CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Corpus Christi IceRays, members of the North American Hockey League (NAHL), announced Monday that they have made multiple transactions. Three players have been traded from the roster, in return the IceRays have added two new players and obtained both a tender selection and dual draft picks for the 2019 NAHL Draft.
IceRays have acquired Joe Alexander, 19, a defensemen from the Brookings Blizzard and a third round draft pick in exchange for forward Bud Winter. The IceRays have also acquired Jack Sampson, a 20-year-old forward from the Lone Star Brahmas and a fifth round draft pick in exchange for Noah Roofe.
The IceRays also acquired a tender selection for the 2019 NAHL Draft and a third round pick from the Chippewa Steel in exchange for defenseman Trevor Wilhelm.
Alexander sat third in points among defensemen in Brookings, with one goal and one assist throughout his first eight games. The Chicago, IL, product began his NAHL career with the Brookings Blizzard in the 2018-2019 season coming out of the Canadian Central Hockey League (CCHL), where he recorded a total of 11 points across 52 games with 2 goals and 9 assists.
Sampson, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound forward returns to the NAHL after spending 3 games in the league during the 2017-2018 season, where he recorded two assists. Jack was picked up by the Lone Star Brahmas, as a ninth round draft pick after playing 34 games in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) for the remainder of the 2017-2018 season. Throughout the first 12 games of the Brahmas’ season, Sampson has seen the ice 10 times recording five points (3 G, 2 A).
Trevor Wilhelm, a defensemen, began his time with the IceRays in the 2016-17 season after being recalled from the St. Louis Jr. Blues. The 5-foot-9, 180-pound defenseman earned a spot on the IceRays training camp roster following a strong showing at the 2016 IceRays Main Camp before returning to St. Louis. Wilhelm signed a tender contract with the IceRays for the 2017-18 season in November of 2016, making him the second player added to the 30-man protected list for the coming season. Wilhelm recorded 14 points in 58 games, with four goals and 10 assist in the 2017-18 season. Wilhelm will report to the Chippewa Steel of the Midwest Division.
Bud Winter, Forward and St. Louis Native, has seen ice 41 times across two seasons for the IceRays. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound forward gained the team’s attention at the 2016 IceRays Pre-Draft Camp in St. Louis, followed by being tendered for the 2017-18 season. Within his first eight games this season, Winter accumulated three points off two goals and one assist. Winter will report to the Brookings Blizzards of the Central Division.
Forward, Noah Roofe of St. Louis, Mo. was selected 138th overall out of the St. Louis AAA Blues U18 (T1EHL) in the 2017 draft. Standing 5-foot-10, weighing 180-pounds, Roofe played 43 games in the 2017-18 season earning five goals and 2 assists for seven points with 53 penalty minutes. Following the 2017-18 season, Roofe saw 10 games with a total of four points (2 goals, 2 assists) during the 2018-19 season for the IceRays. Roofe will report to the Lone Star Brahmas of the South Division, where he will travel back to Corpus Christi next month as part of his new team.
The IceRays return to action on Friday, Oct. 26 at 7:05 p.m. for the first ever ‘Pucks & Paws’ benefiting Gulf Coast Humane Society. They will begin a two-game set from the American Bank Center against the Kenai River Brown Bears to end the Alaska tour. Single game tickets, season seat memberships, group tickets and suites for the 2018-19 IceRays season are now on sale. Visit goicerays.com or call 361-814-PUCK for tickets or more information.
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