Broomfield, Colo. - The Rocky Mountain Rage Hockey Club has added two more players to its roster, signing left wingers
Mark Wires and
Adam Stefishen to contracts for the upcoming 2006-07 Central Hockey League campaign. The Rage now has 20 players on board for its inaugural season, which begins on the road against the Colorado Eagles on Oct. 20. Colorado's newest professional hockey team then makes its home debut at the brand new, state-of-the-art Broomfield Event Center on Nov. 10 against the Tulsa Oilers.
Wires (5-foot-11, 180 lbs.) is entering his third professional season after splitting time among three ECHL clubs a year ago, totaling 38 points (12g-26a) in 60 games. After playing collegiate hockey at Bowling Green State University, he turned pro in 2004-05 and played for both the ECHL's Texas Wildcatters and the CHL's Laredo Bucks. Wires helped lead the Bucks to the President's Cup Finals, recording 10 points (3g-7a) in 16 playoff contests.
Stefishen (6-foot-0, 210 lbs.) readies himself for his fourth season in the pro ranks. After playing junior hockey in the Western Hockey League, he spent his rookie season in 2003-04 in the ECHL, where he racked up 249 penalty minutes and 23 majors for three different teams. He then played the majority of the 2004-05 campaign in the Quebec Senior League before spending last year with the Bucks, posting eight points (4g-4a) and 128 penalty minutes in 42 games.
"We are fortunate to get a player of Mark's caliber this late in the summer. He's a player I've pursued in the past, so I'm real happy we were able to get him on board. He always works hard, and I expect him to put up some good numbers at this level," said Rage head coach
Tracy Egeland. "Adam will provide a tough, physical presence in our line-up, but unlike a lot of guys that play his role, he's smart and can skate and is more than capable of playing a regular shift. Adam also has good versatility. He can play both D and forward."
The Rocky Mountain Rage is one of two expansion teams in the CHL's 17-team field. The Rage will join the Colorado Eagles, Oklahoma City Blazers and Wichita Thunder in the Northwest Division. Season tickets, mini-packs, and group plans are available now for the 2006-07 season by calling 303-439-RAGE. For more information, visit
www.RockyMountainRage.com.
About the Broomfield Event Center: Currently under construction on the south side of U.S. Highway 36 between 112
th and 120
th Avenues, the $45 million Broomfield Event Center will be a state-of-the-art 180,000 square foot multi-purpose event center and will include 25 suites, 900 club seats, up to 8,000 total seats, a sit-down restaurant, two themed bars and a separate basketball practice facility. The Broomfield Event Center will host more than 130 events per year, including concerts, trade shows, rodeos, and sporting events. It is the future home of the Central Hockey League's Rocky Mountain Rage Professional Hockey Club and the Colorado 14ers Professional Basketball Club of the NBA Development League (affiliate of the Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets, and Toronto Raptors). The new venue is scheduled to open in November.
About Arista: The Broomfield Event Center is a major anchor for the 215 acre multi-use development known as Arista. Other than the event center, the Arista development will include retail, office and residential space.
www.BroomfieldEventCenter.com