All-Star Garett Bembridge Returns to Idaho

The Idaho Steelheads, affiliate of the NHL?s Dallas Stars, announced today the team has signed ECHL All-Star Garett Bembridge to a one-year contract.Steelheads Head Coach Derek Laxdal said, ?With Bembridge returning to the Steelheads, he?ll provide a great mixture of experience and skill, along with a natural aspiration to score big goals.?Born July 6, 1981 in Saskatchewan, the right-winger returns to the Steelheads for a second stint after being named a starter and assistant captain of the National Conference for the 2006 ECHL All-Star Game while with Idaho. He was also CCM TACKS ECHL Player of the Month for November (2005) and In Glas Co ECHL Player of the Week (for the week Nov. 21-27) for his 4 goals and 3 assists, including a team-high and ECHL-best six points (3g-3a) in a 7-4 win over Utah on Nov. 25. Over the course of 52 games played with the Steelheads that season, Bembridge scored 75 points (36g-39a), and split time with the AHL?s Portland Pirates and Syracuse Crunch.?It?s a good situation here with the Steelheads, and I had a good year when I played here,? said the 6-0, 195-pound Bembridge. ?Boise?s fans make it a great atmosphere to play in, even as a road team. I love the city and got along great with Coach Laxdal, so it?s a good fit for me to come back.?Drafted by the NHL?s New York Rangers in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft and again in the 2001 draft by the Calgary Flames, Bembridge had an impressive junior career, playing in his hometown for the Saskatoon Blades. In three full seasons with the Blades, he musterd 88 goals and 186 points in 212 games.Bembridge has 239 games of AHL experience in his career and tallied up 74 points (35g-39a) with the Saint John Flames (2001-02/2002-03), Lowell Lock Monsters in (2003-04), Syracuse (2005-06), and Portland (2005-06/2006-07).He played the 2004-05 season overseas with Crimmitschau ETC of the German Elite League and began the 2007-08 season with Schwenningen ERC, notching a European total 70 points (31g-39a) in 74 games played. He left Germany mid-way through last season and joined the ECHL?s Utah Grizzlies where he recorded 28 points (11g-17a) in 38 games played. Bembridge?s ECHL experience includes the Las Vegas Wranglers in 2003-04 where he notched 7 points (4g-3a) in 13 regular season games, Augusta Lynx in 2006-07 where he scored 41 points (19g-22a) in 38 games, and Utah.Reduced ticket pricing for the 2008-09 season, including new seating plans, are available now by calling the Steelheads front office at (208) 383.0080. Further information on the ECHL is available from its website at ECHL.com.- www.idahosteelheads.com -