Port Huron, MI - Stan Drulia, head coach and general manager of the Port Huron Icehawks, announced that the team has signed veteran defenseman Daniel Tetrault to a contract for the 2008-09 season. Per team policy, details of the deal were not disclosed.
Tetrault (6-0, 205 lbs) is entering his ninth professional season. He comes to the Icehawks after three seasons with the Wichita Thunder in the Central Hockey League where he averaged 43 points per year. Last season he served as assistant captain and led the team in scoring among defenseman with 32 points (7g, 25a). His points included five power play goals and seven power play assists. The offensive-minded defenseman led the team in shots on goal and was ranked second among CHL defenseman in shots with 197. He also collected 101 penalty minutes.
Tetrault was recommended to Drulia by Icehawks forward Tab Lardner. The two played together in Wichita in the 2005-06 season.
"Dan is a big guy with a big shot on the power play. He plays physical in his own end and enjoys dropping the gloves every once in a while," Drulia said. "He will be a great complement to Icehawks defensemen Ian Turner and Jamie Lovell."
He added, "Everyone I spoke to about him could not say enough about his leadership and character. We continue to look for these traits in our recruiting process."
A fourth round draft pick of the Montreal Canadiens in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, Tetrault played five seasons of junior hockey with the WHL Brandon Wheat Kings before he turned professional in the 2000-01 season with the Austin IceBats. In the 2001-02 season, he again skated with the IceBats and received several accolades. He was named to the CHL All-Star Game and received the CHL Most Outstanding Defenseman Award.
Tetrault next had stints with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the American Hockey League (34 games) and the Trenton Titans in the ECHL (39 games) before returning to Austin in the 2003-04 season and serving as player/assistant coach. He then played parts of two seasons with the New Mexico Scorpions in the CHL before signing with Wichita.
The 28-year old native of La Broquerie, Manitoba, Canada has skated in a total of 492 professional regular season games and amassed 284 career points (82g, 202a) and 655 penalty minutes. He has also recorded 14 points (4g, 10a) in 31 career playoff games.
