Veterans Return for Fourth Season
September 22, 2006 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release
WINDSOR, CO - The back-to-back Governor's Cup Champion Colorado Eagles re-signed the top four scorers in team history today at a press conference at the Fort Collins Marriott. Eagles' captains and four veterans Greg Pankewicz, Riley Nelson, Ryan Tobler and Brad Williamson have all agreed to play with club for their fourth season.
Captain right winger Greg Pankewicz is entering his 16th season of professional hockey and is just two points away from reaching 1,000 for his career. He has 492 goals and 506 assists for 998 points as well as 3,175 penalty minutes in his 15-year career. Pankewicz was the Central Hockey League's Most Valuable Player during the Eagles' championship season in 2004-05. The Drayton Valley, Alberta native is the Eagles all-time leading scorer with 267 points (125-142-267) in 170 games played. He has led the Eagles in scoring in each of the team's first three seasons and is second on the all-time penalty minutes list with 541.
Center Riley Nelson returns to the Eagles for his fourth season and seventh as a pro. He is second only behind Greg Pankewicz on the Eagles all-time scoring list with 93 goals and 142 assists for 235 points. The Cranbrook, BC native leads the Eagles will an all-time shooting percentage of .145. Nelson will forever be in Eagles' annals for scoring the first two goals in team history on October 17, 2003 against the Tulsa Oilers.
Colorado Eagles left wing Ryan Tobler begins his 10th professional season in 2005-06. He has been voted the Best Power Forward in the CHL's Best of the Best poll the past three seasons. Originally from Calgary, Alberta Tobler has played hockey all over North America in five different leagues. He had a small stint with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2001-02 for four games. Tobler is third on the Eagles all-time scoring list with 202 points (81-121-202) in just 161 games played.
Eagles' veteran defenseman Brad Williamson returns to the Eagles for his fourth season. Williamson is the Eagles all-time leading defenseman in goals (28), assists (114), and points (142). Last season he set career highs in assists (48), and points (57), while tallying his first professional playoff goal against the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs in the Northern Conference Finals. This will be his eighth professional season that has spanned the AHL, IHL, ECHL, and the CHL, even making an appearance in the NHL during training camp with the Buffalo Sabres.
The Eagles would also like to announce the team has signed four more players to their training camp roster: Mike Van den Bosch - Forward (Agreed to Terms) 5'11" 175-pound forward from Swan Lake, MAN Van Den Bosch played five seasons at the University of Manitoba tallying 43 points and 242 penalty minutes in 164 games.
Jordan Ramstead - Goaltender (Agreed to Terms) Played four seasons in the AJHL with the Olds Grizzlys and Grand Prairie Storm ranking fourth overall in goals against average (2.57) and 21st all-time with a mark of 50-27-9
Tanner Shultz - Center 6'1" 185-pound center from Prince Albert, SASK Started his junior career in the WHL with the Saskatoon Blades. In two seasons' with the Blades he racked up 464 PIM'S and added 16 points. His 331 in 2003-04 led the way for his Blades team. He finished is junior career in La Ronge in the SJHL setting career highs in points with 31 in only 42 games after playing briefly with Kamloops of the WHL. Last season he made a stop in the UHL before playing most of his season in the ECHL with the Utah Grizzlys
Ryan Palmer - Defenseman 6'3" 215-pound defenseman from Groton, MASS Played the last two seasons at the University of Connecticut. (UCONN) In 63 games with the Huskies he scored five goals and added nine assists, while racking up 74 minutes in penalties.
Central Hockey League Stories from September 22, 2006
- Eagles unveil new website - Colorado Eagles
- Veterans Return for Fourth Season - Colorado Eagles
- Final period Rayz Reward winners announced - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Ice Bats Announce Training Camp Schedule - Austin Ice Bats
- Former Rayz goaltender shines in NHL - Corpus Christi IceRays
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