Steve Gibson Re-Signs With Mallards
September 25, 2002 - United Hockey League (UHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release
Moline, IL â Right wing Steve Gibson, who has scored more than 30 goals each of the past two seasons, will return for his sixth year with the Quad City Mallards of the United Hockey League. Team President/General Manager Howard Cornfield made the announcement today.
"I'd like to finish my career here, as long as the organization wants me back," said Gibson. "We had a great regular season and set a lot of records (in 2001-02), but the ultimate goal of a championship wasn't achieved. That provides a lot of motivation for me."
Gibson is the Mallards all-time leader in plus/minus rating with a mark of plus-155. After leading all UHL forwards with a plus-50 this past season, he was named the league's Best Defensive Forward for 2001-02, in voting by coaches, general managers, and media. Despite missing 14 games with injuries, he scored 31 goals, topping the 30-goal mark for the second straight year and the fifth time in his professional career. Gibson was named Sher-Wood UHL Player of the Month for March, after scoring 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists) and earning a plus-27 rating while recording 11 multi-point games in the 18 contests he played during the month.
The 29-year-old native of Listowel, Ontario, has been a member of two Colonial Cup champion Mallards teams, in 1998 under current coach Paul Gillis, and in 2001. He has helped the Mallards achieve the last five of their six consecutive 50-win seasons. He ranks third in franchise history in goals scored, assists, and points, and fifth in games played. Selected by the Edmonton Oilers in Round 7 of 1992 NHL Entry Draft, Gibson passed the 500-point mark in his pro career last season, and goes into the upcoming campaign with 549 points (on 248 goals and 301 assists) in 455 career regular season contests.
Prior to joining the Mallards, Gibson played three-and-a-half seasons with Wheeling (WV) of the East Coast Hockey League, scoring 252 points, on 126 goals and 126 assists, in 191 regular season games. That included career bests of 42 goals, 53 assists, and 95 points in 1995-96, when he was named the Thunderbirds' Most Valuable Player. Gibson has also played a total of 30 games with International Hockey League and American Hockey League teams, including the Cape Breton Oilers, Portland Pirates, Cornwall Aces, Hamilton Bulldogs, and San Antonio Dragons.
Today's signing brings to 17 the number of players under contract with the Mallards for the upcoming 2002-03 season. The others are goaltenders Joe Dimaline and Andy Kollar, defensemen Andy Fermoyle, Frederick Jobin, Liam McCarthy, Tom Menicci, Dylan Mills, and Kerry Toporowski, and forwards Brian Bolf, J.F. Dufour, Tony Lawrence, Bret Meyers, Patrick Nadeau, Mike Possin, Shawn Roed, and Jesse Rooney.
The Mallards home opener for the 2002-03 season is set for Saturday, Oct. 19, at 7:00 p.m. at The MARK of the Quad Cities, against the defending champion Muskegon Fury. Tickets for all regular season home games will go on sale this Saturday, Sep. 28, at 10:00 a.m., at The MARK box office and through Ticketmaster.
The Mallards will host the Rockford IceHogs in an exhibition contest Saturday, Oct. 5, at 7:00 p.m. at The MARK. General admission tickets are $6 for adults, with children under 12 admitted free. Tickets for the exhibition game go on sale this Friday, Sep. 27, at 10:00 a.m.
Season tickets are also on sale, with guaranteed seating for all 38 regular season home games, as well as for all home playoff games at no additional cost. The Pay-As-Play plan allows fans to place a $100-per-seat deposit on season tickets, and have the rest charged to their credit card in six equal monthly payments. Mini-season ticket plans for 12 and 22 home games are also available. For information, call (309) 764-7825, or visit www.qcmallards.com.
United Hockey League Stories from September 25, 2002
- Steve Gibson Re-Signs With Mallards - Quad City Mallards
- River Otters Center Whitecotton Signs Two-way Contract with the Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) - Missouri River Otters
- Nehrling Likely Out for Season - Adirondack Frostbite
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