Mike Wyatt signs with Fury
Published on October 12, 2006 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release
MUSKEGON, MI.--- With the United Hockey League's inaugural weekend a mere days away, the all-time top winning team in the league's history, the Muskegon Fury, have taken a major, giant step forward in both bolstering and solidifying their roster for their grand home opening weekend on the docket for this Friday and Saturday nights at Walker Arena.
On this date, the Fury Team Owner and Club President Tony Lisman, in concert with Director of Hockey Operations / Head Coach Bruce Ramsay, has announced that the club has signed veteran standout left wing MIKE WATT to a one-year contract effective with the 2006-07 season. Adhering to club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
WATT, 30, will be entering his 10th pro season overall and his first ever in the UHL and with the Fury. The strapping 6-2, 220lb forward arrives on the Muskegon pro hockey landscape armed with a veritable arsenal of accomplishments and impressive credentials which will be paramount to the success of his newest team in this new season.
Originally a lofty second round draft choice and 32nd overall of the Edmonton Oilers in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, the native of Seaforth, Ontario has achieved significant NHL experience to the tune of 157-games with four separate clubs. After launching his "big league" career in Edmonton (1997-98), he later saw service with the New York Islanders for two seasons (1998-99, 1999-00), Nashville Predators (2000-01) and Carolina Hurricanes (2002-03). Only Doug Shedden played more NHL games as a member of the Fury than Watt. The latter's best NHL campaign was in 1998-99 with the NY Islanders where he compiled 25-points in 75-games on 8-goals, 17-assists.
For the past three seasons, the Fury's newest acquisition has been globetrotting overseas, having played in the Russia Elite League with St. Petersburg SKA for two years; 2003-04 and 2004-05 and more recently in Sweden last season with Leksands IF.
Coach Ramsay expressed elation with the Muskegon coming of Mike Watt. "We, as an organization, are very excited to obtain the services of Mike as both a top player and as an assistant coach for our club. He brings an absolute wealth of experience from all of the best levels of pro hockey. His NHL background of 157-games will serve us very well as he becomes a major asset for us both on and off the ice." The Fury bench pilot also envisions what Watt's player presence in the lineup means to his team for this season. "Mike is an outstanding player who will be a standout power forward for us. He is big, strong, has a great shot which adds up to some real goal-scoring for the Fury. He is a complete player in that he plays both ends of the ice very well and he will be a solid complement to all of our centers.
Watt is a former All-American at Michigan State University where he attained a star-studded three-year career from 1994-1997. In 115-games with the Spartans, he registered 53-goals, 45-assists for 98-points while totaling 233-PIM. His best season with MSU came in 1996-97 when he engineered 41-points in 39-games on 24-goals, 17-assists, amas-sing 109-PIM.
In his rookie pro season of 1997-98, performing for the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL, he collected 49-points in 63-games on 24-goals, 25-assists with 65-PIM.
The left-hand shooting forward has also seen significant action in the AHL, having played for three separate seasons with Lowell as well as playing for the Philadelphia Phantoms. In 2000-01, as a member of the Nashville Predators organization, Watt played 60-games in the IHL with the Milwaukee Admirals where he delivered 20-goals, 20-assists, 40-points in 60-games.
Watt will don jersey #17 and is expected to make his Fury and UHL premiere this weekend when he is in the lineup for the home opening weekend of the season for Muskegon. He and his Fury squadron will host the newly-minted Bloomington Prairie Thunder on opening night, this Friday night, October 13th before the Quad City Mallards come to town to rekindle rancor with the "Furious Ones" Saturday night, October 14th. Both games will start at 7:30 pm at Muskegon's Walker Arena.
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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
