CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings cut down roster

Published on October 15, 2007 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


The Mississippi RiverKings of the Central Hockey League have announced their initial roster cuts as they get ready to open their season.

Following the RiverKings' exhibition games over the weekend against the ECHL's Florida Everblades at Germain Arena in Estero, Fla., Head Coach Kevin McClelland today released defensemen Tim Hockley and Adam Wood, forwards Jan Skvarka and Nick Thomas, and center Tom Boudreau.

Hockley, 23, played in Saturday's game and did not register a point. In 56 games last season with the Huntsville Havoc of the Southern Professional Hockey League, the Collingwood, Ont. native scored five goals and had 11 assists with 123 penalty minutes. Hockley spent four years playing in the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League.

Thomas, 22, did not play in either game over the weekend. He made an assist in one game last season with the SPHL's Knoxville Ice Bears. Like Hockley, he played in the OPJHL. Thomas spent five years playing at that level.

Both men, however, have already found places to play for the upcoming season.

"Hockley and Thomas are both on their way to Huntsville," McClelland said before practice today.

Havoc Head Coach John Gibson helped McClelland during training camp last week. Gibson decided to give Hockley another season in Alabama, and he also liked what he saw from Thomas to give him a chance to play there.

"The three other guys are still on waivers," McClelland said of his other cuts.

Skvarka, 21, played nine games for the Elmira Jackals of the United Hockey League last season and recorded four assists. He previously played on four different levels for his hometown team in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia in a three-year span. Skvarka, though, did not dress either game this weekend against the Everblades.

Boudreau, 24, spent the last two seasons playing in Sweden. He played most of last season with Huddinge in the HockeyAllsvenskan, which is Sweden's second-highest league. However, the man from Oak Lawn, Ill. only had one goal in 31 games for the club. Boudreau played on Friday, but did not find the score sheet.

Wood, 24, played university hockey over the last three years at Wilfrid Laurier in Waterloo, Ont. In 35 games during that time for the Golden Hawks, the man from Toronto scored one goal and assisted on another while amassing 60 minutes in penalties. In Friday's game against the Everblades, Wood did not register a point.

McClelland will submit his official opening day roster to the CHL's hockey operations department on Thursday.

In the meantime, the team will practice tomorrow at 6 p.m. as part of the RiverKings' Fan Fest at the DeSoto Civic Center. At that time, ticket holders can pick up their packages for the upcoming season. Fans can get autographs from the players after practice.

The RiverKingws will open their season at home on Friday night at 7:05 against the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs. Team staff that night will give away magnetic schedules for the season, and all teachers and faculty can use coupons to get tickets to this game for just five dollars.

On Saturday at 7:05, the RiverKings will host the Youngstown Steelhounds on Hernando Night, as people from Hernando can use coupons to get tickets to that game for just five dollars.

For ticketing information, call the RiverKings at (662) 342-1755 or log on to the Internet at www.riverkings.com.

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Central Hockey League Stories from October 15, 2007


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