LEONE RETURNS TO CYCLONES BLUELINE

LEONE RETURNS TO CYCLONES BLUELINE

For Immediate Release: August 22, 2018

 

LEONE RETURNS TO CYCLONES BLUELINE

Team Defensive Plus/Minus Leader Back for Second Season in Cincinnati

 

Cincinnati, OH- The Cincinnati Cyclones, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Buffalo Sabres and the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Rochester Americans, have announced defenseman Chris Leone has been re-signed to a Standard Player Contract (SPC) for the 2018-19 season.

“We are excited to have a steady defenseman like Leone back on our blueline this season, and I think he fits in well with how I envision our team defensively this season,” said Cyclones head coach Matt Thomas. “Chris is a player who can do a lot of things well, and proved to be one of our most reliable defenseman a season ago, having led the defensive corps with a plus-10 rating.”

Entering his third professional season, Leone led the Cyclones defensive corps with a plus-10 on-ice rating and games played with 68, and he also ranked second in rearguard scoring with 21 points (5g, 16a), including four multi-point performances.

“I couldn’t be more excited to be coming back to Cincinnati- a city where I had so much personal growth both on and off the ice,” remarked Leone. “Cincinnati quickly became my new favorite city because the love from the community runs deep, and I want nothing more than to help in any way that I can to build on our success from last year and try and bring a Kelly Cup back to the city of Cincinnati.”

Hailing from Dearborn Heights, MI, Leone split the 2016-17 season between the Toledo Walleye and Manchester Monarchs of the ECHL, and the Mississippi Riverkings and Pensacola Ice Flyers of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). In 38 ECHL games that season, Leone accounted for six goals and 10 assists, while his SPHL totals amounted to four goals and seven assists.

Leone began his pro career with the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits at the end of the 2015-16 season, appearing in four games and accounting for four points (1g, 3a). Prior to turning pro, the 5’11”, 190-pound rearguard enjoyed a successful collegiate career at Adrian College where he amassed 71 points (24g, 47a) in 109 career games.

 

The 2018-19 season is on the horizon, and tickets for First Face-Off are on sale NOW! Call (513) 421-PUCK for information regarding information on season and group ticket packages for this upcoming season, and you can also get the latest team updates on Facebook, Twitter (@CincyCyclones), and Instagram, along with our website, www.cycloneshockey.com