Reigning champs sign left wing David Ambler
August 3, 2004 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release
MUSKEGON, MI. --- Minor pro hockey's most winning team through its initial twelve years of existence, the Muskegon Fury of the United Hockey League, are continuing to make some significant, major inroads in assemb-ling their lineup for a successful defense of their 2003-04 UHL Colonial Cup Championship.
The off-season mission appears to be staying the steady course as the reigning champions have taken another step in that title timber direction. Today, the Fury Club Owner and Team President Tony Lisman, in collaboration with Director of Hockey Operations / Head Coach Todd Nelson, have announced that rugged, ruffian left wing DAVID AMBLER has come to terms and agreed to a new one-year contract for the upcoming 2004-05 UHL season. Adhering to club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
AMBLER, 24, will be embarking on his fifth pro season and his second in the UHL and with the Fury. The hard-nosed, 6-1, 210lb left hand-shooting forward returns to the home of the champions after enjoying a banner, initial campaign clad in the color codes of the Fury; a season that saw his team-driven contributions help spearhead Muskegon's second Colonial Cup crown in the last three years and the third such title for the club through the past five calendar years.
Mastering his role impeccably as the Fury's major enforcing element, the Westport, Ontario native saw action in 70-games, registering 13-points on 4-goals, 9-assists while accumulating 205-PIM with the latter output ranking as second most for Muskegon. Ambler's presence in the lineup was a prominent, positive, premium one for the hometown team as he recorded an excellent +10 rating. He evolved into fierce foot-soldier in Coach Nelson's championship lineup and a Fury squad that finished the regular season with the franchise' second best-ever record of 76 (47-20-9) 103-points, followed by the unprecedented, unparalleled, undefeated playoff post-season of an amazing 11(11-0).
The Fury head coach is well-attuned and aware of what the Ambler presence in the lineup means for his team. "This signing of David Ambler is a real good one for our hockey club. He plays both ends of the ice very effectively and with that added grit, he is cognizant of his role and knows how to take care of his teammates. Even beyond that, and what we like the most about David, is that he is a true pro, in every sense of the word, both on and off the ice. He is a team leader, he's vocal and he is well-liked among all of his teammates." Nelson also has an appreciation for his latest signee's impact in the greater Muskegon area. "David has an excellent understanding of team and community spirit. He enjoys attending schools, talking and reading to the students and, in general, making many appearances in the community as a first-class representative of the Fury. He is very popular in this town."
Ambler first arrived on the Muskegon pro hockey scene on the eve of opening night last season in an October 23, 2003 deal with in-state rival Port Huron, in exchange for the Fury's third round choice in the March 2004 UHL North American Amateur Draft. Port Huron had originally signed him as a free agent during the off-season of 2003.
In the 2002-03 campaign, he plied his trade in the CHL with the Lubbock Cotton Kings where he amassed 156-PIM in 58-games, authoring 11-points on 7-goals, 4-assists. In the previous season of 2001-02, he performed with both El Paso, also of the CHL and Laval of the QSPHL.
Ambler actually launched his pro career as a teammate of fellow Fury teammate Brant Blackned in 2000-01 with the CHL Tupelo T-Rex where he was 64(3-3-6) with 206-PIM.
He will commence his second season as a member of Muskegon with the following pro career numbers of 209(15-17-32) with 654-PIM.
Today's signing of left wing DAVID AMBLER brings to 10 the number of players that the Fury have under contract for the 2004-05 season with nine of those representing players of returning status from Colonial Cup III. Previously, Muskegon announced the signings of defensemen NOLAN BROWN, JORDON FLODELL, TYLER PALMER. Centers BILLY COLLINS, TODD ROBINSON; right wings ROBIN BOUCHARD, RUSTYN DOLYNY, SCOTT HOLLIS, JASON LAWMASTER.
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International Hockey League 2 Stories from August 3, 2004
- Reigning champs sign left wing David Ambler - Muskegon Lumberjacks
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