Alaska defenseman
Bryant Molle is headed to the professional ranks as part of his hometown Alaska Aces, the team announced Friday.
“Bryant has worked hard through his college hockey career to get an opportunity at the next level,” Nanooks head coach
Dallas Ferguson said. “The Aces do a great job developing players and moving them on to the next level. Being from Anchorage, I'm sure Bryant is excited to start his professional hockey career in front of family and friends.”
Molle finished this season with six points (2 g, 4 a). His second goal came in the opening game of the Nanooks' playoff series with Miami to put the team up 1-0 in the early goings.
Off the ice, Molle is a finalist for both the 2011 Lowes Senior Class Award and the Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award, which will be awarded at the Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minn. He was named the Central Collegiate Hockey Association's Scholar Athlete of the Year with a cumulative GPA of 3.95 in civil engineering.
Over 141 career games with the Nanooks, Molle totaled 19 points (5 g, 14 a). He was named last season's Most Improved Player. For his efforts last season, he was named an alternate captain this season.
Molle has played juniors hockey with the Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey League (2006-07) and the Bozeman Ice Dogs of the North American Hockey League (2005-06).
The Aces are the St. Louis Blues affiliate in the East Coast Hockey League. They are currently in first place (42-21) in the Mountain Division of the Western Conference.
