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Trashers coninue to add players for their second season

September 26, 2005 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Danbury Trashers News Release


DANBURY, CT-The Danbury Trashers, proud members of the United Hockey League have announced the additions of a number of players to contracts or training camp agreements (TCA), including returning defensemen Mathieu Wathier and P.J. Byrne and goaltender Frank Novello.

Also signing contracts for the upcoming season are defensemen Frederic Belanger and Bobby Gates, while goaltenders Dustin Traylen and Kevin Couture have inked training camp agreements. Also joining the Trashers on training camp agreements are Andrew McKay, Robin Richards, D.J. Foster, Josh Sather, Joe Tamburino, and Jon Hutcheon.

Wathier, 22, has signed a contract to return to the Trashers after spending his rookie season in Danbury in 2004-05. He played in 31 regular season games with four points on one goal, while he dressed in all 11 playoff games and added one assist. The Les Coteaux, PQ native will be classified as a rookie for the 2004-05 season as he has played in less than 60 regular season games as a professional.

Byrne, 25, reached a deal on a training camp agreement that will have him in camp for the second straight season. The Brewster, NY native played in 38 regular season games last year and scored four points on one goal. Byrne will look to find a spot on the roster and will be classified as a rookie for the second straight season if he makes the club.

Novello, 22, joined the Trashers late last season and started twice during the regular season where he posted a record of 1-1 with a 1.50 goals against average, including a 5-0 shutout of Flint on April 9, 2005. The former American International College standout led all of NCAA Division I in saves last season. He was signed to a contract and will battle for the backup goaltender's spot behind starter Sylvain Daigle.

Also under contract with the Trashers is defenseman Frederic Belanger, a Quebec native who split time between Reading and Texas of the ECHL last season. In 36 games the 26-year-old scored eight points on one goal with 28 penalty minutes. Prior to turning professional last season, Belanger played college hockey for Dalhousie University and spent five seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).

Competing with Frank Novello for the backup goaltender's position are rookies Dustin Traylen and Kevin Couture, who will both attempt to make the roster under training camp agreements (TCA). Couture, 20, has been a three-year starter for the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League, where he has a career 42-38-14 record with a 2.89 goals against average and a .911 save percentage. Couture still has a season of junior eligibility left and can return to the Battalion if he fails to make the Trashers roster.

Traylen, 24 is a big 6-3, 200lb prospect that spent the past three seasons with Clarkson University. In 79 games, the Kirkland, PQ native had a 30-37-8 record. Last season he was 9-16-2 with 2.81 goals against average and a .907 save percentage.

Former Lewiston MAINEiacs (QMJHL) defenseman Bobby Gates signed a contract with the Trashers for the upcoming season. The 6-0, 180lb Providence, RI native is currently in training camp with his hometown Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League. In two seasons for Lewiston, Gates scored 22 points on six goals with 93 penalty minutes in 128 regular season games.

McKay, 25, played four seasons with the Holy Cross Crusaders of Atlantic Hockey and finished with 92 points on 38 goals in 124 games and was named team captain for his senior campaign. The Bellefeuille, PQ native was fourth overall in team scoring with 28 points on 10 goals in 2004-05, while he helped lead Holy Cross to their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance during the 2003-04 season with 33 points on 13 goals.

Richards, 21, is a tough physical forward who spent the past two seasons with three different clubs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). In 115 games, Richards scored 13 points on four goals with 384 penalty minutes. He led Victoriaville with 209 penalty minutes during the 2003-04 season while he split last year between Cape-Breton and Rouyn-Noranda.

Sather, 24, is a forward from Rochester, MN who scored 17 points on three goals for SUNY-Brocton of the NJCAA during the 2003-04 season.

Hutcheon, 21, is a 5-9 210lb defenseman from Billerica, MA who spent limited duty last season with UMASS-Boston. He scored one point on an assist in three games. He also has experience with the Jr. Warriors of the EJHL.

Tamburino is a forward who was scheduled to attend Trashers training camp last season but was unable to play due to an injury. He has previous experience in professional roller hockey, playing with the New York Riot in 1998, while D.J. Foster will be attending his first camp with the Trashers.

The Danbury Trashers will open their second season in the United Hockey League on October 21st in Port Huron, with the home opener scheduled for Friday October 28th against Elmira at the Danbury Ice Arena starting at 7:30pm. Single-game tickets will be available in person at the Danbury Ice Arena on Saturday October 1st from 10am-5pm. Phone orders and Internet ticket sales will go on sale on Monday October 3rd at 10am. Season Tickets and Flex Plans are currently available by calling 866-565-PUCK.

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