Mallards First Signings Include Lipsett

The Quad City Mallards, proud International Hockey League (IHL) affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, today announced their first seven player signings for the 2009-10 season, including former Clarkson forward Chris Lipsett. Per Mallards team policy no contract terms were announced.

Lipsett, now approaching his fourteenth season, is the longest tenured pro. He was a player-assistant coach with the Rapid City Rush of the Central Hockey League last season.

Lipsett has played for Mallards Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Frank Anzalone before. He skated for the Mallards’ bench boss with the ECHL’s Roanoke Express for two full seasons in 1996-97 and 1997-98 and, briefly, in 1998-99 with the American Hockey League’s Lowell Lock Monsters.

At 35, Lipsett is the oldest of the seven signees. The Ottawa native has played 745 games for 13 teams in eight leagues on two continents since completing his college career at Clarkson in 1996. Lipsett’s arrival in the Quad Cities brings about the reunion of the right winger and Anzalone ten years after they last joined forces.

"Chris has enjoyed a solid pro career. He's been a consistent scorer since he played for me in Roanoke and will be looked upon to provide leadership for our club,” said Anzalone. “Having guys like Chris Lipsett not only in our dressing room but also in the community is a huge plus for the Mallards organization."

Last season, Lipsett scored 27 goals and totaled 56 points in 62 games with the Rush and has now scored 27 times or more in each of his last four full seasons; he has scored better than 20 goals in 11 of his last 12 full campaigns. Combining both North American and European play, Lipsett has totaled 304 goals and 313 assists for 617 points over the course of his career. Lipsett’s impressive resume includes time in the ECHL with Roanoke, Pee Dee, Alaska and Mississippi; in the AHL with Lowell and Kentucky; in the IHL with Houston; overseas with Sheffield in England and Iserlohn, Freiburg EHC and Regensburg EV in Germany; and most recently in the CHL with first Amarillo and then Rapid City.

Lipsett scored 31 goals and recorded 67 points in 112 career games at Clarkson. He helped the Golden Knights to three NCAA tournament berths in his four collegiate seasons as well as an ECAC regular season title and a conference tournament championship.