Pair of Centermen Join Gladiators
Published on July 31, 2007 under ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release
The Gwinnett Gladiators announced today that they have signed centermen Stuart MacRae and Ryan Walsh, a pair out of St. Francis Xavier University in Canada, for the upcoming 2007-08 season.
MacRae joins the Gladiators for his first full professional season after appearing in 6 Kelly Cup Playoff games last year with the Fresno Falcons. He notched 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points to rank 7th in postseason scoring with the Falcons last year.
Prior to joining the Falcons, MacRae completed his senior season at St. Francis Xavier University last year where he led the team in scoring with 35 points off of 16 goals and 19 assists in 25 games. In four collegiate seasons, MacRae notched 113 points in 107 career games at St. Francis Xavier.
Walsh returns to North America for the 2007-08 season after playing overseas in Germany last year with Kaufbeuren ESV. He notched 29 points to rank 5th in scoring with Kaufbeuren as he posted 14 goals and 15 assists in 45 games.
Prior to turning professional last season, the Ottawa, Ontario native played five collegiate seasons with St. Francis Xavier University in Canada. During his final season at St. Francis in 2005-06, he ranked second in scoring only to MacRae as Walsh collected 19 goals and 13 assists for 32 points in 27 games.
MacRae and Walsh both played under head coach Brad Peddle at St. Francis Xavier University. Peddle, the second year head coach at St. Francis, twice played under Gladiators head coach Jeff Pyle - first while with the Mobile Mysticks during the 2000-01 season and with the Gladiators during the team's inaugural 2003-04 season.
Opening Day in the ECHL for the 20th Anniversary Season will be Oct. 18 when the Johnstown Chiefs host the Wheeling Nailers at Cambria County War Memorial in a rematch of Game 7 from the first-ever ECHL Finals.
Celebrating its 20th Anniversary as the Premier 'AA' Hockey League in 2007-08, the ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in three states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league that will have 25 teams in 17 states and British Columbia in 2007-08. The 25 teams includes the Mississippi (Biloxi) Sea Wolves, who return after missing two seasons in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the expansion Elmira (N.Y.) Jackals.
The ECHL will play 900 games beginning Oct. 18 and concluding Apr. 5. The conference and division alignments and the format for the 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs will be determined and approved at a later date by the ECHL Board of Governors.
The Gwinnett Gladiators open their fifth season as a proud member of the ECHL in October of 2007 - season tickets are on sale now. In addition, the Gladiators offer several unique multi-game ticket packages as well as discounted group rates, suite rentals, and birthday parties. For more information call 770-497-5100 or log on to gwinnettgladiators.com.
The Gladiators are the AA affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers and play all home games at the spectacular 11,355-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth, where parking is always free.
ECHL Stories from July 31, 2007
- Two-Time Steelheads Champs Return to Boise to Defend ECHL Cup - Idaho Steelheads
- Back Line Continues To Take Shape - Alaska Aces
- The IceHogs Are Coming - Elmira Jackals
- Faulkner Returns to Inferno - Columbia Inferno
- Pair of Centermen Join Gladiators - Atlanta Gladiators
- Everblades Release 2007-08 Schedule - Florida Everblades
- Wranglers Agree To Terms With Jozsa - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Nailers Sign Brendan Cook - Wheeling Nailers
- Royals Sign Forward Chris Blight - Reading Royals
- Grizzlies Trainer Hosler Advances To NHL - Utah Grizzlies
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