Seven Sea Wolves in AHL camps

September 29, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Mississippi Sea Wolves News Release


BILOXI, MS - The Mississippi Sea Wolves announced on Monday that forwards Ryan Cruthers, Jason Tejchma, and Chase Trull, defensemen Michael Couch, Pat Oliveto, head coach Steffon Walby, and equipment manager Donny White are attending the training camp of the American Hockey League's Houston Aeros, while forwards Alexandre Parent and Mike Wirll are in training camp with the Hershey Bears of the AHL.

"Getting experience at the next level is always beneficial to young players," stated Sea Wolves head coach Steffon Walby. "These seven players will gain a ton of knowledge as well as conditioning and confidence."

Couch signed with Mississippi prior to the 2007-08 season after appearing in 21 games with Torino, scoring two goals and eight assists in his first professional season. The resident of Halifax, N.S. played four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with Halifax and Rouyn-Noranda, scoring 15 goals and 49 assists for 64 career points in 235 games. Following his junior career, the 6-4, 208-pound rearguard played two seasons at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, N.B., notching 12 points (6g, 6a) in 55 career games for the Tommies.

A native of Farmingdale, N.Y., Ryan Cruthers began his collegiate career at the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., where he appeared in 47 games over two seasons for the Black Knights, scoring 11 goals and 23 assists. After sitting out a season due to NCAA rules regarding transferring students, Cruthers scored 86 points in 68 games with Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, Pa. from 2006-08. Following the completion of his senior season, Cruthers signed with the ECHL's Utah Grizzlies, scoring two assists in four regular season games and one goal and four assists in 15 Kelly Cup Playoff games.

An alumnus of St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., Chase Trull appeared in 67 regular season games with the Sea Wolves last season, scoring five goals and eight assists and amassing 93 penalty minutes. Prior to joining the Sea Wolves, Trull, a 6-3, 210-pound native of Rockwood, Ont., played for Muskegon of the now-defunct United Hockey League in 2006-07, potting seven goals and 12 assists in 76 regular season games. After playing three seasons at St. Lawrence, where he scored six goals and 11 assists in 96 career games with the Skating Saints, Trull began his professional career in the 2005-06 season the Phoenix of the ECHL, scoring a goal and picking up two penalty minutes in seven games.

Oliveto appeared in seven regular season games with the ECHL's Reading Royals during the 2006-07 season, recording one assist, after completing his collegiate career at Niagara University in Niagara Falls, New York. In 118 games with the Purple Eagles, Oliveto recorded 10 goals and 46 assists. In 70 games with Mississippi last season, the 6-1, 190-pound native of Rochester, New York recorded seven goals and 16 assists while compiling a +11 plus/minus rating.

Parent played the last four seasons at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn., serving as captain for the 2007-08 season. As a senior, Parent recorded his best season, scoring 19 goals and adding 21 assists. In four seasons with the Pioneers, Parent, a native of the Montreal suburb of Boisbriand, Qc., scored 54 goals and 87 assists for 141 points in 144 games. He was named to the Atlantic Hockey Association's All-Academic Team in each of his four seasons, and is the school's all-time leader in games played and ranks 5th all-time in goals, 3rd in points, and 2nd in assists.

Tejchma turned professional during the 2006-07 season, scoring seven goals and two assists in 16 games with Fresno. In 178 games over four seasons at UMass-Lowell, he recorded 40 goals and 56 assists for the River Hawks. Acquired early in the season via trade from Wheeling, the 5-10, 180-pound Tejchma led the Sea Wolves in scoring with 21 goals and 39 assists in 63 games in the 2007-08 regular season. In four Kelly Cup Playoff games, the Muskegon, Michigan native added three goals and four assists.

A veteran of five seasons of professional hockey, Mike Wirll spent last season with Regensburg of the German Second Divsion, scoring 14 goals and 18 assists in 44 games. In 2006-07, his last season in the ECHL, Wirll scored 47 goals and 29 assists in 73 games with Utah, Cincinnati, and Pensacola. The native of Regina, Sask. has appeared in 217 ECHL regular season games with Charlotte, Cincinnati, Pensacola, an Utah.

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Donny White is now in his second season as the Sea Wolves head equipment manager. He spent the 2006-07 season as an Assistant Equipment Manager with the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League. Prior to joining the Aeros, White spent seven seasons with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks of the AHL, five as a stickboy and two as an Assistant Equipment Manager.

Steffon Walby steps behind the bench for the 2008-09 campaign, his second at the helm of the Sea Wolves, with a 29-40-3 (.424) career coaching record. Named head coach of Mississippi in August of 2005, Steffon Walby was the Sea Wolves associate coach in 2004-05, and served as as player/assistant coach of the Sea Wolves for three campaigns from 2001-04, when he became the all-time regular season team leader in goals (117), points (270), power-play goals (43), shorthand goals (11) and plus/minus (+72). He is also the all-time team leader in the playoffs in assists (17) and points (27). Walby appeared in a total of 206 games in a Mississippi uniform, scoring 127 goals and adding 170 assists for 297 points, which is an outstanding average of 1.44 points per game.

The Sea Wolves open the 2008-09 home schedule with a three-game set against the Charlotte Checkers on October 24, 25, and 26 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Tickets to every game, as well as season tickets and group packages are now on sale! Call 228.275.WOLF (9653) to reserve yours today.



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