Release from 08.10.2021

James Sheppard heads to Vienna

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The spusu Vienna Capitals have signed James Sheppard. The 33-year-old Canadian played the last four seasons in the DEL, prior that he played - besides two seasons in Switzerland - 431 games in the NHL. Sheppard is expected to make his debut in next weekend's home doubleheader against the HC Pustertal Wölfe and the iClinic Bratislava Capitals.

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Sheppard was picked ninth overall by Minnesota in the first round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. A year later, the 19-year-old made his National Hockey League debut for the Wild. In total, Sheppard hit the ice for the San Jose Sharks as well as the New York Rangers in addition to Minnesota 431 times in the strongest hockey league in the world and scored 26 goals (74 assist).

In 2015, the Canadian moved to Europe, first playing two seasons in the Swiss NLA in Kloten. After that, he sined at DEL. Sheppard was always among the team's top five scorers (122 points in 175 games) in his initial three years at Eisbären Berlin. The 33-year-old then spent last season successfully in Cologne, where Sheppard recorded nearly one point per game (32 points in 36 games).

"With James, we get a penetrative forward who can be relied on in all game situations. James is a role model on and off the ice because of his attitude and mentality. Only two points count for him: The team and to leave the ice as a winner," Dave Barr, Head Coach of the spusu Vienna Capitals, outlines the qualities of his new addition.