One on one - with Texas Brahmas Head Coach Dan Wildfong

Originally posted on ProHockeyNews.Com on 06/30/08

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, Texas -- Dan Wildfong had a real challenge on his hands. Having accepted the position of head coach just 11 days after the Texas Brahmas announced their return to the Central Hockey League, he was faced with putting together a team from scratch. Four months later, Wildfong had twenty players on his roster and began a wild ride that nearly led to a spot in the championship series.

With his former teammate Forbes MacPherson at his side as assistant coach, Wildfong led the team to a 40-22-2 record, the second best in Brahmas history. Going 23-5-1 in their last 29 games, the team reached the playoffs for the first time since the 2000-01 season. After defeating the Mississippi RiverKings and sweeping the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, the Brahmas made it to the Northern Conference Finals only to suffer a heartbreaking loss in the final minute of a forced game seven against the defending champion Colorado Eagles.

The 32-year-old Wildfong was known as one of the most aggressive and competitive players in the Western Professional and Central Hockey Leagues during his eight-year professional career. The Clinton, Ontario native is a graduate of New York’s Colgate University where he played NCAA hockey. After a short stay with the UHL Mohawk Valley Prowlers, Wildfong spent the next eight seasons with the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs.

A two-time WPHL champion with the Mudbugs in the 1999-00 and 2000-01 seasons, Wildfong averaged over a point a game in 488 games played. His career numbers include 494 points, 192 goals and 302 assists with 1,970 penalty minutes. Honored as the Mudbugs' team captain during his last two seasons, Wildfong was also named an All-Star in the 2000, 2003 and 2007 seasons, and is among the CHL/WPHL career leaders in multiple categories.

Wildfong's leadership skills earned him regular acclaim in the Central Hockey League's annual "Best of the Best Poll," selected as "Best Leader" each of his last three seasons while also twice named a finalist for CHL Most Valuable Player honors. Wildfong retired as the Mudbugs all-time leading scorer, and is the eighth coach in Brahmas franchise history.

I sat down recently with Coach Wildfong to talk about his first season and off-season as a head coach in the Central Hockey League.

Q: Given the short amount of time that you had after being named head coach, you managed to put together a pretty good team.

A: Yeah, we didn’t have a lot of time to do what we did. We were on the phone day and night getting the team together. Other teams have had drafts in the past and we didn’t have a player to even start with; so I’m proud of a lot of things. There was a lot of work for Forbes (MacPherson) and myself. We had a couple of scouts in Canada to help us; they put in a lot of work as well and they were behind the scenes, you know; if you don’t have those guys you can’t have a successful season. It was a good start last year but it’s not where we wanted to end up. We’re continuing to work our tails off to try to put a championship team together.

Q: Your stated goal was to win a championship and you came very close. How do you feel about your performance as a first-time coach?

A: It’s not just one person here so I can’t take all the credit. I have a great assistant coach, Forbes MacPherson. If he wasn’t along I don’t know how I would have done this. I think as a team and as an organization we made a lot of strides this year. Our ownership is great and we have a terrific staff. We didn’t have a lot of time, like I said, but they all came together. I’m not taking all of the credit, I promise you, maybe a little bit, but there are a lot of pieces to the puzzle.

Q: What’s it like, being a head coach rather than a player now?

A: I’m very fortunate to have a job like this. I love what I do. It is a little stressful though when you’re not winning and things aren’t going right. The game is fun and you have to enjoy it when you’re playing. I found that I have to enjoy it when I’m coaching. I think I was a little uptight at the beginning. When I first took the job, my first month of coaching, I think I was a little too hard on the players. I had some good guidance from a lot of coaches and other people. Once I started enjoying coaching more we started being a little more successful.

Q: Who had the most influence on your coaching style?

A: Scott Muscutt has a ton of influence on the way I coach. We believe in a lot of the same philosophies. It’s the same with Forbes. That’s why I brought him along. I think we both believe in the same philosophies and we learned a lot from Scott playing in Shreveport. We learned a lot from each other as well.

Q: Speaking of Scott Muscutt - how do you feel playing against him as a coach now?

