Zalba, Steinmayr, Walter in Fury fold
Published on September 27, 2006 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release
MUSKEGON, MI.--- With their fifteenth training camp set to convene this coming Sunday, October 1st, the all-time top winning team in United Hockey League history, the Muskegon Fury are still at work as they apply some finishing touches on their early season roster for the rapidly-approaching 2006-07 UHL season. Once again this week, the Fury have bolstered their pre-season roster with the signings of three more players, increasing their lineup to a total of 20.
On this date, the Fury Team Owner and Club President Tony Lisman, in collaboration with Director of Hockey Operations / Head Coach Bruce Ramsay, has announced that the club has come to terms with three more players, all forwards, with two of those players being rookies. All three players are expected to arrive for training camp on Sunday, October 1st at Walker Arena. Returning to the Fury stable is right wing BILL ZALBA along with first-year pros, left wings Patrick Steinmayr and Mark Walter. Each player has agreed to and signed one-year contracts. Adhering to club policy, terms of those contracts were not disclosed.
ZALBA, 24, will be embarking on his third pro season overall and his second full season clad in the Fury coat of arms. Last season, in 2005-06, the 6-0, 204lb young forward saw action in 70-Fury games, registering 25-points on 6-goals, 19-assists, accumulating 128-PIM and +2 rating. In the 2006 Colonial Cup Playoffs, he performed in 11 of his team's 12-games, recording 4-points on 1-goal, 3-assists. Displaying tremendous team spirit and commitment both on and off the ice, he capped his first full Fury season by sharing the Fury Team Community Service Award with David Wrigley.
Originally obtained on January 3, 2005 from since-defunct Richmond in exchange for the Fury's second round choice in the March 2005 UHL North American Amateur Draft, Zalba emerged as one of Muskegon's more prominent heroes in the 2005 playoffs as the Fury claimed their second consecutive Colonial Cup Championship and Colonial Cup IV. In game one of the Finals, he struck with the key, clutch GWG in a Fury dramatic third period come-from-behind rally which eradicated a daunting deficit of 3-1 in overcoming the Fort Wayne Komets, 5-3. That goal seemed to set the tone for the entire series in Muskegon's last league crown.
In the 2004-05 regular season, between the Kansas City Outlaws and the Fury, he played in 69-games, collecting 27-points on 11-goals, 16-assists with 141-PIM.
STEINMAYR, 22, is set to start his first-ever campaign in the professional ranks. Signed as a free agent by the Fury, the native of Linz, Austria currently resides in Haslett , Michigan, just outside the Lansing area. In 2005-06, he did not play, however, he maintained his conditioning through his full practice participation with the nearby Michigan State Spartans. Before last season, the 6-1, 215lb left wing had performed exclusively in his native Austria as a junior player.
WALTER, 21, is also preparing for his initial endeavor in the pro game following a junior 'A' career focused primarily in Western Canada. Last season, in 2005-06, the 5-9, 195lb forward from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan played for the Penticton Vees in the BCHL (British Columbia Junior League) where he earned a reputation for his combined physical and fistic attributes. Though limited to 29-regular season games due to injury, he delivered 20-points through 11-goals, 9-assists, adding 2-PPG and 79-PIM. Seeing action in all 14 of his Vees squad's playoff outings, he produced 3-points on 1-goal, 2-assists with 27-PIM. Walter arrives on the Fury scene through the recommendation of Fury Colonial Cup I head coach Rich Kromm who scouted him all of last season.
Today's signings of right wing BILL ZALBA and left wings PATRICK STEINMAYR and MARK WALTER bring to 20, the number of players who the Fury have signed to contracts for the 2006-07 season. Previously, Muskegon announced the signings of goalies RYAN CYR, CLAYTON POOL; defensemen JOSH CHASE, TOM GALVIN, JON INSANA, PHILIPPE PLANTE, JOE POMARANSKI, DAVE VAN DRUNEN; centers SCOTT BARNES, BILLY COLLINS, TODD ROBINSON; left wings RYAN BARNES, EVAN KOTSOPOULOS, DAVE NOEL-BERNIER; right wings ROBIN BOUCHARD, RUSTYN DOLYNY, KEN FELS.
International Hockey League 2 Stories from September 27, 2006
- Equipment manager joins PrairieThunder staff - Bloomington PrairieThunder
- Generals Announce Training Camp Schedule - Flint Generals
- Hear the Hogs on WNTA once again this season - Rockford IceHogs
- Komets single game tickets on sale Friday - Fort Wayne Komets
- Mallards Add Plett and Pair of Rookies - Quad City Mallards
- Zalba, Steinmayr, Walter in Fury fold - Muskegon Lumberjacks
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