On Thursday, the Rapid City Rush officially signed their first returnee for the 2012-13 season, announcing the return of reigning Central Hockey League (CHL) ‘Defenseman of the Year’ and ‘Man of the Year’, Riley Weselowski. In addition, the Rush completed their side of futures trades, acquiring defenseman Justin Sawyer from the Wichita Thunder and forward David Solway from the Tulsa Oilers.
“Today is a big day for the team,” said Rush General Manager Tim Hill. “To bring back Riley, an All-Star and the CHL’s Most Outstanding Defenseman, is obviously huge for the team itself. However, even more important is the impact he has representing the Rush off the ice and in the Rapid City community. He’s the reigning ‘Man of the Year’ for a reason and these are the type of young men we want in this organization. At the same time, I’m very excited to bring David Solway and Justin Sawyer into the fold. Our goal this offseason is to make this team younger and tougher and these two players fulfill that need.”