A: He was our coach for eight years; he was a teammate of mine too. When you respect someone so much like we respect Scott, to be against him – it was a little tough at the beginning but you know he has a job to do to win and we have a job to do to win. We talked before the season started. We know whatever we do, we’ll always be friends. I think that’s the most important thing is that we keep a good, close friendship. We know we’re going to be competitive. We know each team is going to want to win more than the other. At the end of the day, when the season’s over, we can still talk and be friends.

Q: Did you talk much during the season?

A: We talked a little bit, because we played against each other so much. He encouraged me in a lot of ways and told me to stick to my guns, to what I was doing, because there were a lot of trying times at the beginning and he helped me through the rough times, both Forbes and I.

Q: How did you feel about sweeping your former team in the playoffs?

A: Obviously when you go from one team to another, its nice to beat the team you played for. Muskie puts a great product on the ice every year you know, consistently, year after year and for us to do what we did was kind of surprising even to us. We came together at the right time and I believe that we did what it took at the right time.

Q: How do you balance your coaching responsibilities with Forbes?

A: We’re pretty much equal. I think he has a lot of influence on our decisions and he really made that D-corps the way it was and it was probably the best D-corps in the league.

Q: How was it going from teammates to a coach/assistant coach relationship?

A: It was really good actually, like I told you before, we have the same philosophies and we learned a lot from Muskie over in Shreveport. Our beliefs and our feelings on 99% of things are pretty equal. We have a really good relationship; we’ve been friends forever, and I think that’s what it takes, that is, a good relationship between a coach and assistant coach.

Q: Do you take losses harder as a coach than you did as a player?

A: No, I think it’s pretty equal because I was pretty upset when we lost games as a player and I’m still pretty upset if we lose games as a coach. You know you can’t take losing easy, you have to learn from your mistakes. You’re not going to have a perfect season, so if you do make mistakes or if you lose games, you have to learn from what you did wrong, correct it and do better next time; I think that’s what we did last season.

Q: Is there anything about hockey that you learned this past season?

A: Definitely, I learned a lot about the personalities of players and the management. I learned about how to direct players. As far as systems, we used a lot of systems that we learned over in Shreveport and we picked a few new things out too that we thought that we should do that would help our team to win. Every team is different; the next team that comes in here is not going to be the same team so we had to tweak it to whatever their strengths were. I have learned a ton about hockey and a ton about the way to motivate and push guys buttons but it’s not an easy thing, I’ll tell you that.

Q: What made you proudest of your team this past season?

A: What really made me proud was that they never ever once gave up. We’ve been down four goals, five goals, six goals and we kept going and we kept playing hard. We had a really special group of guys; they all loved being around each other, they loved doing a lot of stuff off the ice together. There were no cliques, and guys just loved playing for each other. It’s nice as a coach when you see that and you don’t have to intermingle with cliques and try and bring them together. It was a special group of guys and I wish I could have them all back. I can’t thank all of those guys enough for allowing me to coach them, especially in my first year.
Q: What in particular do you thing the team’s strengths were last season?

A: I think our strength was that we had a big team; a big, strong bunch of guys. We had a lot of skill and we had great goaltending. I think consistently, game after game, we worked hard. When guys came here to the rink, we came to work, we came to learn, to get better every day. I think it’s important that every guy wanted to win a championship. They worked their tails off. We didn’t get there unfortunately.

Q: During the playoff series with the Eagles, did you think that the Brahmas had a chance to beat them?

A: Absolutely. We put out Mississippi and then we beat Shreveport. We came off a high. The Eagles were ready for us right off the bat – they were like, this team’s for real. So they geared right up and we weren’t as sharp as we should have been going into that series. Once we played game one, we were like, boys, we can do it. Game two we probably should have won. And game three back here, it was pretty tight, could’ve gone either way and game four we won. Once our guys put their minds to it, they knew we had a great shot at winning.

Q: Were you surprised that Arizona won the championship so handily?

A: A little bit. You know I thought Colorado only lost two games up there in the home building all year and for the Sundogs to go in there and sweep them was unbelievable. They had a great team and they had a great year all year long so it wasn’t like it was a Cinderella team that came in there. They were one of the top teams all year and expected to win just as well as anyone else.
Q: How busy has your off-season been?

