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Mallards to Raise Stewart's Number to Rafters

December 13, 2012 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


MOLINE, Ill. (December 13, 2012) - The Quad City Mallards today announced the team will retire former Mallard great Glenn Stewart's number 18 on January 4 when the Mallards take on the Denver Cutthroats at the i wireless Center. The number retirement will kick off the celebration of the fifteenth anniversary of the Mallards' back-to-back championships in 1997 and 1998 and highlight a series of promotional nights that will also include a pair of game worn jersey auctions, Mallard youth jersey and Mo Mallard bobblehead doll giveaways and the return of Seats for Soldiers on Military Appreciation Night.

Stewart, who played four seasons for the Mallards from 1996 to 2000, is the franchise's all-time career goal scoring leader. The Scarborough, Ontario, native scored 218 times and added 211 assists for 429 points in 251 games as a Mallard. In 1996-97, his first campaign in the Quad Cities, Stewart set team single season records for goals (66), assists (69) and points (135). In addition to winning the Colonial Cup title in 1997 and 1998, Stewart also helped the Mallards to United Hockey League finals berths in both 1999 and 2000.

"This is a great honor and something my family and I are very proud of," said Stewart. "We're very excited about the opportunity to come back to the Quad Cities and the people who provided such awesome support for us."

In all, Stewart played 588 career games over nine seasons and scored 402 goals while collecting 452 assists for 854 points. A standout at the University of New Hampshire before turning pro, Stewart returned to the college ranks after retiring as a player to begin his coaching career. Stewart first stepped behind the bench as an assistant coach at American International College in 2003. After one season at AIC, Stewart moved on to the University of Connecticut, where he served as an assistant from 2004 to 2009 before joining the staff at Merrimack College, where he is currently associate head coach.

"We are thrilled to honor one of the all-time great Mallards in Glenn Stewart," said Mallards executive vice president Ryan Simmons. "I hope all Mallards fans can come out and celebrate Stewie's career with him on January 4. I can't wait to see his number take its rightful place in our rafters."

Stewart will be the fourth Mallard to have his number retired. Stewart's number 18 will join those of his former teammates Kerry Toporowski, Mark McFarlane and Steve Gibson high above the ice at the I wireless Center. 18 is currently worn by Mallards forward Jason Dixon, who will be the last Quad City player to wear the number.

Two weeks after the retirement ceremony, on Friday January 18, the Mallards will wear Turn "Back to Back" the Clock Night jerseys that mark the fifteenth anniversary of the second of the two consecutive championships won by Stewart and the Mallards in 1997 and 1998. Those jerseys will be auctioned off immediately after the Mallards wear them in their game against the Fort Worth Brahmas. The auction - the first of two Genesis jersey auctions this season- will benefit the Genesis Flu Free QC program.

On Friday, March 15, Genesis St. Patrick's Day jerseys will go up for bid to benefit the Genesis Health Services Foundation when the Mallards meet the Bloomington Blaze. The special edition green jerseys worn by the Mallards in that game will likewise be auctioned off immediately following that contest.

The traditional bobblehead giveaway will return to honor the longest-serving Mallard of them all, mascot Mo, when the Mallards take on the Missouri Mavericks on Saturday, March 9. The fun-loving waterfowl will be honored with his very own bobblehead for the first time. The first 1,000 fans through the doors for the game between the Mallards and Mavericks will receive free bobbleheads.

When the Mallards take on Bloomington on Friday, February 8 the team will host Military Appreciation Night and will offer fans the chance to purchase discounted "Seats for Soldiers" tickets- seats that will be donated by the Mallards to military personnel and their families- for just $5. Fans who purchase "Seats for Soldiers" tickets will be recognized on the Mallards' February 8 game night roster sheet and logos of businesses that purchase 20 or more "Seats for Soldiers" tickets will also appear on the roster sheet.

The next two dates on the team's promotional slate will see the Mallards welcome Christmas with a pair of unique evenings. On Friday, December 21 the Mallards will not only take on the Tulsa Oilers but also, in strict accordance with the ancient Mayan prophesy predicting the end of days on that date, Mo Mallard will propose a Toast to the End of the World during the third period of that game. In addition, in preparation for the end times, Mo will be clearing out his vast underground bunker and thus providing a wide variety of Mallards prizes old, new and in between that will be given away at the December 21 game.

