box office, Gold Coast Casino showroom box office and the Sun Coast Casino showroom box office. Tickets may be ordered by phone at (702)-739-3267.

The Wranglers play all 36 home games at the Orleans Arena, located at the Orleans Hotel and Casino at 4500 W. Tropicana Avenue. Las Vegas will host Opening Night on Sunday, October 21st at 7:05 pm at the Orleans Arena. The Wranglers will host the Bakersfield Condors at 7:05 pm on Thursday, October 11th in a preseason game. Seat packages to see the Wranglers play at the Orleans Arena for the upcoming 2007-08 season are on sale now, starting as low as $157 per seat. Call (702) 471-PUCK (7825) for more information or visit www.lasvegaswranglers.com.

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