Bisons add to recruiting class

The Manitoba Bisons have added another Western Hockey League grad to their roster for the upcoming season with the commitment of forward Ian Duval. Duval finished up his junior career with the WHL champion Kelowna Rockets.

Duval put up a career year splitting time between the Moose Jaw Warriors and Rockets. Duval was better than a point per game player during the regular season tallying 61 points in 57 regular season games, and was impressive in the playoffs notching 10 goals and eight assists en route to the Rockets trip to the Memorial Cup in Rimouski.

Duval, a native Winnipeger, will join fellow WHL grads and Manitobans Jesse Deckert and Brandon Lockerby as part of the Bisons for the 2009-2010 season. Deckert, a 22 year old netminder, has limited CIS experience after a brief four game stint with the Lethbridge Pronghorns during the 2007-2008 season and will be attempting a comeback with the Bisons. He spent parts of five seasons in the WHL and had his most succesful campaign in 2005-2006 with the Prince Albert Raiders when he posted a 19-20-3 record with a 2.70 GAA and .909 save %. A Winnipeg boy himself, Deckert will provide depth for the Bisons in net, playing behind starting netminder Steve Christie who started all 28 of the Bisons regular season games last season.

Lockerby, a 6"0 defenceman had seven goals and 28 assists for a 35 point campaign with the Edmonton Oil Kings. Lockerby spent four seasons in the WHL, with the 2008-2009 season being the first in which he saw time in more than 40 games. The Douglas, MB native took advantage of that increased game action leading the Oil Kings in defenceman scoring.

The Bisons also have the commitment of Blair Macaulay who had an impressive season with 86 points in only 38 regular season games with the Winnipeg Saints of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The 5"11 forward had WHL stints with both the Saskatoon Blades and Tri-City Americans in between his time with the Saints.
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2 comments:

  1. That's great news about Duval ... saw him in the Memorial Cup and was very impressed. I'll confess I have a soft spot for him for the simple reason he played his Triple-A midget hockey for a team based in Portage la Prairie, while I was working there.

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  2. Lockerby should be a good addition for the Bisons. They desperately need a puck moving defenceman with some offensive upside. Stephane Lenoski lead the team in d-man scoring last season with only 8 points.

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