(Courtesy of the Laredo Bucks) LAREDO, Texas – The 2005 Southern Conference Champion Laredo Bucks announced today in a press conference at the Whataburger located next to the Laredo Entertainment Center the signing of forward James Hiebert to a contract for the 2005-06 CHL season. Hiebert, who has spent both pro seasons with Laredo, led the team in penalty minutes with 243 last season. He is the fourteenth player signed by the Bucks this off season.

Hiebert, a 5’ 10” 195 pound forward, picked up the nickname ‘Captain Crunch’ last season because of his stellar play down the stretch as he helped the Bucks make the playoffs and advance to the President’s Cup Finals for the second straight season. He had 10 goals and 16 assists in the last 16 games of the regular season as the Bucks closed the year 12-0-1 to capture the Southern Conference regular season championship on the last day.

“James is the type of player who is getting better and better each year,” Bucks head coach Terry Ruskowski said. “He is the type of guy who can make plays, and with the game on the line he gets it done. When the chips are down he has the ability to make things happen. His combination of toughness, goal scoring ability and coming up clutch made us want to resign him.”

Hiebert, a native of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, totaled a career high 59 points in 58 games in the 2004-05 CHL campaign. He had a career high 18 goals and 41 assists and he led the Bucks with a career high 243 PIMs. In the 2005 CHL playoffs he tied for the team lead with 14 points on four goals and 10 helpers.

“I am happy to be back in Laredo,” said Hiebert. “Last year was a good season, but it had a disappointing end with losing in the Finals. This year our goal is to get back there and win another championship.”

Hiebert’s most memorable goal in the 2005 playoffs came at the LEC in overtime of Game Seven of the first round against San Angelo. He finished that game with two goals and two assists, factoring in all four goals, as the Bucks won 4-3 to advance.

In the 2003-04 CHL season Hiebert put up solid numbers as a rookie. In 61 games he had 16 goals and 26 assists as he helped the Bucks post a CHL best 48-8-8 record. In the 2004 CHL playoffs he tied for the playoff lead with eight goals. He had 14 points in 15 games as the Bucks captured the President’s Cup.

Hiebert is the sixth returnee from last year’s Bucks team.

Training camp for the Bucks will open the second week of October. The regular season will start on October 21st. The Bucks open at home on October 29th.