A: It’s been really busy. We’ve been swamped. That’s one thing that changes from a player to a coach. As a player, when the season’s over, you usually go and take a little bit of time off, a month or so and then you start working out and getting back in shape, thinking about next season. Here, once we got put out, probably after four or five days, we’re thinking about who we’re going to sign, who are we going to get back, who we’re going to go after, who’s going to be our big recruit.

Q: Any comment on Jordan Cameron going off to Germany and Grant Jacobsen heading for England?

A: It definitely hurts, you know. A lot of teams are losing guys. Cameron played unbelievable for us all throughout the year. We were happy that he came here, worked hard and put up good numbers and the same with Jacobsen. He probably had the most ice time of anyone on our team. They’re going to be sadly missed but we’re working to replace those guys. It’s not going to be easy but at the end of the day, everyone can be replaced.

Q: Any particular plans on goaltender?

A: It’s still up in the air. We had two fantastic goaltenders and hopefully we can work terms out with both of them and get them back. If we can’t, we’ve got to make some decisions for what we need to do as a team because that’s one of the most important positions to win a championship. You’ve got to make sure you have your goaltending solidified.

(Note: 3 Days after the interview, the Brahmas announced that Brett Jaeger had re-signed with the team.)

Q: How do you feel about your first signing for the upcoming season, ECHL star Lance Galbraith?

A: He’s going to bring that little extra pizzazz I think, and with the scoring touch, you know he was the leading scorer on their team last year. He works his tail off as well. He’s gritty, hardnosed and has the will to win and he has won before so he knows what it takes. When a guy that knows what it takes and has won before goes up to a young guy and says this is what we’ve got to do, that young guy’s going to listen. If he doesn’t, he’s a fool. I think he’s going to bring that winning attitude, that desire to compete every shift, every night. We’re really happy he’s on board.

Q: I know that he spoke about, in Idaho, kind of feeling like he was a marked man with some of the referees. Of course he played with an agitating style, no stranger to the penalty box. Are you getting any indication from him that he’s looking to change that?

A: I think that’s part of his game, though he has to walk that fine line. He’s got to know when to do it and when not to because we can’t be on the penalty kill all night long. I think we have a lot of similarities, the way I played and he played. I did the same thing, you know and now that I look back on it, I wish I had tamed it down a little bit, but then would I have been the player that I was? He’s kind of in the same boat. He’s got to play that little wild man, you know, hard as you can go, every night.

Q: Did you expect the realignment, which moved the Brahmas from the Northeast to the Southeast division?

A: Yes, we expected geographically, that it was going to happen. The Southeast is going to be a tough division. Any time we were in it with Laredo and Corpus and Rio, they’ve always had great teams in the past; we’ve just got to be on our game. I know the South has been a little bit weaker in the past, but that’s not the mindset that we have, I promise you. It’s going to be tough.

Q: Historically, the Laredo Bucks has had a dominant record against the Brahmas, but you seemed to have their number last season. With the increase in the number of games this season, that should be a terrific rivalry.

A: Yeah, it definitely will. Forbes and I have some history with them too. We lost a game seven in double overtime, and lost a championship. Terry always has a good team. He puts on a good product on the ice, and he’s one of the best coaches, I think, in this league. I have a lot of respect for him. You know, we’ll have to try and outwork him.

Q: How do you feel about the announcement of a new franchise over in Allen with a new arena being built?

A: I think it’s going to be great. It’s going to be a great little rivalry, I think you could have three teams in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. It’s a great area to live in down here…you can do everything and still be able to have a few bucks in your pocket. Not only is it not all that expensive to live down here but also it’s a great place to raise a family. Why not have three or four teams down here and have a lot of guys come down and enjoy this.

Q: Is there anything you want the fans to know about the coming season?

A: We can’t thank every fan enough for the past season with the support they gave us from day one to the end of the season and the playoffs. It was a great run and without the fans, we couldn’t be here. We can’t thank our sponsors enough either. We understand that it’s a great game and a lot of fun for families. Expect a good, hard working team.

Photo Credit: Robert Keith

Texas Brahmas announce Brett Jaeger returning for 2008-09 season

Goaltender Brett Jaeger has re-signed with the Brahmas for the 2008-09 season.

The 25-year old from Peace River, Alberta joined the Brahmas at mid-season last year and went on to post a 13-6-1 record in the regular season. In 22 games, Jaeger had 2.52 goals against average (GAA) and a .921 save percentage. Jaeger led all CHL goalies in the postseason with a 2.30 GAA and .935 save percentage (goalies playing more than 3 games).

