Silvertips Sign First Round Bantam Pick

Everett Silvertips Vice President / General Manager Doug Soetaert announced Thursday that defenseman Ryan Murray has solidified his future with the club by signing a WHL Educational Contract. The 1993-born Saskatchewan native was Everett’s first round selection, ninth overall, in the 2008 WHL Draft following a successful career at the bantam level.
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r”We’re excited to have such a quality young man join our organization,” said Soetaert. “He had an outstanding training camp and we look forward to him representing the Silvertips in the future.”
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rFollowing a successful rookie camp in which he displayed excellent puckhandling skills and established himself as an intelligent and smooth-skating defensive prospect, Murray transferred his skills to the main camp, where he continued to draw the praises of Silvertips management. Standing in at 5’10 and weighing 162 pounds, Murray is projected as a fleet-footed defenseman with the capacity to run the Silvertips’ power play. He captained the 2007-08 Bantam AA Balgonie Prairie Storm of the South Saskatchewan Midget League, scoring eleven goals while tallying 31 assists for 42 points prior to a late-season call up to Balgonie’s midget squad, where he posted seven points in ten games.
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r”We’ve never had a defenseman like this before,” Silvertips Director of Player Personnel and Head Scout, Scott Scoville, was quoted as saying in May. “He plays in all situations, but we see him as a power play specialist and should quarterback our power play down the road. Ryan has excellent leadership skills and has been the captain of virtually every team he has ever played for.”
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