Odessa's Jeff Pierce will attend an AHL training camp this week with the Jacks' affiliate club, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. (photo credit: David Byerly and/or DavyShell Photography)

Jeff Pierce of the Odessa Jackalopes will be attending training camp with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL this week, according to a press release from the team this morning.  Pierce, who was one of the top rookies in the CHL last year, posted 66 points (22 G, 44 A) while helping the team to the President Cup Finals against the Texas Brahmas.  He will have plenty of teammates in the Bridgeport camp, as he is the 5th player from last year’s roster to accept an invitation.  Also in camp for the Sound Tigers will be Juha Toivenen, Jean Bourbeau, Mike Lesperance, and Garrett Gruenke.  The Jacks’ press release follows:

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(Odessa, TX) – The Odessa Jackalopes announced today that returning forward, Jeff Pierce, will attend training camp with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Bridgeport is the AHL affiliate of the Jackalopes.

The 25-year-old Pierce put together an impressive rookie campaign for the Jackalopes last season with 66 points (22 goals, 44 assists) in 64 games – making him a finalist for the CHL’s Rookie of the Year Award. Pierce was also named to the league’s All-Rookie Team alongside Toivonen.

Before turning pro, the Michigan native was a four-year player at Western Michigan University and graduated in 2008.

Pierce will be the fifth member of the Jackalopes, from last season, to attend AHL camp this month. Fellow teammates Juha Toivonen (YOO-hah TOY-vuh-nin), Jean Bourbeau (bor-BOH), Mike Lesperance (LES-per-ahns), and Garrett Gruenke (GREEN-kee) are also attending. Toivonen and Bourbeau are on two-way contracts with the Sound Tigers.

Sound Tigers training camp begins today in Bridgeport, CT.

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(Odessa, TX) – The Odessa Jackalopes announced today that two players from last season’s roster, Jean Bourbeau (ZHON bor-BOH) and Juha Toivonen (YOO-hah TOY-voh-nin), have signed two-way contracts with the Jackalopes’ AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Bourbeau and Toivonen will report to training camp with Bridgeport on Tuesday, along with Jacks forward Mike Lesperance (LES-per-ahns) and defenseman Garrett Gruenke (GREEN-kee). All four players completed their rookie seasons with the Jackalopes last year.

“Our organization’s relationship with New York and Bridgeport is set up to give players a chance to move up and on,” said Jackalopes General Manager Joe Clark. “We’re proud of the position Bourbeau and Toivonen have put themselves in, and believe all four of these players will compete well in camp.”

Clark made it clear that if Bridgeport decides to assign any of the four to the “AA” level, it would be to Odessa. That decision will most likely be made by the end of training camp in Connecticut. After several practice sessions this week, the Sound Tigers are scheduled to play exhibition games Friday and Saturday against Hartford.

Bourbeau, 25, began his pro career last season with Odessa, registering 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 58 games. The Bonnyville, Alberta native attended camp with the Sound Tigers last season, and was also called up to the team last November for a brief period.

Toivonen, 22, was named to the CHL’s All-Rookie Team after going 13-8-2 in 27 games with a 3.19 goals against average. The Finnish goaltender saved his best play for the postseason, going 7-1 in 11 games with a 2.40 GAA and a.907 save percentage. Toivonen was also named CHL Goalie of the Week twice in 2008-2009.

Lesperance, who also attended Bridgeport’s camp last year, had a solid first year of pro hockey with 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) in 60 games. Gruenke improved his defensive play over the course of last season and inherited the team’s enforcer role. His 19 major penalties led all rookies last season in the CHL.

During their own training camp, the Jackalopes will play a pair of preseason games against the Tulsa Oilers on October 8th and 10th at the Ector County Coliseum. Both games will begin at 7:00 PM.

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(Odessa, TX) – The Odessa Jackalopes announced today that there has been a change in their 2009-2010 schedule.

The Jackalopes were originally scheduled to visit the Arizona Sundogs on February 17th of this season. Instead the two teams will face off on February 16th, at Tim’s Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, AZ.

The game time will remain 7:05 PM locally.