Mallards Announce First Seven Player Signings for 2009-10

Published on September 2, 2009 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Quad City Mallards News Release


The Quad City Mallards, proud International Hockey League (IHL) affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, today announced their first seven player signings for the 2009-10 season- goaltender Sebastien Laplante; forwards Chris Lipsett, Michael Lombardi and Mike Maier; and defensemen Jason Goulet, Shane Lovdahl and Darren McMillan. Per Mallards team policy no contract terms were announced.

The group boasts a promising blend of experience and youth. Laplante, Lipsett and Goulet have each played a minimum of five years of pro hockey while McMillan is entering his fifth pro campaign. Of the seven, Lipsett, now approaching his fourteenth season, is the longest tenured pro. He was a player-assistant coach with the Rapid City Rush of the Central Hockey League last season. In contrast, Lombardi, Lovdahl and Maier are all new to the North American pro game. Lovdahl and Maier are fresh from the college ranks, though Maier did play one game in the ECHL at the end of last season. Lombardi returns to these shores after spending last season- his first as a pro- in Italy.

Lipsett has played for Mallards Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Frank Anzalone before. He skated for the Mallards' bench boss with the ECHL's Roanoke Express for two full seasons in 1996-97 and 1997-98 and, briefly, in 1998-99 with the American Hockey League's Lowell Lock Monsters.

The Mallards selected Laplante, who tended goal last season for the Turner Cup champion Fort Wayne Komets, in the fourth round of July's IHL expansion draft with the eighth overall pick. In 16 games with the Komets last year, Laplante, 28, went 10-2-2-1 with a 3.13 goals against average, a .891 save percentage and one shutout.

"It is comforting to have a veteran goaltender in Sebastien who has experience at this level and is enthusiastic about being a part of our program here in the Quad Cities," said Anzalone.

Entering his eighth professional season, Laplante has played a total of 249 games in the IHL, ECHL, AHL and CHL. The Casselman, Ontario, native has posted a career record of 123-82-22 while turning in a goals against average of 3.00, a save percentage of .909 and 12 shutouts. In addition to Fort Wayne, Laplante has also made stops in Roanoke and Florence/Pee Dee in the ECHL, Wichita and Colorado in the CHL and Norfolk in the AHL.

Laplante was originally chosen by the Los Angeles Kings in the ninth round of the 2001 National Hockey League entry draft with the two hundred seventy-seventh overall selection. He saw major junior action with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League and the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League before turning pro.

At 35, Lipsett is the oldest of the seven signees. The Ottawa native has played 745 games for 13 teams in eight leagues on two continents since completing his college career at Clarkson in 1996. Lipsett's arrival in the Quad Cities brings about the reunion of the right winger and Anzalone ten years after they last joined forces.

"Chris has enjoyed a solid pro career. He's been a consistent scorer since he played for me in Roanoke and will be looked upon to provide leadership for our club," said Anzalone. "Having guys like Chris Lipsett not only in our dressing room but also in the community is a huge plus for the Mallards organization."

Last season Lipsett counted Goulet among his Rapid City teammates. Lipsett scored 27 goals and totaled 56 points in 62 games with the Rush and has now scored 27 times or more in each of his last four full seasons; he has scored better than 20 goals in 11 of his last 12 full campaigns. Combining both North American and European play, Lipsett has totaled 304 goals and 313 assists for 617 points over the course of his career. Lipsett's impressive resume includes time in the ECHL with Roanoke, Pee Dee, Alaska and Mississippi; in the AHL with Lowell and Kentucky; in the IHL with Houston; overseas with Sheffield in England and Iserlohn, Freiburg EHC and Regensburg EV in Germany; and most recently in the CHL with first Amarillo and then Rapid City.

Lipsett scored 31 goals and recorded 67 points in 112 career games at Clarkson. He helped the Golden Knights to three NCAA tournament berths in his four collegiate seasons as well as an ECAC regular season title and a conference tournament championship.

