CALLER-TIMES INTERACTIVE: NEWS
Thu 16-Apr-1998
Ice guy: CC gets its first hockey player
Defenseman Praznik back with IceRays coach
By MARK BUTTON
Caller-Times
Reunited and it feels so good.
The words from the 1970s song by Peaches and Herb were appropriate Wednesday when, as expected, the Corpus Christi IceRays formally announced the signing of Jody Praznik as the team's first player.
Praznik, a 6-foot-1 right-handed defenseman, will once again join forces with Taylor Hall, coach and general manager of the IceRays. Praznik played with Hall with the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League in 1990-91, as well as with the Central Hockey League's Tulsa Oilers from 1992-95, where Hall was a player/assistant coach.
Hall also coached Praznik two years ago in Albuquerque, N.M., when they led the New Mexico Scorpions to the Western Professional Hockey League's Governors' Cup for the best 1996-97 regular season record.
``Our paths seem to keep crossing,'' said Praznik, who was the WPHL's defenseman of the year in 1996-97. ``I respect him (Hall) and he respects me. He is a great coach, and I know for a fact that he will put a very competitive team on the ice.''
Hall left the Scorpions after the 1996-97 season and has been in Corpus Christi since last October, preparing for the IceRays' inaugural season this coming fall. He said he has had chances to sign players before Wednesday, but wanted to wait for an exceptional player to begin the recruiting process.
``I wanted to make sure our first player was a high-impact player,'' Hall said.
Praznik appears to be just that. In his one year with the New Mexico franchise, the St. Andrews, Manitoba, native scored 18 goals and amassed 52 assists even though he specialized in defense.
``He was one of the best defensive defensemen in the league, and he was definitely the best offensive defensemen,'' Hall said. ``I know he was the defensive player of the year, but as far as I'm concerned, he was the league's most valuable player.''
Praznik was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 1988, and he played out the three-year contract in the minor leagues. After stints in the CHL, IHL, the East Coast Hockey League, the American Hockey League and the WPHL, Praznik left the states last year to pursue a career in Denmark.
``Playing in Europe was always a dream of mine,'' Praznik said. ``I got a taste of that last year, but I found out there's no place like North America. My wife is American, and I felt like (playing in Corpus Christi) was the best decision for me.''
While in Denmark, in just the second game of the season, Praznik tore the medial collateral ligament in his right knee. He missed half of the season but still managed to score 15 goals and hand out 10 assists in just 32 games.
``The knee is not 100 percent right now, but getting it ready is my number one priority over the summer,'' Praznik said. ``I have no doubt that by the time the season starts, it will be brand new.''
The IceRays' season begins in October. The WPHL season consists of 70 games, 35 of which will be played in Memorial Coliseum.