CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS – Defenseman Simon Butala has been reassigned by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League (USHL) to the Corpus Christi IceRays, the team announced Wednesday afternoon.
Butala, 17, started the 2015-16 season in Cedar Rapids, playing two games and recording two penalty minutes. The Downingtown, Penn., native was an invitee to the RoughRiders’ camp and earned a roster spot. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound defenseman was drafted 182nd overall (11th Round) by the IceRays in the 2015 NAHL Entry Draft. Last season, Butala played 11 games with the Sioux City Musketeers (USHL), recording 50 penalty minutes and a +1 rating.
“Butala is a much needed left-shot defenseman,” said IceRays head coach John Becanic. “He played in Sioux City for Jay Varady, and they have a similar style so we’re expecting him to adapt quickly to our style of play. He’s still a young kid, so he has a lot to work on, but he has a year of junior hockey under his belt and can allow our other defensemen to play their normal positions.”
During the 2014-15 season, Butala also played 20 games with the New Jersey Rockets in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL), recording three assists and 70 penalty minutes. He committed to the University of Maine, a NCAA Division I program, during the 2013-14 season when playing for the Long Island Gulls of the Atlantic Metro Hockey League (AYHL) and the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers of the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League (T1EHL). In 47 combined games, Butala recorded 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points with 128 penalty minutes.
The IceRays begin a two-game series against the Wichita Falls Wildcats on Thursday, October 8 at 7:05 p.m. from the American Bank Center. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com or the American Bank Center Box Office. Contact the IceRays Front Office at 361-814-PUCK or go to www.goicerays.com for details on season tickets along with pricing and seating. In addition, stay connected with the IceRays on Facebook (/CorpusChristiIceRays), Twitter (@goicerays), YouTube (IceRays TV), Instagram (CorpusChristiIceRays), Vine (@goicerays), and Periscope (@goicerays).