In the unlikely event the world still exists on Saturday, December 22, the Mallards will celebrate the greatest holiday tradition of them all with an Ugly Sweater Contest when the Flock and Oilers meet again. Fans are encouraged to wear their most fantastically ugly holiday sweaters to the game and a panel of celebrity judges will choose the ugliest of the ugly with the "winners" receiving Mallards prizes.

When the Mallards return to action on the night after Christmas against Missouri, fans will be able to take advantage of one of a series of food and drink specials that will be available at the i wireless Center this season - in this case the opportunity to purchase $2 beers and soft drinks at i wireless Center concession stands.

In anticipation of the culmination of the college football bowl season, on January 2 the Mallards will offer $1 Nachos Bowls to all fans attending the Flock's game against Wichita. The Sugar Bowl will also be played on January 2 and fans will be able to watch the bowl game on more than 40 flat screen televisions throughout the i wireless Center.

Later in the season, fans will again have the chance to take advantage of a special deal on nachos. March 19 will not only see the Mallards host Denver, but also, just as March Madness takes hold of the nation, the arrival of $1 Nacho Madness enabling fans to again enjoy nacho orders for just a dollar.

In addition to honoring Stewart, January 4 will also see the Mallards team with WLLR Number One Country to celebrate Country Music Night. As part of the festivities, fans attending WLLR Country Music Night will have the chance to win tickets to Rascal Flatts in concert January 11 at the i wireless Center and the World's Toughest Rodeo the weekend of January 25 at the i wireless Center.

The Mallards on January 8 will welcome fans to the Flock's match-up with Missouri with an early bird meal special, offering a hot dog and soda for just $2 before 6:50 p.m. The early bird special will return exactly one month later on Military Appreciation Night- February 8.

The great food and drink deals will roll on when the Mallards hold their second Free Popcorn Night on January 19. All fans attending the Mallards' game that night against the Denver Cutthroats will receive a voucher good for one free bag of popcorn. When February rolls around fans will have the chance to save again while watching the Mallards with three successive $2 Tuesdays. Beer and soda will be available for just $2 at i wireless Center concession stands when the Mallards meet Missouri on Tuesday, February 5, when the Flock tussles with Bloomington on Tuesday, February 12 and when Rapid City visits the Quad Cities on Tuesday, February 19.

The Mallards will welcome youth sports participants to Youth Sports Day presented by Quad Cities YMCA when the Flock does battle with the Fort Worth Brahmas on Sunday, March 3. The first 1,000 fans ages 12-and-under through the doors for that game will receive free Mallards youth jerseys.

March 3 will also be the first of a series of Mallards Family Skate Days presented by Genesis Health System on three successive Sundays. Further Family Skate Days will follow on March 10 and 17. Fans will have the chance to join all their favorite players on the ice immediately after the end of the Mallards' game on each of those days.

March 17 is also American Heart Association Day as the Mallards take on Missouri at the i wireless Center. The Flock will show its support for the American Heart Association's Jump Rope for Heart and Hoops for Heart campaigns by providing students who meet pledge-raising goals for those two programs with free tickets to the March 17 game.

Fans will have the chance to purchase tickets to the Mallards' game against Bloomington on John Deere Community Night- Friday, March 22- for just $5 courtesy of John Deere.

Announcements concerning additional exciting Mallards promotions will be made in the coming weeks. Tickets for all remaining Mallards regular season home games can be purchased in person at the i wireless Center ticket office, at Ticketmaster outlets, through www.ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000. The ticket office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on game days from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period.

The Mallards' new Partial Punch Plan is also still available. The Partial Punch Plan provides flexibility and affordability- each Punch Plan punch card can be redeemed for ten tickets- whether those tickets are for ten different games, all for the same game or anything in between- subject to availability. Partial Punch Plans can be had for as little as $70 for youth 12 and under. For more ticket package information, fans can call the Mallards at 309-277-1364.

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