Steelheads Sign Ben Ondrus

[chilly666]

Boise, ID –Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Brad Ralph brought NHL experience into the Idaho Steelheads locker room when the team announced Monday it had agreed to terms with forward Ben Ondrus.

The 30-year-old Ondrus made his professional debut with the Steelheads at the end of the 2002-03 season, skating in nine games for the team. Since then, Ondrus has played over 500 games at the American Hockey League level (highest level of minor league hockey in North America) and has also appeared in over 50 games at the NHL level for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He skated last season in the DEL (Germany), one of the top professional leagues in Europe.

The Sherwood Park, Alberta, native made his NHL debut in 2006, appearing in 22 games with the Maple Leafs. His first NHL point came that fall, an assist against Columbus early in the 2006-07 campaign. He has played in parts of four NHL seasons, all with the Maple Leafs.

In 513 AHL games (regular season and postseason), Ondrus has netted 75 goals and picked up 664 penalty minutes. He spent three seasons as the captain of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies and another season as the captain of the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons.