FORT McMURRAY, AB (June 4, 2015) – The Fort McMurray Oil Barons are pleased to announce the signing of five players, and one additional player to an AJHL White Card Certificate.
The newest Oil Barons are 1997-born defenceman Kyler Newman (Lethbridge, AB), 1997-born forward Shane Fraser (Strathmore, AB), 1997-born defenceman Josh Bishop (Strathmore, AB), 1997-born forward Will Reynish (Okotoks, AB), 1998-born forward Brett Edwards (Grande Prairie, AB), with 1999-born defenceman Jayden Pannu (Edmonton, AB) signing a White Card.
Newman first joined the Oil Barons during the 2015 Western Canada Cup. As captain of the Lethbridge Hurricanes Midget AAA team this past year, he scored 18 points (3 goals, 15 assists) in 32 games, with 62 penalty minutes.
Fraser also served as captain of his team, helping to lead the UFA Bisons to an AMHL championship and Telus Cup final this past season. In the regular season, he scored 22 points (3 goals, 19 assists) in 33 games, with 45 penalty minutes.
His Telus Cup teammate Josh Bishop also joins the Barons after scoring 10 points (1 goal, 9 assists) in 34 gams, with 76 penalty minutes, on the back end for UFA.
Edwards is a graduate of the Grande Prairie Storm Midget AAA squad, scoring 20 points (12 goals, 8 assists) in 32 games for his team this past year.
“Brett is a very skilled and underrated player who is going to have a good career in the AJHL,” said Barons head scout Doug Hergenhein. “He had an injury earlier in the season, but then lit it up, helping Grande Prairie come within one win of the northern AMHL championship.”
In February, both Edwards and Newman were named Players of the Month in the AMHL.
Reynish is a graduate of the Edge School in Calgary, where at the Midget AAA level this year he scored 16 points (6 goals, 10 assists) in 28 games with 54 penalty minutes. The power forward also served as team captain.
Pannu spent the past season with the SSAC Bulldogs Minor Midget AAA team, scoring 22 points (12 goals, 10 assists) in 36 games.
“These players add needed character and leadership to our young team for 2015-16,” said Oil Barons head coach and general manager Curtis Hunt. “Many of them served as captains on their minor teams, and we’re looking forward to seeing both the on and off-ice impact they will bring to our team next year.”