Rivermen Re-sign Baker, Rennette for 2004-2005 Season
Published on June 21, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
Peoria, Ill. (June 21, 2004) â Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jason Christie of the Peoria Rivermen of the ECHL has announced that Team Captain Trevor Baker and Team MVP Tyler Rennette, both centers, have been re-signed for the 2004-2005 season â their sixth and fifth years, respectively, with the team.
Baker â a 6-foot-1, 174-pound native of Edmonton, Alberta â spent his first full season with the Rivermen in 2003-2004, establishing single-season career bests in assists (43) and points (61). He led the team in assists, was second in penalty minutes (PIM-192) and was third in points.
The 26-year-old, who has averaged nearly 3.5 PIM per game over his career, is currently ranked eighth on the Rivermen All-Time ECHL Goals, Assists and Points Lists, posting 70 goals, 99 assists for 169 points in 281 career games (regular season & playoffs).
Baker established a career high in goals (23) in 2002-2003 with Peoria, and he competed in 13 games for the team's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Worcester IceCats, collecting 10 PIM. During the 2001-2002 campaign, he tallied 12 points (5g, 7a) and 130 PIM in 25 games with the Rivermen, and he played 15 games for Worcester, notching six points (2g, 4a) with 42 PIM. In his sophomore season of 2000-2001, he set a career mark for PIM in one season with 228, while collecting 20 points (9g, 11a) in 60 games.
As a rookie in 1999-2000, Baker had 21 points (10g, 11a) in 34 games with 135 PIM. In the team's run to the 2000 Kelly Cup Championship, he posted eight points (4g, 4a) in 18 playoff games with 41 PIM.
Rennette, a 25-year-old native of North Bay, Ontario, was named Team MVP for the second straight season after finishing first on the team in goals (31), points (68), plus/minus (+35) and shots (255) with the Rivermen during 2003-2004 regular season. He was named the C&T Hockey Products ECHL Plus Performer for the month of March 2004 with a +19 plus/minus. With a goal on February 13 against Idaho, he tallied his 100th professional regular season goal and his 200th professional regular season point.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound center is currently ranked first on the Rivermen All-Time ECHL Goals List with 112 in 222 career games (regular season & playoffs), ranked third on the Rivermen All-Time ECHL Points List with 208 (regular season & playoffs), and ranked ninth on the Rivermen All-Time ECHL Assists List with 96.
Rennette notched 42 goals in 2002-2003 with Peoria, tying him for second in the ECHL in goal scoring and setting a new Rivermen ECHL record for goals. Rennette was the first 40-goal scorer the Rivermen had since the 1991-1992 International Hockey League (IHL) season, when Steve Tuttle netted 43 and Yves Heroux tallied 41. Rennette enjoyed two call-ups to the AHL during the 2002-2003 season, playing in four regular season games with two assists for the Hamilton Bulldogs and competing in two playoff games for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
Rennette â a former second round pick (40th overall) of the St. Louis Blues in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft â spent parts of each of his first three professional seasons with Worcester. He spent his entire rookie campaign (1999-2000) with Worcester, collecting 25 points (8g, 17a) in 55 games and posting five points (2g, 3a) in seven playoff games. He spent 29 games with the IceCats in his second professional season (2000-2001), registering 11 points (3g, 8a), and in 2001-2002, he played four games with Worcester with one assist.
The Rivermen open their ninth season in the ECHL â America's Premier AA Hockey League â at home against the archrival Dayton Bombers on Friday, October 22. Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Carver Arena. Season tickets for 2004-2005 are on sale now. Ticket packages start at just $299.
ECHL Stories from June 21, 2004
- Deschatelets Re-Signs with Gulls - San Diego Gulls
- Rivermen Re-sign Baker, Rennette for 2004-2005 Season - Peoria Rivermen
- Gators release Marketing Plan for 2004-05 - Louisiana IceGators
- ECHL Concludes Annual Board of Governors Meeting - ECHL
- Last Chance To Win Is Today - Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
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