The Laredo Bucks signed goaltender Dustin Slade for the 2009-2010 CHL season.
It’s a busy morning for signings! The Laredo Bucks have also made a signing today, announcing that former WHL All-Star goaltender Dustin Slade will play for them this upcoming season. The young netminder has seen significant success at the junior level, posting very respectable career numbers. The Bucks are hoping that his dominant play in the WHL will translate well to the CHL. Here is the press release about the signing:
LAREDO, TX- The Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League announced Wednesday that they have signed former WHL All-Star goaltender Dustin Slade for the 2009-10 season. Slade has not played since the end of the 2006-07 campaign.
From 2002-2007 Slade played in nearly 200 junior games, splitting time between the WHL, BCHL, and MJAHL. Slade went a combined 97-70-13 in his junior career playing for seven different teams, the last being the Halifax Wolverines in 2006-07. Slade boasts a career goals against average of under 2.50, and a career save percentage above .910.
“When he’s on top of his game he is a very dominating goaltender,” said Bucks President/General Manager and Head Coach Terry Ruskowski. “We think that he can be a championship goalie here in Laredo.”
Slade had a memorable 2005-06 season with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, where he helped lead them to the President’s Cup Championship, while setting several records in the process. Slade was named a WHL West First Team All-Star, as well as a finalist for the Goaltender of the Year Award, while going 36-13-5 with a 1.90 G.A.A and a .912 sv. %. Slade’s 17 combined regular season and playoff shutouts in 2005-06 set a WHL record.
From 2005-2007 Slade, from Penticton, Brittish Columbia, went 45-14-7 in 68 total regular season games with the Giants.
Slade, now 23-years old, had 20 career regular season shutouts in the junior ranks.
Slade’s stats from Halifax are unavailable.
In the 2004-05 campaign Slade split time with the WHL’s Regina Pats, and BCHL’s Surrey Eagles, where he went a combined 17-17-2.
Slade played for three WHL different teams in 2003-04, going a combined 19-16-4 with six shutouts for the Kamloops Blazers, Brandon Wheat Kings, and Regina Pats.
Slade began his junior career in 2002-03, where he went a combined 16-23 for the Kamloops Blazers, and Quesnel Millionairs (BCHL).
Slade is the ninth Buck signed this offseason, including the first goaltender.
