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Veteran Battaglia Signs With RiverKings

August 23, 2010

Ninth-year pro forward brings skills to second CHL season

SOUTHAVEN --- The Mississippi RiverKings of the Central Hockey League (CHL) today announced the signing of forward Anthony Battaglia to the team roster for the upcoming season.

 Battaglia's signing makes him the 15th player announcement made by the RiverKings and the ninth forward added by the team.

The Chicago native brings his offensive skills to the Mid-South to continue what will be his ninth professional hockey season and his second in the CHL. Battaglia brings experience in five pro leagues, including the American Hockey League, ECHL, International Hockey League and CHL, along with international professional experience in Britain to the table.

RiverKings head coach and director of Hockey Operations Kevin “Killer” Kaminski welcomes Battaglia's hockey knowledge and ability to the lineup.

“Anthony has had a great career,” Kaminski said. “He brings experience along with goal scoring and playmaking.

“Anthony knows what it takes to do all the little things that make up big plays and is also a great leader. We are excited to have him in a RiverKings' uniform.”

Last season, Battaglia spent his first season in the CHL with the Amarillo Gorillas, netting 13 goals for 45 points and 24 penalty minutes in 54 appearances in the Texas Panhandle. A highlight of his season in Amarillo was being part of a five-goal second period during a game Dec. 19, against the Laredo Bucks.

The team performance was named the league Performance of the Week for the week of Dec. 14-20. Amarillo won that game 6-3.

Battaglia says he's looking forward to joining the RiverKings.

“I'd like to say I'm an all-around player, offensive and defensive,” said Battaglia. “I can score goals as well, but I can contribute on the penalty kill and power play.

“I like to be a playmaker, but I'm not afraid to get into the corners and play down there, too.”

Prior to coming to the Central Hockey League, Battaglia played 61 games in the 2008-09 season with the IHL's Kalamazoo Wings, scoring 20 goals and adding 33 assists for 53 points. He added one assist in six playoff games that season with the Wings. The 33 assists are a career professional personal high for him.

Battaglia split time in the 2007-08 ECHL campaign with Columbia and Augusta, playing 50 games with Columbia and the final 16 appearances came with the Augusta Lynx. He totaled seven goals and 25 assists for 32 points between the two stops, also playing in five playoff games for Augusta, where he ended up with three goals and five points in five post-season contests.

Battaglia also played in Columbia during the 2006-07 season, netting five goals for 22 points and 34 penalty minutes in 50 games played, but also played that season in 11 games with the Manchester Phoenix of the Elite Ice Hockey League of the United Kingdom.

With Manchester, Battaglia scored six goals for 12 points and added an assist in two playoff games for the Phoenix.

Battaglia's most productive season in pro hockey came with the Mississippi Sea Wolves (Biloxi) of the ECHL in the 2004-05 season. It was there he scored 27 goals and added 32 assists for 59 points in 71 games with the Sea Wolves, and added one assist in four playoff games that year.

The 27 goals scored that season are a personal professional career high for him.

During his time in Mississippi and also with the Utah Grizzlies in 2005-06, Battaglia was a teammate of current RiverKings assistant captain Louis Dumont.

Battaglia's pro background began with the ECHL's Florida Everblades in the 2002-03 season, when he scored six goals and added seven assists for 13 points in 48 appearances. He also played in nine games that season with Lowell in the AHL.

Battaglia came to the pros after a four-year career at Western Michigan University, playing in 139 games for the Broncos. He scored 11 goals for 47 points in the college ranks.