Three Killer Bees Migrate North to Join Rage
September 7, 2006 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Rocky Mountain Rage News Release
Broomfield, Colo. - The Rocky Mountain Rage Hockey Club has signed forwards Bret DeCecco and Nathan Rosychuk and defenseman Clay Plume to contracts for the 2006-07 Central Hockey League campaign. The trio, along with fellow Rage player Matic Kralj, spent last season playing for head coach Tracy Egeland when all five individuals were with the Rio Grande Valley (Texas) Killer Bees. The Rage now has 18 players under contract for the team's inaugural season, which begins on the road against the Colorado Eagles on Oct. 20. The Rage makes its home debut at the brand new, state-of-the-art Broomfield Event Center on Nov. 10 against the Tulsa Oilers.
DeCecco (5-foot-11, 189 lbs.), a former seventh round selection of the Buffalo Sabres in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, is coming off his best season as a pro during which he set career highs for goals (29) and points (54) while splitting time between the Fort Worth Brahmas and the Killer Bees. The Alberta native was named a CHL All-Star with the Brahmas last year before Egeland acquired the sixth-year pro to help bolster Rio Grande Valley's offense during the stretch run for the playoffs. After a stand-out junior career in the Western Hockey League that included a 100-point campaign in 1998-99, DeCecco spent three seasons in the ECHL before jumping to the CHL in 2004-05 with the San Angelo (Texas) Saints.
Rosychuk (5-foot-10, 187 lbs.) registered 34 points (9g-25a) in 42 games for the Killer Bees last year, a performance highlighted by a franchise record five-game goal streak during the final month of the season. After playing collegiate hockey at Wayne State with Rage goaltender David Guererra, he turned pro in 2004-05 with San Angelo. Rosychuk led the Saints as a rookie with a +8 rating and finished third on the team in scoring (21g-17a-38pts) behind DeCecco, who paced the Saints with 52 points (26g-26a).
Plume (6-foot-1, 210 lbs.) is also entering his third professional campaign after Egeland acquired his rights from the Killer Bees during the CHL's June expansion draft in exchange for Vic Pereira, the Rage's third pick in the draft. After spending three seasons in the WHL, mostly with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Plume turned pro and joined the ECHL's Dayton Bombers during his first full professional season in 2004-05. Last year with Rio Grande Valley he recorded 16 points (5g-11a) and 55 penalty minutes.
"All three of these players were a big part of our team last year, and with each of them still continuing to improve, I made it a priority to try to bring them with me to the Rage," said Egeland. "Bret's an All-Star whose numbers speak for themselves. Without him last year, we wouldn't have made the playoffs. Nathan is a dynamic player who has the ability to take control of a game all by himself, but the key for him is to stay healthy. We went through our worst stretch of the season last year when he was out of the line-up with an injury. And Clay is a solid, all-around defenseman who simply goes about his job and comes to play every night."
The Rocky Mountain Rage is one of two expansion teams in the CHL's 17-team field. The Rage will join the Colorado Eagles, Oklahoma City Blazers and Wichita Thunder in the Northwest Division. Season tickets, mini-packs, and group plans are available now for the 2006-07 season by calling 303-439-RAGE. For more information, visit www.RockyMountainRage.com.
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Central Hockey League Stories from September 7, 2006
- Rage to Play Two Pre-Season Games - Rocky Mountain Rage
- Three Killer Bees Migrate North to Join Rage - Rocky Mountain Rage
- Oilers Announce Preseason Slate - Tulsa Oilers
- Arvanitis Joins Blazers Staff - Oklahoma City Blazers
- Rayz back with Sports Leader - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Ice Bats Sign 3 D-Men - Austin Ice Bats
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