Broomfield, Colo. - The Rocky Mountain Rage have signed two-time President's Cup winner Brent Cullaton as a player/assistant coach for the 2007-08 season. The 6-foot-0, 220 lb. right winger from Petawawa, Ontario, captained the Central Hockey League's Laredo Bucks from 2003-06, leading the club to three consecutive President's Cup Finals that included titles in 2003-04 and 2005-06.
"Brent's championship experience speaks for itself. He's the type of player winning teams are built around," said Rage head coach Tracy Egeland. "He has game-breaking speed, and it would be tough to find a more skilled player at our level. He also has all the intangibles you're looking for in a leader."
"Having played a lot against Tracy's Rio Grande Valley (Texas) teams while I was in Laredo, I became real familiar with his coaching style and the 'win at all costs' attitude he expects from his players," said Cullaton of his decision to play for the Rage. "I want to play in that type of environment, and when he gave me the opportunity to join him in Broomfield, I jumped all over it."
Last season Cullaton played in the United Hockey League, where he led the Elmira (N.Y.) Jackals in scoring with 56 points (18g-38a) through 47 games and was named the league's All-Star Game MVP before getting traded to the Colonial Cup Finalist Kalamazoo K-Wings. Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending injury once he arrived in Kalamazoo and was limited to just four games of action. The 11-year pro has made a full recovery, though, and will be at 100% when training camp opens in October.
A four-time All-Star at the "Double A" level with three All-Star Skills Competition Fastest Skater Awards to his credit, Cullaton has also played 198 games in the International and American Hockey Leagues. He was voted Rookie of the Year and Most Popular Player for the IHL's Kansas City Blades in 1996-97 and spent the majority of the 2001-02 campaign in the prestigious German Elite League.
As the Rage's player/assistant, Cullaton is already busy assisting Egeland with the task of recruiting players for next season's team and will aid with a variety of other hockey operations duties, as well.
Season tickets for the Rage's 2007-08 CHL campaign are on sale now and start as low as $495 for all 32 regular season games AND the 2008 CHL All-Star Game at Broomfield Event Center. For more information, please contact an account executive by calling 303-439-RAGE or visit
www.RockyMountainRage.com.