Blades Add Three-Time Stanley Cup Winner Rafalski

Estero, FL – Florida Everblades president and general manager Craig Brush, along with head coach Greg Poss, announced Thursday that the team has come to contract terms with long-time NHL defenseman and former Olympian Brian Rafalski.

Rafalski, 40, notched 515 points in 11 NHL seasons, split between the New Jersey Devils and the Detroit Red Wings.

The Dearborn, Mich., native won three Stanley Cups: 2000 and 2003 with the Devils and 2008 with the Red Wings. He was also on the blue line for Team USA at the last three Winter Olympic Games, taking the Silver Medal in 2002 and 2010.

“I’m just excited to get back on the ice again and see where God takes me on this journey,” added Rafalski, who had retired from professional hockey following the Red Wings’ exit from the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In a separate, unrelated transaction, the Blades also announced Thursday the team has traded forward Joe Caveney to the Idaho Steelheads for future considerations. Caveney had nine games played with the Blades with a minus-5 rating.

On the ice, the Everblades return to Southwest Florida Friday to open a four-game homestand with a 7:30pm showdown with the first-place South Carolina Stingrays at Germain Arena.

Tickets are on sale right now at the Capital Bank Box Office, open Monday-Friday, 10:00am until 6:00pm.

Friday’s top-two South Division clash will be broadcast live online at FloridaEverblades.com and on the Everblades’ app for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, with a video webcast available through America ONE, the official broadband and mobile broadcaster of the ECHL, at www.americaonesports.com. Pregame coverage will get under way at 7:15pm.

Beat the Box Office!

Don’t want to pay the box office rate for Everblades tickets? You don’t have to! Save up to $7.00 per ticket with great 10 and 20-game flex plans and group rates for the remainder of the 2013-14 campaign. Lock in your flex plan or group seats now for the Blades’ next home game on January 10.

For more information call 239-948-7825, or stop by the Everblades main office located at Germain Arena.

Office hours are Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.The Everblades are the proud ECHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning.

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