"Keeping Brett around was a priority during this off-season. We believe he has a unique combination of athleticism and puck handling skills, something that is difficult to find in a goaltender," said Brahmas Head Coach Dan Wildfong.

Jaeger played three seasons in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) and had a 51-32-15 career record with the Fresno Falcons and Long Beach Ice Dogs. He accumulated a .913 save percentage in his three seasons of professional hockey and 2.83 goals against average GAA. He played in the ECHL All-Star game in the 2005-06 season.

Prior to playing in the ECHL, Jaeger played in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with Medicine Hat, Vancouver and Saskatoon and in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) with Drayton Valley. He was named the Most Valuable Player in the AJHL in 2003-04 and the Most Valuable Player in the AJHL All-Star Game.

Jaeger will be an instructor at the Shoot 2 Score Goalie Camp on July 14-18 at the NYTEX Sports Centre.

Photo Credit: Robert Keith

Texas Brahmas Insider linked from team website

Thanks to Texas Brahmas General Manager Mike Barack and Communications Manager Meagan McClurkan for providing a link to the Insider from the team website. The insider will continue to provide fans with Brahmas news and exclusive photos and interviews.

Stay tuned for an in depth interview with Brahmas Head Coach Dan Wildfong. Any questions or comments may be directed to the Insider at brahmasinsider@sbcglobal.net.

Image Credit: Robert Keith

Anders Strome signs with Odense Bulldogs

Texas Brahmas lose fan favorite

Anders Strome has signed with the the Danish professional ice hockey team, Odense Bulldogs, playing in the top Danish league Oddset Ligaen.

The 6'3" 222 pound Forward from Winnipeg was a favorite amongst Brahmas fans. Strome joined the Brahmas for the 2007-08 season after playing the previous season with the Lubbock Cotton Kings (36 games) and the Rocky Mountain Rage (27 games) scoring a combined 58 points.

Strome played all 64 regular season games last season accounting for 60 points (34 goals, 26 assists) and in 14 post season games with 14 points (9 goals, 5 assists).

In 2005-06, Strome, 26, played in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) with three teams (Long Beach Ice Dogs, Florida Everblades and South Carolina Stingrays) for one season. In 54 games he recorded 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) and 26 penalty minutes.

Due to his offensive flair, Strome participated in the 2004-05 CHL All Star game and led the Cotton Kings to the postseason. At season's end, Strome was awarded the "Offensive Player of the Year" by the Cotton Kings.

In 2003-04, Strome was a finalist for CHL "Rookie of the Year" as he spent the season with the Wichita Thunder and Lubbock.

Prior to his professional career, Strome played for the University of Massachusetts-Lowell for three seasons. As a River Hawk, Strome played in 91 games and scored 35 points (20 goals, 15 assists).

Read more on the Bulldogs website here.

Photo credit: Cyclochip

Mike Barack joins Texas Brahmas ownership group

Longtime general manager becomes minority owner

The Texas Brahmas announced that Mike Barack has joined the team's ownership group. Barack has served as the team's general manager for the past eight seasons and will celebrate ten years with the organization in July. Barack joins a group of minority owners that includes former Dallas Stars goaltender Andy Moog and the NYTEX Sports ownership group, which has Dr. Salvatore Trazzera, Frank Trazzera, Knute Anderson, Patrick Luongo and Jim Makens.

“It has been an exciting ride for me with the Brahmas with lots of highs and lows. Obviously our goal is to sell out every game and win a championship, and we will continue to try and accomplish those goals," said Barack.

Thought of by many as the heart and soul of the team, Barack was at one time, the only employee of the team after the decision was made to suspend operations for the 2006-07 season. He has been instrumental in resusitating the franchise after making the move to North Richland Hills. Under his leadership, the Brahmas have steadily increased ticket sales, corporate support, public awareness and community involvement and have won numerous league marketing and sales awards, including Barack being named co-Executive of the Year in 2000-2001 by the WPHL.

“He epitomizes the Brahmas franchise; passion, devotion and dedication," said majority owner Stuart Fraser. "Mike’s level of professionalism and drive are what keeps him and the organization top-notch in the league.”

