Flint, MI - A man who quickly became a fan favorite during the 2007-2008 season for his fierce competitive and intense style of play will be back in a Flint Generals uniform for this fall. The Generals of the International Hockey League announced today (Tuesday) that they have inked their first player for the 2008-09 season with the re-signing of team captain Kris Mallette.
Mallette played in 67 games with the Generals during the 2007-2008 season and notched one goal and five assists for six points. He was second on the team with 222 penalty minutes and also fourth in plus-minus rating at plus 10. The Kelowna, British Columbia Canada native appeared in all five of the Generals' post season games and notched two assists.
"One of my priorities this summer was to get our Captain from last season back with us," said Head Coach Peter South. "Kris embodies what the Flint Generals are all about. He is a family man who works hard every shift of every game. He's a leader on the ice and in the dressing room and will be counted on again for those qualities." During one home game at Perani Arena and Event Center Mallette, who had been battling a shoulder injury, fought a player with one arm. The incident drew an appreciative roar and applause from the fans and it also rallied his teammates.
The Flint Generals had a terrific start to the season but ran into injury problems and at one stretch had 12 regulars out of the line-up including Mallette. When the Generals were healthy again, the team qualified for the post season and advanced to the Turner Cup playoffs before falling in five games to Port Huron.
"We had all the right tools last year with the ownership and a good group of players," Mallette said. "For me coming back it's just about finishing what we started at the beginning of the season. We were close and got hit by the injury bug and couldn't recover. We had so many different guys in the line-up near the end of the season that we couldn't get back the rhythm."
Mallette said another big reason for coming back to Flint is how well he and his family were treated in the community. "I have played in some pretty nice places and coming into Flint I didn't know what to expect," he explained from his home in Kelowna. "The people of Flint made me and my family feel at home. We have made friends outside of hockey that we will have for a long time. When my family is comfortable when I am on the road, it makes me feel good that there is a support system for them."
This will be Mallette's ninth professional season that has included 449 games played at the ECHL, UHL and CHL levels. The former 3rd round selection 62nd overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers has notched 13 goals and 47 assists for 60 points and 1,925 penalty minutes. Mallette has appeared in 52 career playoff games and has seven points and 146 penalty minutes.
