Bucks Re-Sign Bes: 10 Points Shy of 1,000

LAREDO, TX- The Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League announced Thursday that they have re-signed the Franchises’ All-Time leading scorer Jeff Bes for the 2010-11 season, his eighth with the team The announcement was made via streaming video on the Bucks website, www.laredobucks.com .  
 
Bes, who makes his home in Laredo in the off season, will also enter his fifth season as the team’s Assistant Coach.
 
The 37-year old Bes is a two-time CHL regular season MVP (’04, ’08), 2003-04 CHL scoring champion, 2006 CHL playoff MVP, four-time CHL All-Star (’04, ’06, ’08, ‘10), 2006 All-Star Game MVP, a five-time CHL player of the week, as well as a one-time CHL player of the month (January 2004). In December of last season Bes was named to the CHL’s all decade first team.
 
Bes enters this season just 10 points shy of 1,000 in his career with 990 points in 867 career games.
 
“Jeff Bes is an elite player in our league, anytime you can have a guy like him on your roster it makes the entire team better,” said Bucks President/General Manager and Head Coach Terry Ruskowski. “He’s been there before, he’s won championships, and he knows what it takes to get it done.”
 
“I’m excited to start the season and to try and bring another championship to Laredo,” Bes said. “Our number one goal has always been to win a championship and we would love to do it again this season.”
 
Bes enters the 2010-11 season at the top of the Bucks record books. He is the Bucks all-time leading scorer with 585 points, all-time leader in assists with 386, number one in all-time goals scored with 199 and number one all-time in games played with 398.
 
The Tillsonburg, Ontario native is among the CHL’s All-Time leaders as well, ranking 12th in career points, 21st in career goals, and 11th in career assists.
 
Last season Bes returned from a season ending injury he suffered the previous year to once again lead the Bucks in scoring with 75 points (19-56=75) while playing in all 64 games. Bes was named a CHL all star for the fourth time in his career, including being selected as the all star team captain for the second time in his career.
 
Bes was a force on special teams once again last season as he had seven power-play goals, 24 power-play assists and two short-handed assists. Bes opened the season on a six-game point streak from October 16th to November 1st, and closed out the campaign with a six-game point streak from March 12th to March 20th. Bes had 20 multi-point games, including three multi-goal games last season. In the Bucks’ playoff series with Allen last season Bes had five points (0-5=5) in seven games.
 
Bes’ 2008-09 season was cut short due to a season-ending injury he suffered January 26, 2009 at Bossier-Shreveport. Bes still put up 60 points in 39 games (14-46=60), and was leading the CHL in scoring at the time of his injury.
 
In 2007-08 Bes captured his second regular season CHL MVP award and his third CHL All-Star selection, as he eclipsed the 100-point mark for the second time in his CHL career with 106. Bes broke the Bucks single season record for most goals with 46, to go along with 60 assists.
 
During the 2008 playoffs Bes scored three goals, with nine assists for 12 points.
 
As far as single-season Bucks records goes, Bes has claimed many of those as well. He is first in single season goals with 46 in 2007-08, first in single-season assists with 78 in 2003-04, first in single-season points with 117 also in 2003-04.
 
“Not only is Jeff a key player on the ice he’s very big in the Laredo community,” Ruskowski said. “Jeff spends a lot of time talking to school kid’s and volunteering in the community.”
 
Bes has always performed in the postseason as well, having been a major part of the Bucks two championship teams. In 86 career postseason games, Bes has scored 42 goals with 62 assists for 104 points, to go along with 14 power-play goals, 28 power-play assists, five short-handed goals, and 12 game-winning goals.  In the 2006 CHL playoffs Bes was unstoppable, scoring 11 goals, with 20 assists, for 31 points, including six power-play goals, nine power-play assists, and five game-winning goals, picking up the Playoff MVP award while leading the Bucks to their second CHL President’s Cup Championship.
 
In Bes’ first season in Laredo he captured the 2003-04 CHL Regular Season MVP, netting 39 goals, with 78 assists, for 117 points, including 16 power-play goals, 37 power-play assists, and six game-winning goals. In only his third game as a Buck, Bes handed out five assists in Laredo’s 7-2 win in Corpus Christi.
 
Bes, who has Veteran status playing in 867 professional games, turned pro during the 1992-93 season with the Kalamazoo Wings of the IHL. He was selected in the third round (58th overall) by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. The 2010-11 season will be Bes’ 19th as a pro. He has played in six pro leagues for 16 different teams. Bes is the second Buck who has Veteran Status for this season joining longtime teammate Serge Dube.
 
This will be Bes’ fifth year as a player/assistant for Ruskowski.
 
Bes is the 23rd Buck signed this off-season, including the 11th returnee (Pier Pelletier, Ryan Lehr, Serge Dube, Neil Trimm, Jarred Mohr, Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel, Justin Styffe, Mark O’Leary, Chris Korchinski (’06-’08), Hans Benson (’04-’06), Jeff Bes).