Release from 06.12.2017

Noonan enforces Medveščak's defense, Privitera leaves

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Changes at defense positions in Zagreb Bears' Den: The US-American Garrett Noonan arrives, Alexx Privitera leaves. Hans Winkler is the new Assistant Coach at Villach.

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Garrett Noonan (26) will enforce the Medveščak's defense. He is a player who comes from an ice hockey family, because his two older brothers, Coleman and Pat, are also professional hockey players.
Noonan was born in 1991 in Norfolk, Massachusetts, and he made his first serious ice hockey steps playing for Catholic Memorial School (USHS League) and Vernon Vipers (BCHL); when playing one season with the former, he won the league championship. In 2010 he enrolled at the University of Boston, where he spent four seasons, and during the time there he become the team's captain, playing the total of 144 matches (81 points).
In 2011 he was picked at NHL draft by Nashville Predators, but he decided to stay at the university, so he never played in NHL. After leaving the university, he played in AHL (89 games and 15 points for Milwaukee Admirals and Hartford Wolf Pack) and ECHL (102 games and 63 points for Cincinnati Cyclones and Greenville Swamp Rabbits).
Medveščak is the first European team for the young player, after he decided to leave North America. This season he started in Hartford and, as he said, 'I am willing to succeed and prove myself in a new environment'.
Noonan will join the Medveščak's roster already today, and on Friday he is expected to play for the Zagreb team against the league leaders Vienna Capital, on their ice in Vienna.
With Noonan's arrival, Alexx Privitera leaves the team. »We have agreed to mutually cancel the contract with Alexx Privitera.  We wish Alexx success in his future.  We have signed Defenseman Garrett Noonan in his place. Garrett will arrive in Zagreb this week and should be the type of player to help us immediately. We expect him to help our Power Play which has been really struggling«, briefly explained Aaron Fox, Medveščak's sports director. This season Alexx Privitera took part in 23 games for Medveščak, with 1 goal and 4 assists. Privitera joined Medveščak at the beginning of the season preparations. Before Medveščak he played in ECHL, more specifically for Manchester Monarchs, and he also played 19 games on loan in AHL team Ontario Reign.
 
New Assistant Coach at EC VSV is Hans Winkler. The 48 years old Austrian works in the organization since the 2015/16-season, he was responsable for the youth and Head Coach of the U20.