Notes from the 2008 CHL Summer Conference
June 16, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs News Release
PHOENIX, AZ - Staff members from the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs joined representatives from every team in the Central Hockey League this past weekend for the 2008 CHL Summer Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. The conference featured meetings for league owners, governors and front office employees, an expansion draft for the newest CHL team, the Rapid City Rush, and the annual awards banquet.
One of the biggest items addressed as this year's conference was alignment for the CHL's 16 teams for the 2008-2009 season. The league will continue its two-conference (North and South), four-division arrangement for next season. The Mudbugs will remain in the Northeast Division and be joined by the Mississippi RiverKings, Oklahoma City Blazers and Tulsa Oilers. The Northwest Division will feature the Colorado Eagles, Rapid City Rush, Rocky Mountain Rage and Wichita Thunder. The Texas Brahmas will switch conferences, joining Corpus Christi, Laredo and Rio Grande Valley in the Southeast Division, while the Southwest Division remains unchanged with Amarillo, Arizona, New Mexico and Odessa.
For the second consecutive season, the playoff format will include 10 teams; five from each conference. The fourth and fifth seeds in each conference will then play a best-of-three mini round, with the winner advancing to the conference semifinals. Each remaining playoff round (conference semifinals, conference finals, and President's Cup Finals) will feature best-of-seven series.
The Mudbugs did not have a player selected in the 2008 expansion draft for the Rapid City Rush. Each team was required to leave four players unprotected in the expansion draft. The Rush selected Garrett Prosofsky (F, previously with Oklahoma City), Derek LaBlanc (F, Rocky Mountain), Cody Blanshan (D, Mississippi), Mike Lukajic (F, Wichita) and Mike Minard (G, New Mexico). Rapid City then traded Minard to Rio Grande Valley in exchange for future considerations. The CHL also introduced two expansion franchises that will take the ice during the 2009-2010 season, in Independence, Missouri and Allen, Texas. Both teams will play in newly constructed event centers.
The Mudbugs were nominated for a number of honors at the league awards banquet and Head Coach Scott Muscutt was recognized once again by the league for his 07-08 CHL Coach of the Year award that was announced at the end of the regular season. Bossier-Shreveport was nominated for: Marketing Franchise of the Year, Merchandising Franchise of the Year, Group Ticket Sales Franchise of the Year, Ticket Sales Executive of the Year (Meghan Savage) and Broadcaster of the Year (Travis Huntington).
All 15 of the CHL Awards presented on Saturday are listed below:
Ralph Backstrom Soul of Service Award - Kevin McClelland, Mississippi RiverKings Merchandising Franchise of the Year - Oklahoma City Blazers Marketing Franchise of the Year - Oklahoma City Blazers
Game Operations Franchise of the Year - Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees Ticket Sales Executive of the Year - Chris Augusto, Colorado Eagles Group Ticket Sales Franchise of the Year - Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees Ticket Sales Franchise of the Year - Colorado Eagles Community Relations Franchise of the Year - Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees Broadcaster of the Year - Brian Clark, Rocky Mountain Rage Communications Executive of the Year - Shane Ferraro, Arizona Sundogs Corporate Sales Executive of the Year - Gavin Riches, Colorado Eagles Corporate Sales Franchise of the Year - Laredo Bucks CHL Leadership Award - Troy Nelson, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees CHL Brad Treliving Executive of the Year - Brent Thiessen, Arizona Sundogs CHL Franchise of the Year - Colorado Eagles
Season and group tickets for the 2008-09 season of Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs hockey are on sale now. The team is tentatively scheduled to open its 12th season at home on October 17th and play 24 weekend home games. For more information about season or group tickets for the 08-09 season, call 318-752-BUGS or stop by the team office inside CenturyTel Center.
Central Hockey League Stories from June 16, 2008
- 'Bees take home four CHL awards - Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
- Veteran Broadcaster joins RiverKings - Mississippi RiverKings
- Eagles named franchise of year - Colorado Eagles
- Notes from the 2008 CHL Summer Conference - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Gorillas announce season ending roster - Amarillo Gorillas
- Sundogs Receive Eight Nominations and Take Home Two Awards at CHL SUmmer Conference - Arizona Sundogs
- Eagles Named CHL's Franchise of the Year for Second Time - Colorado Eagles
- Bucks Win CHL Award, Have New Division Rival - Laredo Bucks
- Colorado Eagles Named CHL Franchise of the Year - CHL
- Jackalopes add a pair of Broncos for 08-09 - Odessa Jackalopes
- Scorpions Division Remains The Same - New Mexico Scorpions
- Brahmas Move To Southeast Division In 2008-09 - Fort Worth Brahmas
- Bucks Community Update and Weekly Schedule - Laredo Bucks
- 2008-09 CHL Operational Issues Determined - CHL
- Suderman to Appear at Sundogs Team Store Tonight with Ray Miron President's Cup - Arizona Sundogs
- RiverKings & Gibson Guitars rock a local fan with special gift - Mississippi RiverKings
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.
