Friday, September 3, 2010

Kamloops Blazers sign 1st round pick Matthew Needham

Press Release

Kamloops, BC – The Kamloops Blazers Hockey Club is pleased to announce the signing of their 2010 1st round WHL Bantam Draft pick, Matthew Needham.

The Penticton, BC native was selected 8th overall by the Blazers in April. Needham, who stands at 5’10”, 178lbs, played last season for the Penticton Vees Bantam AAA team. He scored 94 times and added 159 assists for 253 points in only 57 games. Matthew will play this season with the Okanagan Hockey Academy.

“This is an exciting day for the Kamloops Blazers and for Matthew,” General Manager Craig Bonner said. “Matthew is an outstanding talent, and we look forward to him putting on the Kamloops Blazers jersey and being an integral part of our future.”

Needham will follow in his father’s footsteps by playing for the Blazers. Matthew’s father, Mike Needham, played parts of 4 seasons with the Blazers from 1986-90. Mike played 176 games and scored 115 goals to go along with 128 assists for 243 points with the Blazers. He went on to play 86 games in the NHL and won a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1992.

Needham joins Tyson Harvey and Joshua Connolly, the Blazers 2nd and 3rd round picks, among players signed by the hockey club from the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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