Sports

Aces reach into their past, sign Tyler Ruegsegger

The Alaska Aces have reached into their past to fortify their future.

The ECHL club Wednesday announced it has signed forward Tyler Ruegsegger, who helped them to the 2011 Kelly Cup but has not played hockey the last two seasons because of injuries.

Aces coach Rob Murray said he stayed in touch with Ruegsegger through phone calls and texts the last two years, and that the forward also stayed in contact with Aces co-owner Jerry Mackie.

"I told Tyler, 'If that day comes around that you want to try again, we'd love to give you a chance here,' " Murray said. "He called about a week, week and a half ago and said he's in. He wants to give it a shot. He feels good, he's healthy, and he wants to give it a try again."

Ruegsegger, 28, played parts of two seasons with Alaska, furnishing 22-18—40 totals in 76 regular-season games. He delivered 4-4—8 totals in the Aces' 13 playoff games in 2011, and went 3-2—5 in the Finals, where the Aces beat the Kalamazoo Wings in five games.

Ruegsegger, a former sixth-round draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs and standout at the University of Denver, last played in the 2013-14 season, when he split time between ECHL Reading and the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League. He owns 95 games of AHL experience. Ruegsegger last season helped his old college coach, George Gwozdecky, as an assistant coach at Valor Christian High in the Denver area.

Ruegsegger can play wing or center, and is versatile enough to log power-play and penalty-killing minutes — "dependable," Murray said.

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In his seasons with the Aces, Ruegsegger proved exceptionally fit, devoted to post-practice and post-game stretching and gym work, and serious about his nutrition. His commitment, Murray said, will never be an issue.

"He's a good pro," Murray said. "He understands what it takes, and he knows his body and what he needs."

The Aces have announced 16 players for the upcoming season — nine forwards, four defensemen, three goaltenders — and anticipate announcing more additions leading up to training camp in late September.

Doyle Woody

Doyle Woody covered hockey and other sports for the Anchorage Daily News for 34 years.

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