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EXPANSION TEAM PLAYER SIGNINGS CONTINUE

New York Titans sign six, Chicago Shamrox ink four

11/07/2006

The 2007 NLL Expansion Teams continued finalizing their training camp rosters this week as both the New York Titans and the Chicago Shamrox have announced multiple players signings. The Titans signed Erik Miller, Gewas Schindler, Anthony Kelly, Jeff Bigas, Jeff Sonke and Matt Alrich. The Shamrox announced they have signed Drew Candy, Cory Leigh, Nick Trudeau and goalie Derek Collins.

SIX SIGNED BY NEW YORK
The New York Titans announced today that they have signed six players to contracts. Free agents including goaltender Erik Miller, forward Gewas Schindler, and defensemen Anthony Kelly, Jeff Bigas and Jeff Sonke were all signed to one-year contracts. Also signed was forward Matt Alrich who was acquired by the Titans in a trade prior to the Entry Draft.

Goaltender Erik Miller joins New York bringing with him eight seasons on NLL experience, including playing in seven games for the Philadelphia Wings in 2006. In 77 career games, Miller has a 13.21 Goals Against Average and a 73.95 saves percentage. The six-foot-five, 228 pound native of Bel Air, Maryland has also totaled 33 assists and 275 loose balls in his career.

"Erik is a solid goaltender with a wealth of experience in the NLL," said Titand Head Coach Adam Mueller. "He has always put up good numbers in the NLL and will do what it takes to compete for one of our three goaltender spots."

Forward Gewas Schindler heads to New York from Colorado. Last season with the Mammoth Shindler played four games and scored five points (two goals, three assists). The six-foot, 190 pound native of Onondaga, New York has played 69 career games over seven seasons in the league and has totaled 100 goals and 123 assists for 223 points and has collected 199 loose balls.

"Gewas has good feet and a finishers touch around the net," said Mueller. "He has impressed us in our free agent camp and we look forward to see him fight for a spot on the roster and get back to the sucess he enjoyed a few years ago in the NLL."

Anthony Kelly, heads to New York from Minnesota. He originally joined the Minnesota Swarm for training camp last season but was released before the start of the season. Kelly previously started every game during his four-year collegiate career at Ohio State University (2000-03). He totaled 16 points (12 goals, 4 assists) and 238 ground balls in 57 games with the Buckeyes. The six-foot-four, 255-pound native of North Olmsted, Ohio led the club in ground balls all four seasons.

Defenseman Jeff Bigas signs with New York after spending last season with the Philadelphia Wings as a practice player. Bigas was a three time First Team All-American for Salisbury University where he helped the team to three consecutive NCAA Division III titles (2003, 2004, 2005). The five-foot-eleven, 200 pound defender was originally signed by the Wings as a free agent prior to the 2005 season.

"Jeff (Bigas) and Anthony (Kelly) are extremely hungry to make the Titans squad. Both stood out in our free agent camp with their physical, agressive brand of defense," said Mueller. "Jeff has had one year under his belt on a practice squad and is anxious to take his game to the next level. I had Antony in Minnesota last season so I know him well. He is prepared to prove himself in the NLL"

Jeff Sonke was signed to a one-year contract by the Titans after playing two seasons for the Colorado Mammoth (2004, 2005). In six career games, the six-foot-two, 200 pound transition player has totaled four points on two goals and two assists and has collected eleven loose balls. Sonke was released by Colorado prior to the start of the 2006 season.

The Titans have come to terms with Matt Alrich, who they acquired from San Jose in a pre draft deal. Alrich was signed to a one-year contract. He was acquired by the Titans on September 12th in a blockbuster deal that also included former Rookie of the Year Ryan Boyle and the first overall draft pick. Alrich joins New York after playing his first two seasons in the NLL with San Jose. The six-foot-three, 220 pound Baltimore, Maryland native had played 23 games for the Stealth over 2005 and 2006 and totaled ten points on five goals and five assists and also scooped up 43 loose balls.

"We are excited to see Jeff (Sonek) and Matt (Alrich) in camp this weekend. Both are good in transition and have valuable experience on defense in the NLL," said Mueller. "We are looking to run a bit this season and expect them to help us be sucessful and efficienct at it."

SHAMROX SIGN FOUR
The Chicago Shamrox signed defenders Drew Candy and Cory Leigh, forward Nick Trudeau and goalie Derek Collins to one-year deals the team announced Monday. All four seasoned NLL veterans are returning to the league following a hiatus from NLL action last season.

Drew Candy has scooped up 85 loose balls and played 39 games in the NLL. The six-foot-three, 235pound defenseman last played for Buffalo in 2005 and is set to return to the NLL for the Shamrox inaugural season.

Cory Leigh has three years of NLL experience playing for New Jersey and Anaheim. In 34 career games, the six-foot-one, 205 pound left-handed defenseman has scooped up 180 loose balls.

Nick Trudeau most recently played for Toronto in 2005 and is a talented veteran with 61 games in the NLL. Throughout his versatile career, he has scored 83 goals and 84 assists for 167 points. The six-foot-two, 210 pound forward has also scooped up 211 loose balls.

Derek Collins has played goalie for 73 games in the NLL accumulating 1,990 saves and 351 loose balls. The six-foot, 200 pound goaltender reached the post-season with Baltimore in 1998 and most recently played for Calgary.

"Candy, Leigh, Trudeau and Collins are excited to be back playing in the NLL and ready to join the Shamrox for our inaugural season," said Shamrox GM/Head Coach Jamie Batley. "We expect this group of players to bring experience and knowledge from playing in the NLL, as well as a renewed enthusiasm for the league after spending time away."