Rookie forward agrees to terms with Idaho

Boise, ID (9/10/13) - Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Brad Ralph announced Tuesday that the Idaho Steelheads have agreed to terms with forward William Rapuzzi for the 2013-14 season.  The team has also invited forward Jesse Todd to its training camp, which opens October 6.The 23-year-old Rapuzzi comes to Idaho after a four-year college career at Colorado College, the same college program that produced former Steelheads like Richard Bachman, Cody Lampl and Matt Zaba.  As a senior, Rapuzzi finished third on the team in scoring (35 points) and assists (20) and also earned the team awards for dedication (Steve Ebert Award) and sportsmanship (Rodman Award).  His assistant coach at Colorado College was former Steelhead defenseman Eric Rud.Ralph on Rapuzzi: "William is a heart-and-soul type player.  He will be a force for us on the ice and a leader off the ice.  He'll play in all facets of the game and will be a key contributor to our offense this season."Todd, the cousin of former Steelheads defenseman Scott Todd, will be entering his second full professional season after splitting last season between three ECHL teams - Reading, San Francisco and Trenton.  Between the three, he had seven goals in 42 games.  He began his professional career by playing five games with Hamilton of the American Hockey League, notching three assists, after concluding his college career at Merrimack (NCAA).Ralph on Todd:  "Jesse is a big, strong, skilled player.  We believe in his abilities and think he can be a big piece of the puzzle."The Steelheads host their third-annual "Season-Ticket Holder Only" preseason game on October 12 before opening the regular season on October 18 at Utah.Idaho's home opener is Wednesday, October 23, when the Steelheads host the San Francisco Bulls at CenturyLink Arena.  Season Ticket packages are available now, starting at just $275 per seat for all 36 home games.  Partial-season packages are available as well for fans who want a little more flexibility.  Contact the Idaho Steelheads front office at 208.383.0080 for more information.