Ondrej completes Stingrays roster
Excel Hull Stingrays can today confirm the signing of Slovakian defenceman Martin Ondrej for the 2011/12 Elite League campaign.
The 27-year-old native of Presov, who is 6ft 1in and 207lbs, came close to joining Stingrays last November but opted for a move to Italy instead.
He completes player-coach Sylvain Cloutier’ roster which also includes Jereme Tendler, Daniel Scott, Tristan Harper, Sam McCluskey, Jason Silverthorn, Dominic Osman, Christian Boucher, Jack Watkins, Dmitri Suur, Frantisek Bakrlik, Andrew Brummitt, Bobby Chamberlain, Josh Mizerek, Derek Campbell and Ryan Lake.
Cloutier said: “Martin is someone I have tried to get for a few years now, even when I was in Corpus Christi.
“He is a competitor, plays with an edge and is one of those ‘D’ men who make life miserable for his opponents, which is something we lacked last season.
“Martin is a pain in the butt to play against and he was voted as one of the hardest hitters in the IHL. He also attended the Detroit Red Wings training camp when I was in Corpus Christi and got noticed.
“I thought we had everything worked out to bring him here last season but it didn’t happen so I am glad to finally get him. The fans will really like him.
“That completes the roster and I am really excited about the group I have. I wanted a team which will compete for 60 minutes every night and who will be difficult to play against and I have that. I cannot wait to get going.”
Ondrej spent the first four seasons of his career in his native Slovakia, icing for HC Presov, MsHK Zilina, HK 95 Povazska Bystrica and MHC Martin.
He joined Flint Generals of the United Hockey League in the 2006/07 campaign, being voted the best defenceman as a rookie.
Two more years with Generals in the International Hockey League was followed by a season with Kalamazoo Wings (IHL). In 2008, he was invited to attend the Red Wings training camp.
A return to Slovakia saw Ondrej ice for MsHK Zilina and HC Presov once more and a move to Stingrays was close before he chose to join Milano Rossoblu in the Italian Second Division.
