Bossier-Shreveport and Corpus Christi make a deal

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Bossier City, OK - The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs added some star power to their roster today, landing high-scoring forward Joe Blaznek in a trade with the Corpus Christi IceRays and signing him to a contract for the 2008-09 Central Hockey League season. Blaznek comes to the Mudbugs in exchange for the rights to forward Daniel Pegoraro.

"Joe is the kind of player that every coach wants to have on his team. He's a big strong guy with great feet and he adds tons of scoring punch and tenacity," said Head Coach Scott Muscutt. "He's a guy that we have competed against for years who knows how to play in big games and we're very happy to have him on our side."

Blaznek is a veteran of ten professional seasons and has been elected to five all-star games in his career. The 6-1, 205-lb. winger has totaled 155 goals and 341 points in 303 games over the past five seasons. Blaznek reached the 100-point plateau as a member of the Wichita Thunder in 2005-06, scoring 44 goals that year and finishing third in the CHL in scoring. Last season, he averaged exactly one point-per-game with 56 points (24g, 32a) in 56 games during his first season in South Texas.

"Corpus Christi gave me the chance to talk to any team I wanted to about a trade and Bossier-Shreveport was definitely my first choice," Blaznek said. "I'm excited to play for a team that's just about the best team in the league every year and be part of such a great team atmosphere. I want to contribute in any way possible and help this team win a championship. I can't wait to get there and get going."

Blaznek started his CHL career with Lubbock in 2003-04, playing in his first CHL all-star game with the Cotton Kings before a mid-season trade sent him to Wichita. The Detroit, Michigan native became a CHL star with the Thunder, averaging 1.2 points-per-game in 208 career games in Wichita. In 2004-05, Blaznek followed up a 71-point regular season with 15 points in 13 playoff games as the Thunder advanced to the 2005 CHL Northern Conference Finals. He then topped all his career highs with that 44-goal, 100-point performance and another all-star appearance in 2005-06. Blaznek recorded 27 goals and 62 points and was again named to the all-star game in 2006-07, his final season with Wichita before being dealt to Corpus Christi.

Prior to his time in the CHL, Blaznek played five seasons in the ECHL, AHL and IHL, appearing in a total of 58 games at the triple-A level in that time. In his rookie season out of Lake Superior State University, he roared onto the pro hockey scene with 38 goals and 61 points for the ECHL's Richmond Renegades on his way to being named an all-star starter. The 32-year-old forward boasts career totals of 264 goals and 289 assists for 553 points and 297 penalty minutes in 590 career pro games.

Pegoraro leaves the Mudbugs after spending his first two professional seasons in Bossier-Shreveport. He set career scoring highs in 2007-08 with 49 assists and 62 points, a performance which earned him an appearance in the 2008 CHL All-Star Game. In his rookie year out of Cornell University, the 5-11, 188-lb. center notched 52 points for the Mudbugs.