Walby Announces Retirement; Named Associate Coach
July 7, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Mississippi Sea Wolves News Release
Biloxi, MSâ Mississippi Sea Wolves right wing Steffon Walby (STEHF-ihn WAHL-bee) announced today at a news conference inside the Mississippi Coast Coliseum that effective immediately he has retired from playing professional hockey to become full-time associate coach with the team.
Walby, 31, retires after an 11-year professional career, appearing in a total of 802 games combining regular season and playoffs. From 1993 to 2004, Walby netted 315 goals, tallied 372 assists for 687 points, for an average of .857 points per game.
The 6-foot and 200-pound Walby enjoyed his most productive professional seasons with Mississippi leading the team in scoring for each of the three seasons that he played with the team from 2001-04. Named captain and assistant coach in each of his Sea Wolves campaigns, Walby retires as Mississippi's all-time regular season leader in goals (117), points (270), power-play goals (43), shorthand goals (11) and plus/minus (+72). He is also the all-time Sea Wolves playoff leader in assists (17) and points (27). Walby finished with a total of 206 games played in a Mississippi uniform, scoring 127 goals and adding 170 assists for 297 points, which is an average of 1.44 points per game.
Named to the All-ECHL First Team for three consecutive years, Walby was selected as a starter and captain for the Western Conference at the 2004 ECHL All-Star Game, scoring a goal in the contest at Peoria, Illinois. Born in Orange County, California and raised in Lodi, Wisconsin, Walby won the Accuracy Shooting event at the 2004 ECHL All-Star Skills Competition, hitting four targets in eight shots. In 2003-04, Walby finished second in the ECHL points race by registering 88 points, including a career-high 55 assists, tying the team record with a +32 and was named Mississippi's Offensive Player of the Year.
In 2001-02, Walby posted team records and career-highs with 42 goals and 93 points and followed it up by tallying another 42-goal season in 2002-03, while being awarded Mississippi's Most Valuable Player honors in both campaigns. In 2002-03, Walby also set Sea Wolves team records for a season by scoring 10 game-winning goals, 18 power-play goals and seven shorthand goals, while being selected as a starter and captain for the Southern Conference at the 2003 ECHL All-Star Game at Estero, Florida. In addition, Walby leads Mississippi by being named ECHL Player of the Week on three occasions and taking the ECHL Player of the Month honors three times.
Walby played seven seasons in the American Hockey League capped off by being a member of the 1997 Calder Cup Champion Hershey Bears. He started his pro career with the St. John's Maple Leafs (1993-96), played three seasons in Hershey (1996-97; 1999-01), 50 games for the Rochester Americans (1998-99) and 23 contests with the Kentucky Thoroughblades (1998-99). He also played one season in the International Hockey League with the Fort Wayne Komets (1997-98). Walby attended seven National Hockey League training camps over his career consisting of three with the Toronto Maple Leafs (1993, 1994 and 1995), two for the Buffalo Sabres (1997 and 1998) and two camps with the Colorado Avalanche (1996 and 1999).
"It's tough to retire from playing, but I want to now find success in other areas of the game," said Walby. "There have been three key pieces of the puzzle that I would like to thank over my career. My family, mother and father, brothers and sisters, especially my wife Alexis and son Braxton for their support, the teams that I've suited up for, and the fans in each of the cities for making it a memorable ride. My success will now be measured through the players and seeing them advance in their career. I'm excited about showing the younger guys how to be a professional hockey player on and off the ice. I've learned a lot about what it takes to be a professional over the last 11 years and it is a great opportunity to help mold these young men."
"Steffon has been a huge asset to our organization over the past three years," said Bob Woods, Sea Wolves general manager and head coach. "Walby finished his playing career as one of the top players in the ECHL. He's also been terrific teaching younger players along the way and this is the next step and a natural progression. I need someone to step up and fill a bigger role in the coaching area and Steffon will do a great job at it. Our past success together shows that it will be a smooth transition."
The Sea Wolves opens up their ninth ECHL season at home on October 22 against the Louisiana IceGators at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
Reserve your 2004-05 season tickets with a $25 down payment by calling (228) 275-WOLF. Season seats start as low as $220, which includes 36 regular season games and four games during the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Opportunities for sponsorship are available by calling (228) 388-6151.
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