Broomfield, Colo. - The Rocky Mountain Rage Hockey Club has added an experienced blue-liner and a talented goal-scorer to its roster with the signings of defenseman
Kyle Kos and center
Dominic Noel, bringing the roster to 14 players under contract for the team's inaugural season in the Central Hockey League. The Rage opens the 2006-07 CHL campaign on the road against the rival Colorado Eagles before making its home debut at the new, state-of-the-art Broomfield Event Center on Nov. 10 against the Tulsa Oilers.
Kos, 27, is a former second round selection of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. After spending three years in the Western Hockey League, he turned pro in 1999 and spent two entire campaigns playing in the International Hockey League with the Utah Grizzlies and Detroit Vipers. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds, the native of Hope, British Columbia, then moved to the ECHL but still received two call-ups to the American Hockey League for a total of 18 games in 2001-02 and 2002-03. After one full season with the ECHL's Toledo Storm in 2003-04, Kos returned to the Detroit area the past two years to play for the United Hockey League's Motor City Mechanics.
"Kyle is an experienced defenseman that has spent a lot of time at the next level," said Rage head coach
Tracy Egeland. "He's big and can skate and move the puck well. We're going to rely on him and [player/assistant coach] Dan Vandermeer to provide leadership and set good examples for our younger D."
Noel is a highly touted forward coming off his rookie season in the ECHL where he recorded 30 points (13g-17a) in 58 games for the Pensacola Ice Pilots and Dayton Bombers. He also earned a five-game promotion to the AHL's Rochester Americans. The 25-year-old, who is listed at 6-foot-1 and 191 pounds, compiled a 105-point campaign (42g-63a) in 2001-02 during his final season of juniors when he helped lead the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Eastern Division Finals. Rather than turning pro, Noel entered Dalhousie University and began to work toward a degree in commerce. In 2003-04, he helped lead the Tigers to the Atlantic University Sport Finals and a bronze-medal finish at the Canadian University National Championships. Along with Rage teammate Jordan Little, Noel was also one of six finalists on CBC's
Making the Cut reality show in 2004 when he was selected in the show's draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Commented Egeland, "Everyone that's seen Dominic play acknowledges his tremendous talent. He got a taste of the AHL last year and wants to return. We're going to do everything we can to develop his potential and give him another opportunity to reach that next level."
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 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 Streets, the $45 million Broomfield Event Center will be a state-of-the-art 180,000 square foot multi-purpose event center and will include 6,000 seats, including 25 suites, 900 club 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 Rocky Mountain Rage Professional Hockey Club and the Colorado 14ers Professional Basketball Club from the NBA Development League (Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets, Toronto Raptors affiliate team). 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.