Jackals Sign Former Viper Reaney:

The ECHL Elmira Jackals have signed Former Vernon Vipers forward, Les Reaney & added him to the teams training camp roster. Reaney played two seasons in Vernon (2002-04) before being traded to the BCHL Williams Lake Timberwolves in his final season of junior hockey. Reaney played last year with the CHL Rapid City Rush.

This is posted on the Jackals website:

Reaney, Sweetland Bring Youthful Experience to Elmira

Elmira Jackals

Sep 9, 2010

Elmira, NY - The Elmira Jackals announced Thursday that they have signed 6'2" forwards Les Reaney and Andrew Sweetland to contracts for the 2010-2011 season. The Jackals now have nine forwards and five defensemen entering their 11th season of play.Elmira Jackals Logo.

"We're adding two guys with experience who, at the same time, are very young and ambitious," Jackals head coach Malcolm Cameron said.

Reaney brings championship experience to the Twin Tiers. This past season, his Rapid City Rush won the CHL's Presidents' Cup with Reaney being named the league's postseason Most Valuable Player. He topped the Rush in 2009-2010 with 86 points and 58 assists, placing him fifth and fourth in the league in those categories respectively. Reaney displayed his physical play with Rapid City as well, tallying 150 penalty minutes last season, second on the team. He was also second on the Rush in plus-minus at +22 and did not miss a game during the regular season or the postseason.

The Ceylon, Saskatchewan product earned his 2010 Playoff MVP award by pacing Rapid City with 26 points, nine goals, and 17 assists. Reaney assisted on Rapid City's championship-winning goal in the second overtime of Game 6 of the Presidents' Cup Final.

Reaney spent the majority of 2008-2009 with the ECHL's Dayton Bombers, scoring 43 points (15g-28a) in 46 games. He began that season with Rapid City, scoring 15 points (5g-10a) before moving to the ECHL. Reaney's professional career began at the end of 2007-2008 with the Stockton Thunder, recording an assist in five games.

In college, Reaney was a teammate of current Jackals forward Chris Moran at Niagara University (NCAA, D-1). He was second on the Purple Eagles in scoring in his freshman season of 2005-2006 with 40 points and led the team with 27 assists, earning him CHA Co-Rookie of the Year honors. Reaney was third on Niagara in 2006-2007 with 44 points (16g-28a) and had 15 points (5g-10a) in his final season at Niagara in 2007-2008.

"Les had an outstanding season last year, culminating with a Presidents' Cup championship. He is a big body and is tough to move off the puck," Cameron said. "He has improved every season in pro hockey."

"Having that feeling of being a champion would obviously be good again," Reaney said. "Hopefully we can do something like that this year."

Sweetland enters his third professional season with nearly 100 games of AHL experience under his belt and also knows what to expect when playing for Elmira's new head coach. The Bonavista, Newfoundland native played for Cameron in 2008-2009 with Florida, scoring at a point-per-game in 23 contests on the Everblades' Brabham Cup-winning team.

Sweetland spent all of 2009-2010 with the AHL's Rochester Americans, scoring five goals and notching eight assists in 51 games. With the Amerks in 2008-2009, he secured a goal and two assists.

Prior to turning pro, Sweetland played a season at the University of Maine (NCAA, D-1) and was fourth on the team with 17 points (8g-9a). He also spent a year with the MJAHL's Amherst Ramblers in 2006-2007, leading the team with 117 points, 56 goals, and 61 assists in 54 games.

"Andrew is a big, strong, gifted playmaker with great hands, great vision and is excellent on the power play," Cameron said. "He was one of our top players on our Brabham Cup-winning team."