Laredo, TX - The Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey
league announced at a press conference Thursday that they have
re-signed the Franchises' All-Time leading scorer Jeff Bes for the
2008-09 season, his sixth with the team. The announcement was made to
the media and a large number of fans at a press conference at the
Whataburger location in front of the LEC. Bes, who makes his home in
Laredo in the off season, will also enter his third season as the
team's Assistant Coach.
Bes is considered one of the best players in the CHL, and he has plenty of accolades to show for it.
The 35-year old Bes is a two-time CHL Regular Season MVP ('04, '08), 2003-04 CHL scoring champion,
2006 CHL playoff MVP, three-time CHL All-Star ('04, '06, '08), 2006
All-Star Game MVP, a five-time CHL player of the week, as well as a
one-time CHL player of the month (January 2004).
"Jeff Bes is one of the top players in our league, and he has been
since he joined us six years ago", said Bucks Head Coach and General
Manager Terry Ruskowski. "Once he is officially signed with us we know
we can count on him to be a leader".
"The City of Laredo has embraced the Bucks with open arms, and has for
six years", said Bes. "This is the only place I want to play, and I
want to help bring the Cup back here this season".
Last season Bes captured his second regular season CHL MVP award and
his third CHL All-Star selection, as he eclipsed the 100-point mark for
the second time in his CHL career with 106. Bes broke the Bucks single
season record for most goals with 46, to go along with 60 assists. As
always Bes was a key special teams player, as he knocked in 16
power-play goals, handed out 24 power-play assists, while scoring two
short-handed goals, and handing out three short-handed assists. Bes
scored eight game-winning goals last season.
Bes was also named to the All-CHL team last season, as he picked up
four hat tricks. Bes had a season high six points, scoring four goals,
and handing out two assists in the Bucks 9-3 win over Amarillo at the
LEC on October 27th.
During last year's playoffs Bes scored three goals, with nine assists for 12 points.
In his five seasons in Laredo, Bes has put his name at the top of most
of the Bucks all-time career and single-season scoring records. He is
first in career points with 450, first in career goals with 166, and
first in career assists with 284, which puts him tied for 23rd all-time
in the CHL. As far as single-season records goes, Bes has claimed many
of those as well. He is first in single season goals with 46 last
season, first in single-season assists with 78 in 2003-04, first in
single-season points with 117 also in 2003-04. Bes is second in
single-season power-play goals with 16 last season, and in 2003-04, and
second in game-winning goals with eight last season.
"We count on Jeff for a lot of big points, night in and night out",
Ruskowski said. "He's one of the big reasons for our success".
"I'm looking forward to getting back on the ice here, we have a lot of
unfinished business to take care of from the last two years", Bes said.
Bes has always performed in the
postseason as well, having been a major part of the Bucks two
championship teams. In 79 career postseason games,
Bes has scored 42 goals with 57 assists for 99 points, to go along with
14 power-play goals, 26 power-play assists, five short-handed goals,
and 12 game-winning goals. In the 2006 CHL playoffs Bes was
unstoppable, scoring 11 goals, with 20 assists, for 31 points,
including six power-play goals, nine power-play assists, and five
game-winning goals, picking up the Playoff MVP award while leading the
Bucks to their second CHL President's Cup Championship.
In Bes' first season in Laredo he captured the 2003-04 CHL Regular
Season MVP, netting 39 goals, with 78 assists, for 117 points,
including 16 power-play goals, 37 power-play assists, and six
game-winning goals. In only his third game as a Buck, Bes handed out
five assists in Laredo's 7-2 win in Corpus Christi.
Bes, who has Veteran status playing in 757 professional games, turned
pro during the 1992-93 season with the Kalamazoo Wings of the IHL. He
was selected in the 3rd round (58th overall) by the Minnesota North
Stars in the 1992 NHL
Entry Draft. The 2008-09 season will be Bes' 17th as a pro. He has
played in six pro leagues for 16 different teams, including in the AHL
for the Springfield Falcons in 1995-96. Bes is the second Buck who has
Veteran Status for this season, joining Team Captain Serge Dube.
Bes has scored 301 career professional goals, with 545 assists, for 846 points.
"I want to play hockey for as long as I can", Bes said. "I love the game, and the game has been good to me".
This will be Bes' third year as a player/assistant for Ruskowski.
"Jeff does a great job as a leader, and a teacher to the young guys
throughout the years", said Ruskowski. "He will be a great coach after
his playing career is over".
"I would like to coach after I'm done playing, I hope I can help the younger guys get better in some way", Bes said.
