(Courtesy of the Laredo Bucks) LAREDO, Texas – The 2005 Southern Conference Champion Laredo Bucks announced today on Univision that they have signed forward Jeff Bes to a contract for the 2005-06 CHL season. Bes, who returns for his third season in the Gateway City, becomes the eighth player signed by the Bucks. The announcement took place at the Laredo National Bank headquarters in downtown Laredo.

Bes, a native of Tillsonburg, Ontario, led the Bucks last season with 26 goals, 45 assists, and 71 points. His 71 points was tied for 12th in the CHL. Bes was one of three players who played in all 60 regular season games, and has played in 124 consecutive regular season games with the Bucks. In the playoffs he led the team with eight goals and tied for the team lead with 14 points. Bes scored the overtime game winning goal in Game Three of the President’s Cup Finals against Colorado.

“We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to get Jeff back,” Bucks head coach Terry Ruskowski said. “He has been our top point man for the last two seasons. He had an exceptional year in the playoffs this past season, scoring a lot of big goals for us. He is a fine leader and we look for his hockey ability to lead us on to bigger and better things.”

Bes recorded a hat trick in the Bucks 2004-05 home opener against Corpus Christi; in fact ten of his 26 goals came against the Rayz. Bes tied a franchise record by scoring five consecutive goals for the Bucks from 10/23/04-10/24/04.

Bes, who will enter his 14th season of professional hockey in 2005-06, passed the 600 career games played, 700 point and 1,000 penalty minute plateau this past season.

His 700th point came on a goal against Austin on 03/16/05.

“We wanted to get it done quickly this off season,” said Bes. “Laredo has been a good place to play. We have developed a terrific winning tradition here and I want to remain part of it. Losing in the Finals last season makes us want to get back to work and give it another go.”

Prior to coming to Laredo, Bes had participated in just 15 career playoff games. In two seasons with the Bucks he had played in 31.

In 2003-04 Bes had a dream season as he scored a career high 39 goals, led the CHL with 78 assists and 117 points and was selected as the CHL regular season MVP. He was also selected to the starting lineup for the 2004 CHL All-Star Game in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He lead the CHL in plus / minus at plus 42 and had a CHL best 24-game point streak. In the 2003-04 CHL Best of the Best poll, Bes was selected as the Best Playmaker, second Best Stick Handler and Penalty Killer, and third in the Best Overall Player category. He teamed with Brent Cullaton and Chris Grenville to form the vaunted “Three Amigo” line. In the playoffs he totaled four goals and 18 points as he helped the Bucks capture the President’s Cup.