Mallards Land Reese, Giosa in Exchange for Goulet

Published on September 8, 2010 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


MOLINE, Ill. (September 8, 2010) - The Quad City Mallards of the "AA" Central Hockey League announced today they have acquired centers Jason Reese and Eric Giosa along with future considerations from the Wichita Thunder in exchange for defenseman Jason Goulet.

As a rookie last season, Reese, 22, played not only for the Thunder but also for the Texas Brahmas and Arizona Sundogs, scoring seven goals and totaling 25 points in 57 games. In 31 games with Wichita, the Gresham, Oregon, native posted three goals and 13 points.

"Reese is a young centerman who faced the adversity of being a rookie last season playing for three different teams," said Mallards Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Frank Anzalone. "He is a quality player who will be given every opportunity to find a home in the Quad Cities and rekindle the productive career he enjoyed a short time ago in major junior."

Reese turned pro after spending just over five seasons in the junior ranks with the Western Hockey League's Vancouver Giants, Moose Jaw Warriors and Tri-City Americans. The 5' 10", 177-pound pivot topped 80 points in each of his final two junior seasons. In 2008-09 he scored 31 times and added 50 assists for 81 points in 69 games with the Americans. In 2005-06 Reese helped the Giants to the WHL Ed Chynoweth Cup title. Reese finished his junior career having scored 97 goals and piled up 273 points in 317 games.

The Thunder acquired Giosa, 26, from the Laredo Bucks earlier in the offseason. Last year, in his first full pro campaign, Giosa scored 12 goals and recorded 35 points in 57 games with the Bucks. The Northville, Michigan, product played four games for the ECHL's Reading Royals at the end of the 2008-09 season after completing a four year college career at Sacred Heart.

"Eric has been a solid player since his time at Sacred Heart University where he played on some really good teams," said Anzalone. "He can play all types of roles, from checker to scorer. He is seeking the opportunity to be placed in a more productive role. With his one solid year in the CHL, we are looking to him to be a top player this season."

As a senior in 2008-09, Giosa led Sacred Heart with 16 goals and collected 29 points. In 140 career games as a Pioneer he produced 42 goals and 84 points. The 5' 11", 182-pound Giosa played two junior seasons with the North American Hockey League's Toledo IceDiggers before arriving at Sacred Heart.

Last season Goulet, 27, scored twice and picked up 10 points in 73 games while also finishing sixth in the International Hockey League with 212 penalty minutes. Goulet will return to the CHL with the Thunder after having spent three seasons in the Central League earlier in his career, most recently with the Rapid City Rush, for whom he had six assists and spent 165 minutes in the penalty box over 52 games in 2008-09. In six professional seasons Goulet, who also played briefly in Britain, has skated in 376 games in North America. He has scored 12 career goals, rung up 51 points and accumulated 1140 penalty minutes on this side of the Atlantic.

The Winnipeg product began his pro sojourn at the tail end of the 2003-04 season with the ECHL's Fresno Falcons. After a brief stint with the United League's Kalamazoo Wings early in the 2004-05 campaign, Goulet joined the CHL's Oklahoma City Blazers, for whom he would play the better part of two full seasons. 2006-07 saw Goulet play eight games in the AHL for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers but spend most of the season in the ECHL, suiting up first for the Pensacola Ice Pilots and then for the Cincinnati Cyclones. The following year he again made two stops in the ECHL, taking to the ice for both the Dayton Bombers and the Bakersfield Condors.

Before turning pro, Goulet played parts of four seasons in the WHL with the Saskatoon Blades (2000-2002) and Prince George Cougars (2002-2004) before finishing his junior career with the Saskatchewan League's Battleford North Stars.

Reese and Giosa join Obi Aduba, Phil Axtell, Mike Byrd, Nick DeCroo, Dustin DeGagne, Jason Dolgy, Mark Ehl, Mike Hartwick, Tyler Kindle, Kirill Kitsyn, Jason Kostadine, Patrik Levesque, Shane Lovdahl, Brandon Marino, Maxime Mathieu, Mike McLean, Darren McMillan, Omar Pacha, Ryan Palmer, Zach Pearson and Michel Robinson to bring the number of players on the Mallards' preseason roster to 23.

The Mallards will open their first CHL regular season on home ice Saturday, October 16, at 7:05 p.m. against the Odessa Jackalopes. Mallards 2010-11 ticket packages are now available to meet any budget or schedule. For more information on ticket packages for the upcoming season, fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364. Single game seats will go on sale in the fall on a date to be announced.

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