Laredo, TX - The Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey
League announced at a press conference Thursday that they have
re-signed three-time CHL All-Star Serge Dube for the 2008-09 season,
his seventh year with the team. The announcement was made to the media
and a large number of fans at Doctors Hospital.
Dube, who
seriously contemplated retirement over the summer, is the franchises
All-Time leader in games played with 324. Dube becomes the first
Veteran on the Bucks roster for this season, leaving three remaining
Vet spots open.
Dube, who is considered one of the
best defensemen in the CHL, was honored with the 2006 CHL Most
Outstanding Defenseman award, and is a three-time CHL All-Star ('04,
'06, ‘08).
The 29-year old Dube has also been honored
with the CHL Player of the Month award in November 2005, and the CHL
Player of the Week award in January of 2004.
"I'm
certain that Serge was very close to retirement this summer, but I'm
ecstatic that he is back with us", said Bucks Head Coach and General
Manager Terry Ruskowski. "Serge is a perennial All-Star, who is one of
the best ‘D' men in the league".
"I'm excited to try
and win another championship here. Two years without a title is too
long", Dube said. "I thought a lot about it, and decided that playing
another year was the best decision for me. If we win the Cup this year
I think I'll call it a career".
In his six seasons'
in Laredo, the 5'11, 205 pound Dube is among the all-time franchise
leaders in several categories. Besides being the all-time Bucks leader
in games played, Dube is fourth all-time in goals scored with 71,
second all-time in assists with 213, and second all-time in points with
284. In addition, Dube is tied for fifth all-time in single-season
assists, handing out 50 during the Bucks first CHL championship season
of 2003-2004. Dube is also tied for sixth all-time with six
game-winning goals during the Bucks second CHL championship season of
2005-06.
"I've watched him (Dube) grow into a solid,
and confident player who makes our team a lot better", Ruskowski
stated. "I know our defense is taken care of when he's on the ice for
us".
Last season Dube, who is from Sudbury, Ontario
but lives in Laredo with his new wife Aileen, was selected to his third
CHL All-Star game, as he had another solid year. Dube scored nine
goals, handed out 37 assists for 46 points, in 57 games. His 2007-08
numbers included four power-play goals, 15 power-play assists, two
short-handed goals, four short-handed assists, and three game-winning
goals to go along with a plus 25 rating.
Dube had five, three-point games last season, including four games where the Captain had three assists.
During the 2008 playoffs Dube knocked in two goals, with nine assists
for 11 points. Six of his nine playoff assists were on the power-play.
"Serge solidifies our defense, he's a character player, who knows our systems, and plays them well", said Ruskowski.
Dube spent time on the 14-day IR last season from February 23rd- March
11th, forcing him to miss five games. Dube also missed two games in
Austin on February 8th-9th with a stomach virus.
Of
Dube's three game-winning goals last season, two of the three came in
one-goal wins. On November 13th Dube scored his second goal of the game
just 29 seconds into overtime, to lead the Bucks to a 3-2 OT win over
Rio Grande Valley.
"With the guys that Terry is
bringing in, we should be right there again at the end. It's going to
be tough, there's a lot of good teams out there", Dube said.
Dube had his best statistical season in Laredo during the 2003-04
championship season. In 59 games Dube posted a career high 18-goals,
with 50 assists, for 68 points, in helping the Bucks to a CHL-best
48-8-8 record- best all-time in the CHL.
Dube began the 2004-05 campaign overseas with the Bracknell Bees, playing in 11 games before returning to Laredo.
Upon returning to the Bucks in 2004-05, Dube struggled with injuries,
and missed a portion of the season. When he returned to the line-up on
February 23rd, 2005, the Bucks were struggling with a 23-22-2 record.
With Dube back in the line-up the Bucks finished up the regular season
an incredible 12-0-1, capturing both the Southeast Division Title, and
the Southern Conference Championship, before falling in the President's
Cup Finals.
During the 2005-06 season Dube played three games in the AHL for the San Antonio Rampage.