Goulet, 26, spent the majority of last season with Rapid City after starting the campaign with the Basingstoke Bison of the English Premier Ice Hockey League. The rugged 6' 5", 245-pound blue liner picked up six assists and 165 penalty minutes in 52 games with the Rush last year.

"Signing Jason is important because he adds experience to our blue line. More importantly, he brings size and grit which will add a necessary presence in our defensive zone," Anzalone said.

Over five professional seasons Goulet has played 303 games in North America. He has scored ten career goals, collected 41 points and piled up 928 penalty minutes on this side of the

"Mallards Announce First Seven Player Signings"- Page 3 of 4 Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Atlantic while suiting up for five ECHL teams (Fresno, Pensacola, Cincinnati, Dayton and Bakersfield), two CHL clubs (Oklahoma City as well as Rapid City) and one UHL squad (Kalamazoo).

Before turning pro Goulet played parts of four junior seasons in the WHL with the Saskatoon Blades (2000-2002) and Prince George Cougars (2002-2004).

McMillan, 29, last season scored one goal and totaled 10 points in 73 games while helping the Ontario (California) Reign to the ECHL Pacific Division title. McMillan returned to North America last year after playing in Germany for Klostersee EHC in 2007-08. The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, native spent his first two pro seasons (2005-06 and 2006-07) alongside Laplante with Wichita in the CHL. In his three North American professional seasons McMillan has totaled six goals and 58 points 193 games.

"Darren is a shut down defenseman who is very good in his own end," said Anzalone. "What's intriguing about Darren McMillan is his hockey experience and all that grows from it. He'll use that experience and hockey sense to become a great supporter for our offense."

Before turning pro the 6' 0", 216-pound McMillan played for St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia for four seasons.

Lombardi, 22, spent last season with HC Milano. The 6' 1", 191-pound left winger scored 14 goals and registered 24 points in 24 games. Originally from Richmond Hill, Ontario, Lombardi played parts of five seasons in the OHL before heading to Europe last year.

"Mike will bring aggression to the left wing position. He's a young, up and down, hard working, gritty winger who plays with a lot of jam," said Anzalone.

Lovdahl, 25, closed out his college career at Alaska-Anchorage in the spring. The Anchorage native scored once and collected five points in 32 games with the Seawolves last season. The 6' 0", 214-pound blue liner totaled eight goals and 33 points in 110 career games at UAA. Lovdahl is not wholly unfamiliar with this part of the country- he played three years of junior hockey with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League from 2002 to 2005.

"Shane is a defenseman with great upside. Though he's coming off of an average career at the University of Alaska at Anchorage, Shane received a high recommendation from Cedar Rapids coach Mark Carlson who Shane played for in the USHL. Mark thinks that he will turn into a pretty good pro," said Anzalone. "He could become a strong candidate for power play time and might blossom into a D-man who will contribute greatly on the offensive side of the puck."

Maier, 23, got his first taste of pro hockey with the Elmira Jackals last March, immediately after completing his college career at Division III SUNY-Cortland. The 5' 10", 190-pound right wing had eight goals and 24 points in 25 games with the Red Dragons last season. A native of Greece, New York, Maier played at Cortland for two seasons after spending his freshman and sophomore campaigns at Niagara.

"Mike is a good, young prospect who made a solid transition from Division I to Division III college hockey and had a great senior season at Cortland State. He could surprise some people," said Anzalone.

Five further Mallards signings are awaiting league approval and will be announced shortly.

After opening their first IHL campaign on the road against the Flint Generals on October 17, the Mallards will return to the i wireless Center for their home opener on Saturday, October 24 against the defending Turner Cup champion Fort Wayne Komets. The home opener will also serve as the culmination of "Hocktoberfest," a celebration of all things hockey in the Quad Cities. For information on the most fan friendly season ticket plans in professional hockey, fans can contact the Mallards at 319-277-1364.

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International Hockey League 2 Stories from September 2, 2009


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