CHL Mississippi RiverKings

Stoddard Re-Signs, Slonina Comes to CHL

August 28, 2007 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


SOUTHAVEN, MS --- The Mississippi RiverKings of the Central Hockey League have added two more players to its roster leading into training camp. The team announced today that it has agreed to terms with forwards Darrell Stoddard and Steve Slonina (sloe NEE nah). Stoddard will be returning for his third season with the RiverKings while Slonina will be entering his fifth pro season after playing all but two of his career games in the ECHL. These signings bring to 15 the number of players that the RiverKings have signed for the upcoming season. Training camp opens October 8 with the season opener on October 19.

Slonina, 26, has played 263 professional games, scoring 63 goals and assisting on 71. He has played the past four seasons in the ECHL with the Gwinnett Gladiators (2003-2004); Toledo Storm (2004-2005); Stockton Thunder (2005-2006 and 2006-2007); Greenville Grrrowl (2005-2006) and Charlotte Checkers (2006-2007).

"I had some good conversations with Coach McCelland earlier this summer and he had a lot of good things to say about the organization," Slonina said. "I talked to guys I know that have played or are playing in the CHL and they had good things to say as well."

The native of Abington, MA spilt last season with Stockton and Charlotte. He started the 2006-2007 campaign with the Thunder and had ten goals and 17 assists in 55 games. Slonina was traded in early March to Charlotte, where he collected three goals and three assists in 17 games. He has registered two 20 goals season in the ECHL, 20 in 2003-2004 and 22 in 2005-2006.

"I see myself as very a versatile player who can play any position," Slonina stated. "I was a defenseman up until college and have played some defense in my pro career too. I can also be gritty and score goals. Anything that is asked of me, I will do it."

Slonina, 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, began his pro career with a two game stint with Lowell of the AHL in 2003 which followed a four year career at Division I UMass-Lowell. In college, Slonina totaled 23 goals and 36 assists in 132 games. He was the River Hawks' second leading overall scorer during his senior season of 2002-2003 behind current Colorado Eagle Ed McGrane.

"One of the things I am very excited about is going to a new league," Slonina said. "I will have a chance to play in different rinks and cities, as well as meet new people."

Stoddard, 25, will be entering his third pro season and third with the RiverKings. Last season, the Red Deer, Alberta native scored 13 goals and had 18 assists in 58 games. In the RiverKings' postseason run, Stoddard scored the overtime game winning goal in game five of the squad's Northern Conference Semifinal victory over the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs.

"I struggled a bit in the playoffs in the scoring department, but I was glad to get that big one to allow us to move on," Stoddard said. "I am looking forward to coming back, knowing that we are working on going even further in the postseason this year."

Stoddard's two-season totals with the RiverKings are: 31 goals and 42 assists in 118 games. Prior to arriving in the Mid-South, he was the 2001 Royal Bank Cup (Canadian National Junior 'A' Championship) MVP, a three-time Alberta Junior Hockey League All-Star and an ACAC first team all-star in his one season of college hockey at South Alberta Institute of Technology.

"My first two seasons here (with the RiverKings) were great," Stoddard said. "We improved as a team from my first season to my second and we plan to continue that trend this season."

RIVERKINGS SIGNED PLAYERS FOR 2007-2008

Cody Blanshan D

Ryan Campbell LW

Aaron Davis C

Louis Dumont (vet) C

Ryan Held C

Ryan Kindret F

Derek Landmesser (vet) D

Jason Lawmaster (vet) D

Steve Makway D

Brian Mullally D

David Nimmo C

Dan Riedel F

Steve Slonina RW

Darrell Stoddard RW

Chad Woollard (vet) F



Central Hockey League Stories from August 28, 2007


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