Reign Favorites Seek New Challenges

It's been a difficult few days for Reign fans, as some of the team's fan favorite players have signed to play elsewhere next season.
Kyle Kraemer, who spent the last three seasons in Ontario, and had been one of the team's leading scorers, signed Tuesday with the Central Hockey League's St. Charles (Mo.) Chill.
While some may see the Central league as a step down for Kraemer, the move makes sense for the St. Louis native. He was one of the first three signings for the Chill, which will be playing its inaugural season.
Kraemer was a second team All-ECHL choice for the 2012-13 season, netting 30 goals and 71 points for the Reign.
He was a popular member of the Ontario squad among fans, and not just for his play on the ice. One of his jersey's went for $2,200 during a post-game auction earlier this year. And his work with the team also extended to the community, as he served as the Junior Reign's "President" and donated $300 of his own money to Loma Linda University Children's Hospital at the end the 2012-13 season -- $10 for every goal.
But Kraemer's signing was not the only one this past few days. Colton Yellow Horn, who set the Reign team record for goals in a season (36 goals in 48 games), signed with Austrian team Szekesfehervar for the 2013-14 season.
The Reign lived the final third of the season without Yellow Horn, after he was called up to the Manchester Monarchs.
The third blow came as Irvine-native C.J. Stretch signed a contract to continue his career with the Oklahoma City Barons, an Edmonton Oilers-affiliated American Hockey League team.
Stretch, who was in his third full season with the Reign, finished third on the team in scoring, with 28 goals and 62 points. He scored four goals for Ontario during a first-round playoff victory over the Utah Grizzlies, in what turned out to be his final home game with the team, as he was called up by the Barons for the second time after the Reign swept Utah.
Kraemer, Yellow Horn and Stretch were three of the eight players the Reign had made qualifying offers to for next season. The other five are Jordan Hill, Vincent LoVerde, Cameron Burt, Chris Huxley and Mario Lamoureux.
ECHL rules allow for teams to make qualifying offers to eight players, with the eight being allowed to sign with the contract through Aug. 1. After that, the team may sign non-veteran players to a contract for less money, or do nothing, but retain the player's rights for a season. Veteran players (those who have played 240-or-more professional games) become restricted free agents, free to sign with any team, free to sign with another team, with the previous team having the right to match that contract. If not signed by Aug. 31, the player becomes an unrestricted free agent.

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