A member of the Quad City Mallards takes a shot during a game last season. | www.myqcmallards.com
A member of the Quad City Mallards takes a shot during a game last season. | www.myqcmallards.com
The Quad City Mallards are gearing up for the upcoming ECHL hockey season with a few recent signings, according to a press release.
The Mallards have picked up a number of defensemen, including Greg Amlong, Kyle Bigos and Ales Sova. Last year the Mallards finished third in the Central Division at 40-28, and head coach Phil Axtell said in a press release that he is excited for the new additions to the defense.
“I expect to see Greg (Amlong) make big strides in his second full pro season,” Axtell said in the release. “He takes pride in killing penalties and blocking shots along with being a great teammate.”
Amlong spent much of last season with the Elmira Jackals in his first year of professional hockey, scoring three goals and recording 14 assists. Before going pro, he played for the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). In his senior season at RIT, Amlong recorded seven goals and 14 assists to set a career high in points.
Bigos, an experienced defenseman, played with the San Francisco Bulls, the Ontario Reign and the Idaho Steelheads. He also played professionally in Scotland with the Edinburgh Capitals. Axtell said Bigos will be a key member of the Mallards defense.
“Kyle is a big, strong, stay-at-home defenseman who’s been training hard this summer and is ready to get started,” Axtel said in the release. “I plan on him playing a simple and steady game while logging a lot of minutes.”
Sova, who comes to the Quad Cities from his native Czech Republic, has played seven seasons in Europe and is joining the Mallards from Orli Znojmo, a Czech team that plays in the Austrian Erste Bank Eishockey Liga. In 272 professional games in Europe, Sova racked up 11 goals and 32 assists.
Quad City fans will get their first chance to see the three new defensemen in action when the Mallards open the regular season on Oct. 13 against Toledo Walleye. This will be the Mallards fourth year playing in the ECHL and their 21st season of professional hockey.
For more information about the team, the upcoming season, or to view the schedule, visit www.myqcmallards.com.
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