33 year old American defenceman Joshua Mizerek has today rejoined the Excel Hull Stingrays, the club he quit 12 months ago following its untimely demise, signing from Dutch Eredivisie side HYS Den Haag.
He becomes the fourth former Adirondack player to join the club following the signatures of fellow blueliner Dmitri Suur, power forward Frantisek Bakrlik and player-coach Sylvain Cloutier, as the head coach looks to recruit known players ahead of his third year in charge in Hull.
The experienced Minnesota native spent four full seasons in the ECHL having graduated from Miami University in Ohio in 99/00, opening up his career in Baton Rogue, where he netted 11 goals and added 18 assists. He went on to ice in more than 250 games in North America's third tier, accumulating 20 goals and 65 points before moving on to the CHL in 04/05.
Mizerek joined up with Bakrlik, Suur and Cloutier in Adirondack for a 55 game spell during 05/06 moving on to ice for CHL side Amarillo Gorillas in 06/07.
He moved overseas in 07/08, opting to sign with HYS Den Haag and lifted the Dutch championship in just his second season, playing a big part in the success recording three goals and four assists in ten games. He hit a career hit in points in 09/10, bagged 36 in 44 games, before Cloutier made an approach to sign the veteran last summer.
Having initially agreed to join the Rays, the right shooting defenceman understandably opted out following owners Mike and Sue Pack's decision to leave with no new owners on the horizon. Although the Rays returned under Coventry ownership, Mizerek returned to Den Haag signing in a role that allowed him to combine playing with coaching of their junior section. On-ice he hit a four year low 24 points but once again captained his side to a Dutch championship, his second in four years at the club.
Mizerek, a pro of some 600 games, looks to have balanced out a backline that looked questionably imbalanced in the experience stakes with Sam McCluskey and Dan Scott combining for just over a 100 appearances and fellow import defenceman Suur hitting above the 650 mark. It is an area of the team that was all too often the weak spot last season but with hard-working all-around blueliner, and likely captain, Mizerek in the ranks there will be at the very least a continual leader in the defensive zone, another thing the club needed so urgently prior to the arrival of, the now departed, Bannister last term. Cloutier said:
It is thought that the Rays player-coach has completed his import roster for next season with that defenceman and a forward with EIHL experience signed up and ready to be announced.
The experienced Minnesota native spent four full seasons in the ECHL having graduated from Miami University in Ohio in 99/00, opening up his career in Baton Rogue, where he netted 11 goals and added 18 assists. He went on to ice in more than 250 games in North America's third tier, accumulating 20 goals and 65 points before moving on to the CHL in 04/05.
Mizerek joined up with Bakrlik, Suur and Cloutier in Adirondack for a 55 game spell during 05/06 moving on to ice for CHL side Amarillo Gorillas in 06/07.
He moved overseas in 07/08, opting to sign with HYS Den Haag and lifted the Dutch championship in just his second season, playing a big part in the success recording three goals and four assists in ten games. He hit a career hit in points in 09/10, bagged 36 in 44 games, before Cloutier made an approach to sign the veteran last summer.
Having initially agreed to join the Rays, the right shooting defenceman understandably opted out following owners Mike and Sue Pack's decision to leave with no new owners on the horizon. Although the Rays returned under Coventry ownership, Mizerek returned to Den Haag signing in a role that allowed him to combine playing with coaching of their junior section. On-ice he hit a four year low 24 points but once again captained his side to a Dutch championship, his second in four years at the club.
Mizerek, a pro of some 600 games, looks to have balanced out a backline that looked questionably imbalanced in the experience stakes with Sam McCluskey and Dan Scott combining for just over a 100 appearances and fellow import defenceman Suur hitting above the 650 mark. It is an area of the team that was all too often the weak spot last season but with hard-working all-around blueliner, and likely captain, Mizerek in the ranks there will be at the very least a continual leader in the defensive zone, another thing the club needed so urgently prior to the arrival of, the now departed, Bannister last term. Cloutier said:
"He is just the type of player I want in my team. He is a competitor, he is a leader and he comes to play every night. Miz has won championships before so he knows what it takes. We have recruited a number of players who have won before - it is import to surround the team with those kind of players, ones who care and have a winning attitude. Josh is a solid, all-around defenceman who takes care of his own end and he makes it hard back there for the opposition. He will do a great job for us."The Rays now require just one import defenceman to complete their five strong blueline although Cloutier may yet sign further reinforcement and injury insurance at the back with a British player.
It is thought that the Rays player-coach has completed his import roster for next season with that defenceman and a forward with EIHL experience signed up and ready to be announced.
