CHL Hockey

CCRayz07 · Thu Jul 06, 2006 4:54 pm Rayz Re-Sign Carter

http://www.caller.com/ccct/rayz/article/0,1641,CCCT_11578_4825397,00.html

Right winger Carter re-signs with Rayz
By Greg Rajan Caller-Times
July 6, 2006

As a head coach, Ken McRae has never iced a hockey team that didn't have Ryan Carter on it.

The Rayz coach made sure that wouldn't be an issue during the upcoming Central Hockey League season, re-signing Carter on Wednesday.

The right wing returns for his third season in Corpus Christi and fifth pro season, all under McRae's tutelage. Carter, 29, had 20 goals and 29 assists in 64 games last season. In his two seasons with the Rayz, he has 99 points (39 goals, 60 assists) and has played in all 124 games.

"You've got to bring back some guys you know can do the job at this level," McRae said. "Even with as bad a year as we had, we can't start from scratch.

"I can count on Ryan. I know he's going to put up 50 points for me. We need that. I know Ryan Carter can come through and be a great penalty killer and be better offensively with a better hockey team around him."

After the Rayz lost left wingers Jason Baird, Ken McKay and Blair Stayzer to season-ending injuries last year, Carter spent most of the season playing out of place on the left side. Despite that, he finished second on the team in goals and points and reached the 20-goal mark for the second consecutive season.

"He's more of a right winger and he's more comfortable there," McRae said. "That's where I have to play him. It was frustrating for him bouncing back and forth and overall just frustration with the year we had.

"Ryan Carter is a good guy. I know I won't have any problems with him on or off the ice, and it was a no-brainer to bring him back."

Contact Greg Rajan at 886-3747 or HYPERLINK mailto:rajang@caller.com rajang@caller.com

backupgoalie · Thu Jul 06, 2006 8:39 pm

GREAT signing for the Rayz. Think McRae will feel the heat if the Rayz fold up like a tent again? I really felt sorry for the Rayz goalies their last game here last season. One of the few times a team truelly quit. Makes for a long night in the pipes and a quiet busride home.

CCRayz07 · Fri Jul 07, 2006 8:57 am

If Baird doesn't get injured this season and we still go 300 minutes without a goal, McRae is fired on the spot. Great name for a coach of this team, but he isn't getting the job done. Perhaps we CC fans were spoiled by Taylor Hall.

backupgoalie · Fri Jul 07, 2006 9:15 am

I think the Rayz assumed with Reid in the pipes 2 goals a game would be enough. Coach Hall doesn't look so bad now. He did know how to light a fire under the team when needed. With all the attention on Laredo & RGV maybe the Rayz and the Bats can sneak up and bite them in the butt.

CCRayz07 · Fri Jul 07, 2006 12:07 pm

I hope so...

What I didn't see the Rayz do enough of last year: :icon_Hockey: