Rallo, Hulak and Mangene Return, Two More Join Stars
Jul 7, 2015CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, announced today forwards Greg Rallo, Derek Hulak and defenseman Matt Mangene, will all return to the team on AHL contracts for the 2015-16 season. Defenseman Jesse Blacker and forward Cory Kane have also joined the Stars on AHL contracts for the upcoming season.
Rallo (RAH-loh), 33, is back for his fourth season in a Stars sweater after posting a career-high 27 goals in 2014-15, as well as 49 points overall -- the second-highest total in his 10-year professional career. The 6-foot, 195-pound forward has appeared in 529 AHL games between the Iowa Stars, Rockford IceHogs, Manitoba Moose, San Antonio Rampage and Texas, with 286 points on 138 goals and 148 assists. Rallo ranks third in franchise history in career goals (72) and power play goals (27), and fourth in points (147). The Gurnee, Ill., native also has played in 11 NHL games for the Florida Panthers.
Hulak (HOO-lak), 26, returns for his second full season with Texas and is coming off a career year in 2014-15 having finished tied for third among AHL rookies with 21 goals and tied for ninth in rookie scoring with 44 points in 68 games. The 6-foot, 185-pound native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, made his debut for Texas on a professional tryout agreement in 2013-14. He scored his first career AHL goal on his first career shot in his first game on March 1, 2014, at San Antonio. Prior to his time with Texas, Hulak tallied 123 career points (34 goals, 89 assists) in 87 games from 2010-14 for the University of Saskatchewan. He recorded 242 career points (95 goals, 147 assists) in 267 career games from 2005-10 between the Western Hockey League’s Regina Pats and Saskatoon Blades.
Mangene (MAN-jeen), 26, joined Texas midway through the 2014-15 season and finished with 17 points in 36 games (two goals, 15 assists). The Manorville, N.Y., native has appeared in 138 career AHL games over the past four seasons between Texas, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Adirondack Phantoms. Prior to turning pro, the 5-foot-11, 190-pound blueliner tallied 55 points (20 goals, 35 assists) over a three-year career with the University of Maine from 2009-12.
Blacker, 24, spent 15 games last season with the Norfolk Admirals, AHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks, and made his NHL debut with Anaheim on Nov. 28 against the Chicago Blackhawks. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Blacker was traded from Anaheim to the Florida Panthers on Dec. 4, 2014, and appeared in 45 games for the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage. The Toronto, Ontario, native was a second-round pick of the Toronto Maple League (58th overall) in 2009, and finished the 2014-15 AHL season with 23 total points (six goals, 17 assists). He has appeared in 235 games in his AHL career with 76 points (17 goals, 59 assists).
Kane, 24, recorded 19 points in 55 games last season for the AHL’s Providence Bruins on seven goals and 12 assists. The 6-foot-1, 201-pound Kane made his AHL debut in 2013-14 with Providence after completing a four-year career at Ferris State University, where he racked up 68 points (34 goals, 34 assists) in 144 games. The Irvine, Cali., native also played six games in the ECHL last season with the South Carolina Stingrays, scoring two goals and two assists.
The Texas Stars will begin their seventh season at Cedar Park Center on Saturday, Oct. 10. Full season, 24-game and 12-game ticket packages for the 2015-16 campaign are on sale now. For more information, call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit TexasStarsHockey.com.