Eagles’ Latest Signees Bring European Experience
WINDSOR, Colo. – The Central Hockey League’s Northern Conference champion Colorado Eagles announced today that they’ve signed defenseman Brad Woods and forward Brett Hammond, both of whom played in Europe last season.
Woods – a sixth round draft pick (#169 overall) of the NHL’s Florida Panthers in 1999 – brings a big body to Colorado’s blue line; at 6-foot-4-inches, 215 pounds, Woods is the tallest player on the Eagles’ roster. After three years at Saint Thomas University (New Brunswick), Woods spent a season with the Phoenix RoadRunners (ECHL) before playing the past two seasons in France (both with Grenoble). Last season, Woods led his team in penalty minutes with 113 and averaged nearly four PIMs-per-game over his two seasons overseas.
Hammond (5-foot-11-inches, 195 pounds) played collegiately at the University of Minnesota (Duluth), posting 66 points (29-37-66) in 146 career games over four seasons. Upon leaving college after the 2004-05 season, the Roseville, Minnesota native joined the Fresno Falcons of the ECHL for seven games. He then spent the next two full seasons with Fresno where he posted 51 points (21-30-51) in 106 total games. Hammond played last season in Germany with Bad Nauheim EC, where he posted career highs in goals (20), assists (21) and points (41) and finished as the team’s second-leading goal-scorer.