Familiar Faces?

Bismarck -- It has been a wild off-season in goat country... an off-season which has welcomed back some familiar faces from championships past.

In his quest for a third cup, Ibex GM Matt Condon began the off-season by dealing away injured left wing Simon Gagne, along with promising youngsters Wojtek Wolski and Anton Volchenkov. In return, the Goats welcome back Daniel Alfredsson, Chris Pronger, and Mathieu Schneider, all key members of the dismantled 05/06 championship team. "It's great to have all three of these guys back in the fold... These are championship caliber players; they not only bring a great deal of talent, but also a wealth of experience." quoted GM Condon.

After smashing every North Dakota scoring record this past season, many were surprised by the departure of Gagne, but concussion problems were likely a motivating factor behind the trade. Injury issues also surround defenseman Volchenkov, and it is believed youngster Wolski had fallen out of favor with coach Lyndon Byers. Prospect defenseman Jakub Vojta, along with Portland's second round draft selection were also forwarded to the Sandblasters, a team obviously in the process of reloading.

Following the blockbuster trade with Hawaii, North Dakota also made a splash in free agency, agreeing to contracts with Mike Modano, a member of the 05/06 cup team, and Brendan Shanahan, who skated on the 03/04 championship squad. The Ibex also rolled the dice on the oft injured Steve Sullivan, as well as youngster Rich Peverley, both who signed on for three seasons at the league minimum. Modano and Shanahan are expected to anchor the team's third line and bring added experience to the locker room.

"We are thrilled with the signings. These guys have been valued members of this organization... it's great to have them back in the black and green." stated head coach Lyndon Byers. "Hopefully Sully can work through his back issue; he's a great addition... and our scouts really like this kid Peverley."

So far, it's been an exciting off-season for the Ibex. Hopefully there's more in store...

Ibex Empty Cupboard, Acquire Thornton

Bismarck -- The North Dakota Ibex anounced the acquisition of superstar center Joe Thornton this morning. In exchange for Thornton, the Ibex traded away a large chunk of their future, sending backup netminder Josh Harding, along with highly regarded prospects Sergei Kostitsyn, Bryan Little, and David Perron, as well as first and third round draft picks to the Thunder Bay Timberwolves.

With the addition of Thornton, the Ibex have finally acquired the franchise center they've been chasing since their inception. "Thornton's a guy we've coveted since the get go." stated Ibex GM and majority owner Matt Condon. "We know what Joe brings to the table, and we feel this is a huge step toward contending for another title." Thornton should pair nicely with sniper Simon Gagne, giving the Ibex two legitimate scoring lines. The question is, will this acquisition be enough for the Ibex to contend with the league's elite teams?