Barack told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that carrying the added ownership responsibility allows him to better handle league matters. "It helps for a number of reasons," he said. "I can make decisions quicker."

A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Barack graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a degree in broadcast journalism. He worked in broadcasting, public relations and sales prior to his position with the Brahmas and has prior experience with several teams in the International and American Hockey Leagues including a championship ring with the Salt Lake Golden Eagles (IHL).

Photo Credit: Texas Brahmas

Veteran defenseman Mike Vellinga to return to Texas Brahmas for 2008-09 season

The Brahmas have announced the signing of Mike Vellinga for the 2008-09 season. The 6-foot-1, 234 pound defenseman was integral in shutting down opponents lines in 63 games played last season, recording 14 points (1 goal, 13 assists) with 66 penalty minutes. Vellinga played in all 14 playoff games as well with 3 points on 3 assists.

Vellinga was selected in the 7th round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. He played on the 2003-04 Governor's Cup Champion Laredo Bucks team and has experience playing in the ECHL, AHL and IHL.

"Vellinga played sound defensive hockey last season, something that is very difficult to come by," said Assistant Coach Forbes MacPherson. "His experience is an intangible for the organization."

Photo Credit: Robert Keith

Texas Brahmas trade rivalries in move to CHL Southeast Division

Originally Posted on ProHockeyNews.com on 06/17/08

The Texas Brahmas will join the Corpus Christi Rayz, Laredo Bucks and Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees in the Central Hockey League’s Southeast Division as the result of a realignment announced by the league at the conclusion of its Summer Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Brahmas, who finished 40-22-2 last season, were a logical choice to move into the division after the Austin Ice Bats and Corpus Christi Rayz announced that they would suspend operations for the upcoming season. A last minute sale saved the Rayz’ season but realignment still had to be considered with the addition of the expansion Rapid City Rush and the removal of the Youngstown SteelHounds by the league.

Brahmas fans will miss the divisional rivalry with the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs but competition with the Laredo Bucks should prove to be just as stimulating.

Since their 2002-03 inaugural season, the Bucks have an 11-2-2 record against the Brahmas in 15 meetings. However, last season, Laredo went 0-1-1 against a resurgent Texas team that made it all the way to the Northern Conference Finals, only to lose in a Game 7 showdown with the Colorado Eagles.

“Anytime you have a rivalry, it’s great for the league and it’s great for the fans,” said Brahmas Head Coach Dan Wildfong. “We’re in the entertainment business. I think everyone’s going to have a good time with it. Laredo’s been a great opponent in the past and I’m sure they’ll have a great team this season.”

Laredo Bucks Head Coach and General Manager Terry Ruskowski is looking forward to the match up also.

"It will be good for our fans to see a lot more of Texas this season, to create that new rivalry for us…the Brahmas are a very successful organization, and always have been. To come back last season after missing a year, and do what they did was tremendous. I'm sure Dan Wildfong will put another solid team on the ice this coming season," Ruskowski said.

Coach Wildfong maintains a positive outlook on the changes ahead.

"This will be an incredible test for us as there are some caliber hockey teams in the South…the match ups should be interesting considering we have been in the North for so long, but I look forward to the challenge for the organization and our fans." said Wildfong.

Image Credit: Texas Brahmas

Texas Brahmas moving to CHL Southeast Division

Expected move to be announced by league

Reports out of the Central Hockey League's Summer Conference in Phoenix, Arizona indicate that the Brahmas are being moved to the Southeast Division. This fills the void created by the Austin Ice Bats, who have suspended operations for the upcoming season. This and other changes in the divisional lineups should be announced by the league soon.

The schedule for the upcoming season will be released in mid-July.

No Brahmas players were selected in an expansion draft held on Friday for the league’s newest team, the Rapid City Rush. the team had to make four players available and could lose only one according to the draft's rules.

Image Credit: Central Hockey League

Texas Brahmas Announce Lance Galbraith Signing

Here comes "The Rooster"

As reported on the Brahmas Insider on May 30, the Texas Brahmas announced their first official signing for the 2008-09 season, Lance Galbraith, veteran forward from the ECHL Idaho Steelheads.

