Eurolanche

Cutthroats Add Two More to Roster

“Both of these signings add good character and depth to our locker room,” said Cutthroats Head Coach Derek Armstrong.  “Mario Boilard brings an element of toughness and played for a winning team last year.  Tim Krauss has a productive track record from the Western Hockey League and into his time spent in the ECHL.”

The 22-year-old Boilard (BWAH-lard) will begin his second pro season after appearing in 46 games for the CHL’s Evansville Icemen last year.  The Sainte-Justine, Quebec native racked up 193 penalty minutes in his rookie campaign and chipped in six points along the way (three goals, three assists).  Prior to turning pro the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Boilard played a four-year junior career in Quebec and Alberta.

Kraus, 25, will suit up for his second year in the CHL after an injury-shortened 2011-12 season with the league’s Wichita Thunder and Dayton Gems.  The Garden Grove, California native spent the first three years of his pro career in the ECHL tallying 123 points in 197 games (35 goals, 88 assists) between the Ontario Reign, Victoria Salmon Kings, and Las Vegas Wranglers.

The 6-foot, 185-pound Kraus is a five-year product of the WHL where he recorded 226 points in 306 games.

The team has also added former pro player Jeff Sirkka to their hockey operations department as a team scout. In 2002, Sirkka (SUR-kuh) completed a 12-year pro hockey career that included being a member of the International Hockey League’s 1994-95 Denver Grizzlies championship squad where he played alongside Cutthroats Head Coach Derek Armstrong.  Sirkka appeared in 771 games between the IHL and American Hockey League, amassing 1,407 penalty minutes.

“(Sirkka) was a former teammate of mine who also calls Denver home and I trust his opinion when it comes to hockey,” added Armstrong.  “On the ice he brought toughness, grit, and character and those are three things we want on our hockey club here.  He has a lot of knowledge to pass along to our players and our guys will enjoy working with him throughout this season.”

The Cutthroats preseason roster now increases to 17.  Training camp begins on October 8th.  The team opens its inaugural season on October 19th against the Missouri Mavericks at Denver Coliseum at 7:05 PM.

-Cutthroats Press Release-