CORPUS CHRISTI, TX- Corpus Christi IceRays General Manager Pat Dunn announced today that the team has signed two more players to tenders for the 2011-12 season. They are forwards Christian Elsborg and Eric Purcell. The two signings join Cameron Holland, Dmitry Ermakov, Joe Ginley, Chris Taff, Matt Wurst, and Payden Mielke on the tender list for 2011-12. The IceRays have one remaining slot available for a tender signing.
The signed tenders will be added to a 30-man protected list comprised of current Corpus Christi eligible holdovers and future 2011 NAHL draft selections. The combined total of protected holdovers and tenders will determine how many draft picks the team will have in the upcoming 2011 NAHL entry draft this month.
"We are excited to get both Christian and Eric on the ice and look forward to seeing what they can do,” said assistant coach Justin Quenneville. “Both young talented forwards have been highly scouted over the course of the season, and we are all happy to have them decide on choosing our club. Tendering Christian and Eric is just another chapter towards building for next season."
Elsborg, 17, is a 5’11” 196 lb. forward who spent last season playing for the Washington Jr. Nationals of the Atlantic Junior Hockey League (AJHL) who compete at the Tier III level. Elsborg was born in Sweden, but is a citizen of Denmark who currently lives in Frisco, Texas and will not count as one of Corpus Christi’s two available foreign players. This past season, Elsborg played in 39 games for the Jr. Nationals where he posted 17 goals and 13 assists for 30 points. In 2009, he was selected by the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in the 13th round (253 overall). He has represented the Danish National team at the U16, U17, and U18 levels.
Purcell, 18, is a 6’1” 170 lb. forward who spent last season playing for the Chicago Young Americans in the U18 Midget Major Division. The Lake in the Hills, Illinois native played in 38 games where he amassed 18 goals and 11 assists for 29 points.
Corpus Christi has concluded the 2010-11 season and is now in the off-season preparing for the draft, camps, and molding a new team for the beginning of the 2011-12 campaign. Over the summer, be sure to check out what the team is doing off the ice in preparations for next season. Season ticket, team, and scheduling information will be available in the coming months. The team is always looking for new business and corporate partnerships. For more information call the Rays’ front office at 361.814.PUCK (7825) or crash the net at www.goicerays.com.
“THE NEW ICERAYS…TOMORROW’S STARS”