The 5' 10" 190lb right winger played six seasons in the ECHL and also has experience in the American Hockey League (AHL) and the United Hockey League (UHL). He scored 67 points (22 G, 45 A) in 66 games played last season. Galbraith won two Kelly Cup's with the Steelheads, in 2005 and 2007.

The 28-year-old fan favorite from Brampton, Ontario earned the nickname "The Rooster" for his agressive playing style and has averaged over 285 penalty minutes per season in his professional career. "Obviously, I'm not an angel on the ice." said Galbraith.

"Lance comes to our program with two championships; he knows what it takes to win. He will play a strong leadership role for us as well as being a key player in the community. He will be the epitome of all-around player for the Brahmas organization," said Brahmas Coach Dan Wildfong.

Photo credit: Mark Mauno

Grant Jacobsen Signs With England's Manchester Phoenix

Jacobsen latest Phoenix signing

Story from The Bolton News 06/06/08

Player coach Tony Hand's summer re-modelling of the Manchester Phoenix continues with the signing of centreman Grant Jacobsen, and the man from Manitoba can't wait to get here.

Jacobsen said: "I'm really looking forward to getting to Manchester. I've talked to guys who've played in the UK and they all said good things about the city and the club. It's an exciting opportunity for me, I'm really pleased to get the chance."

Born in Souris Manitoba, Grant calls nearby Neepawa his home town and he hasn't been afraid to travel to pursue his hockey career to date.

"I played my junior hockey mostly in Regina and then Kamloops before turning professional after a year in college back in Manitoba."

It was whilst with the Regina Pats in the Western Hockey League in 2001 that Grant was drafted in the 9th round, 270th overall, by the St.Louis Blues, but it was the NHL lockout year in 2004 that proved the turning point for him.

"I spent a year studying Criminology and playing hockey in university during the lockout and it was after talking to guys about hockey that I got a number of calls to turn pro."

The lockout helped him make his mind up to turn professional, but it also cost him a chance to attend a rookie camp of the Calgary Flames.

His first two seasons in the pro minor leagues saw him ice with the Reading Royals, Columbus Inferno and Johnstown Chiefs in the East Coast Hockey League, before spending last season with the Texas Brahmas in the Central Hockey League.

On the move to Texas, he said: "It was a good move for me. The league was really competitive-better than I expected, there were no easy nights and I really enjoyed myself there."

Standing 6ft 3ins and tipping the scales at 215lbs, Grant could easily have followed his fathers' footsteps and joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, but chose sport instead, taking his dads' work ethic onto the ice.

"I'm more of a set-up guy than a prolific goalscorer myself, preferring to work down low, in the corners and looking to make plays for other guys to finish. I like to think I'm pretty good in the face-off circle and I've always killed penalties.

"I work hard at my game and I'm looking forward to helping Manchester challenge for championships."

Phoenix head coach Tony Hand said: "Grant has good size, a solid work ethic and that will help the team by adding more strength in depth through the squad. The people I spoke to about him said he always gives his best and the consistency of his numbers would tend to bear that out."

Read the article "Jacobsen latest Phoenix signing" from The Bolton News 06/06/08 here
Read another article "Jacobsen hand picked for glory" from The Manchester Evening News 06/06/08 here

Photo credit: Robert Keith

Jordan Cameron signs with Germany's EC Hannover Indians

Brahmas lose leading scorer

Jordan Cameron will play for the EC Hannover Indians of Germany's Upper League this season. The 26-year-old forward signed a contract with the club this past weekend and will be joined in Hannover by his wife and daughter. This will be Cameron's first experience playing in Europe.

Cameron joined the Brahmas for the 2007-08 season after two seasons with the Wheeling Nailers and two seasons with the Alaska Aces prior to that in the ECHL.

The 6-1, 227 lb right wing was a dominant force for the brahmas this past season scoring 64 points (30 Goals, 34 Assists) in 57 games played. He scored 13 points during the Brahma's playoff run (3 Goals, 10 Assists) in 14 games played. In the second game of the playoff series with the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, Cameron scored a hat trick with his final goal coming with just 4 seconds left on the clock in a 4-3 win.

"He is the type of player that I wanted...dangerous at the goal, a good technician and strong penetrator...Like all players who come to Europe, he'll need some time to acclimate but I'm sure he will be a strong addition..." Indians Coach Joe West said.

Photo Credit: Robert Keith