Broomfield, CO - The Rocky Mountain Rage have re-signed defensemen Pat Sutton and Rob Chappell to contracts for the upcoming 2008-09 Central Hockey League season. Both players return for their second season in a Rage uniform.

Sutton enters his fourth professional campaign having registered 16 points (4g-12a) and 71 penalty minutes last year with Rocky Mountain. He was a United Hockey League All-Star for the Port Huron Flags in 2006-07 and attended training camp with the Toronto Maple Leafs prior to his rookie season in the ECHL in 2005-06.

“Pat had a real strong finish to last season when he might have been our best defenseman over the final month, and we're excited to have him back,” said Rage Head Coach and General Manager Tracy Egeland. “He certainly has the talent and the skill to be a top four defenseman in our league, and I know that he's looking forward to playing those types of minutes.”

Chappell is a versatile third-year player that in addition to patrolling the blue line also has the ability to play up front as a hard-nosed winger. He led the Rage last year with 141 penalty minutes, which included a team-high 15 fighting majors. After going the season's first 57 games without a goal, he scored four times in a five-game span down the stretch to conclude the year with nine points (4g-5a).

“Chappy's a player that will always have a spot on my teams,” commented Egeland. “He's a great character guy that sticks up for teammates, works hard, and will play wherever we need him.”