Mayhem Ink Pair of Defensemen to Bolster Blue Line
June 28, 2018 - SPHL (SPHL)
Macon Mayhem News Release
MACON, GA - The Macon Mayhem bolstered their blue line by signing defensemen Larry Smith and Richard Coyne to training camp agreements, Director of Hockey Operations Leo Thomas announced on Thursday.
Smith, 25, returns to Macon after a short stint with the team at the end of the 2017-18 regular season. After completing his collegiate career at Niagara University late last season, he spent three games with the Pensacola Ice Flyers and four with Macon. The Buffalo, New York native recorded his first career professional point with an assist in the Mayhem's 4-1 win over the Fayetteville Marksmen on March 31. Smith was not on the Mayhem's playoff roster, but head coach Leo Thomas was keen on bringing him back.
"We had Smitty for a few games at the end of the season, and every game here, he got better," Thomas explained. "With his size, skating ability and big shot, he could be a really good asset for our team. I look forward to getting him here in October and seeing him battle at camp."
After playing four games with Macon, the interest in returning to the team was mutual.
"I had a lot of fun in my short time in Macon. It was a great group of guys in the locker room and I liked the coaching staff a lot," Smith added. "Leo is a good coach and he's going to do a great job as the head coach. I can't wait to get back down there and get back into the swing of things."
Smith, the 6-3, 210-pound defenseman, finished his four-year NCAA Division I career for the Niagara University Purple Eagles with four goals, 17 assists and 21 points over 98 games. Prior to college, he played his junior career between the Carleton Place Canadians of the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), Buffalo Jr. Sabres of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) and the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League (USHL).
The Mayhem added another reliable defenseman to the mix with the signing of Coyne, the 26-year-old from Cave Creek, Arizona. Coyne has been with the Mississippi RiverKings since the end of the 2015-16 season, when he played seven games for the team after finishing his collegiate career. Since turning professional, he has one goal and ten assists in 83 SPHL games. Coyne's first professional stint came with Mississippi while Leo Thomas was finishing out his professional career with the RiverKings, so a level of comfort is already established between the two.
"I spent a few games with Leo at the beginning of my career. He was a great player and a great teammate in my short time with him. It's going to be a little bit different from playing with him, but I'm excited to pick his brain about the game," Coyne said on playing for Thomas.
"As soon as I found out about Mississippi and talked to Leo about coming to Macon, I was on board. He's putting together a really good team, and I'm just ecstatic to be a part of it."
The 6-1, 215-pound defenseman spent his junior and senior seasons with the College of St. Scholastica at the NCAA Division II level, tallying one goal and five assists in 45 games. Prior to that, he played 16 games over two seasons for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks at the NCAA Division I level. He played all but 16 games of his junior career in the USHL.
"Coyne is an experienced defenseman who plays a hard, physical game," Thomas stated. "He's a kid with a lot of potential and who's ready to take his game to the next level. I expect Coyne to be a leader on the back end and continue to get build on his first couple of seasons."
The Mayhem will continue to announce player signings in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to the team's official social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as MaconMayhem.com for the latest off-season news.
For information on the upcoming season and 2018-2019 season tickets, visit MaconMayhem.com or call the Mayhem Front Office at (478) 803-1592.
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