Bossier City, LA - The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs of the Central Hockey League today announced the addition of defenseman Clay Plume via trade from the Rapid City Rush. Plume, who is in his sixth pro season, will be in the lineup Friday night when the Mudbugs play at Wichita. In exchange, the 'Bugs sent rookie defenseman Kirk Medernach and future considerations to Rapid City.
Plume, 26, comes to Bossier-Shreveport after playing 19 games for the Rush this season. The 6-1, 210-pound blueliner was Rapid City's top scoring defensemen this year with eight points (all assists) to go with a +4 rating and 19 penalty minutes. Plume will wear his usual #4 when he suits up against the Thunder on Friday night.
"We're absolutely thrilled to bring in a player with the experience level and composure that Clay Plume will add to our team," said Head Coach Scott Muscutt. "I think he'll fit in nicely with what we already have and his energy and excitement to be here are things that I'm happy to inject into our lineup."
Now in his fifth season in the CHL, Plume spent the past three years playing for the Rocky Mountain Rage. He enjoyed his best pro season in 2007-08 with the Rage, recording a career-high 32 points (7g, 25a), 76 penalty minutes and a +5 rating while playing all 64 games. Plume returned to Rocky Mountain in March of last season after missing the team's first 56 games due to an offseason injury. He scored once and chipped in three assists in eight regular season games before adding a goal in Game 3 of Rocky Mountain's Opening Round playoff series loss to the Mudbugs.
Plume played every game during Rocky Mountain's inaugural season of 2006-07, finishing second among Rage defenseman with 26 points (8g, 18a) and 75 penalty minutes. Skating for Rio Grande Valley the prior year, he totaled 16 points and 55 penalty minutes while once again playing in every game for the Killer Bees.
A native of Standoff, Alberta, Plume grew up on Canada's largest First Nations reserve as a member of the Kainai tribe. He played three seasons of Major Junior with Lethbridge and Prince George of the Western Hockey League before spending his rookie professional season in the ECHL.
Medernach heads to Rapid City after playing 18 games for the 'Bugs this season, recording one assist, 43 penalty minutes and a -3 rating during his stay in Bossier-Shreveport. The Cudworth, Saskatchewan native is in his rookie season out of Mercyhurst College.
"Any time you make a trade, it's also a little bittersweet," Muscutt commented. "Kirk is a great kid who played hard for us and I wish him the best in Rapid City going forward."
