(Courtesy of the Corpus Christi Rayz) - Last Friday, the Corpus Christi Rayz added two players to their official training camp roster. The Rayz signed Brian Baxter Arroyo-Lopez and Blair Egerter to training camp agreements. Arroyo-Lopez was born, and currently lives, in Mexico City, Mexico. If Lopez makes the team’s 18 man roster, he would become the first Mexican born athlete to play professional hockey in North America.

A 6’2”, 200lbs. forward, Arroyo-Lopez has an extensive hockey background, despite growing up in a non-traditional hockey market. For the majority of the last five years the twenty-year old Arroyo-Lopez has been playing for the Ukraine National Team. For the last six months, he has been training in Russia. Arroyo-Lopez is heralded throughout international play as having tremendous skating ability.

His arrival in camp marks the second consecutive year that the Rayz and the CHL have taken steps to expand the sport of hockey south of the border. Last season the Rayz and two other CHL franchises hosted an exhibition series against the Mexico National Team, which is based out of Arroyo-Lopez’s hometown of Mexico City. Those games marked the first time that the Mexican National Team had ever skated against professional competition on U.S. soil.

“When you consider how well hockey has been received in South Texas it makes sense to try and extend it south of the border,” said Rayz GM/Senior Vice President Larry Linde. “Our Hispanic fan-base is passionate, knowledgeable and excited about Rayz hockey. Over the last few years we’ve seen hockey succeed tremendously in Corpus Christi, Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley.”

Linde added that Corpus Christi was the right fit and the Rayz the right franchise for Arroyo-Lopez to pursue is dream of playing professionally.

“When professional hockey came to South Texas in 1998, a lot of people said it wouldn’t succeed. Eight years later, we’re standing on the brink of what should be the most exciting season we’ve ever had. Now it’s our pleasure to give a hungry young player like Arroyo-Lopez the opportunity to advance his career and make history in the process.”

Rayz Head Coach Ken McRae expressed intrigue about his newest player,

“He’s got good size and some international experience”, McRae said. “The scouting report on him is that he skates extremely well and can handle the puck. I’m curious to see what he’s all about.”

McRae added, “The pro game is a different game than what he’s used to but he’ll have every opportunity to make our club.”

The addition of Arroyo-Lopez and Egerter completes the Rayz Training Camp roster with 23 players. Training camp will officially open on Monday afternoon with a practice in Laredo. The ten-day training camp will consist of practices and two exhibition games for Rayz Head Coach Ken McRae to view his players. By Thursday, October 20th the Rayz must reduce their roster to 18 players in preparation for the start of the season.

The Corpus Christi Rayz will begin their eighth consecutive season in the Coastal Bend on Friday, October 21st in Austin. The Rayz home opener will be Saturday, October 22nd at 7:35pm vs. division rivals, the Austin Ice Bats. Last season Corpus Christi broke a franchise attendance record, welcoming more than 123,000 fans in their first season at the American Bank Center.