July 14, 2008

Knoxville -- The Knoxville Ice Bears announced today that B.J. Pelkey will return for the 2008-2009 season. His contract negotiations were complete on Thursday.

Pelkey was recruited to Knoxville by head coach Scott Hillman in October 2007, and he immediately made a positive impact. It was a combination of his play and the bond that he created with other players during training camp that earned him one of the two assistant captain positions.

Pelkey’s success continued throughout his rookie season with the team. The 6’1, 210 forward from St. Andrews West, ONT played 60 gamed with the Ice Bears last season and accumulated 26 goals and 23 assists.

“I could not be more excited than I am to have a chance at re-signing all three captains from our Championship team. B.J. had an outstanding rookie season with the Ice Bears and proved to be a great team leader both on the ice and also in the dressing room. B.J. was one of our premier penalty killers helping guide the team to an incredible streak killing 38 of 39 penalties in the playoffs,” Hillman commented.

B. J., short for Bobby Joe, is no stranger to the sport of hockey. He started playing when he was three years old in the Jerry Brown Hockey School. His family is very involved as well. His brother, Addison plays, and his sister coaches at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Pelkey went on to play for Lake Superior University, a program with one of the richest hockey traditions in NCAA Division One hockey.

After college, Pelkey joined the Odessa Jackalopes of the Central Hockey League. While in Odessa, Pelkey and, Knoxville Ice Bears head coach Scott Hillman, were teammates. When asked how it is to be coached by a former teammate, Pelkey said, “Scott was a great player and leader then, and I am sure that those qualities helped in his aspirations of becoming a coach. I respected and looked up to him when we played together, so it has been an easy transition playing for him.”

Pelkey is currently playing in Australia.

(Knoxville Ice Bears)