Former Condor Liam Huculak signed; should provide physical presence
By The Bakersfield Californian
Needing what he called a bit more “snarl” in his forward group, Condors coach Matt O’Dette has signed former Condor Liam Huculak.
Huculak (5-foot-5, 225 pounds) played for the Condors during the 2008-29 season, leading the Condors in penalties with 168 minutes while netting 11 points in 51 games. He played for Colorado last season (20 points and 130 PIMs) before heading to Croatia to play for former Condors coach Marty Raymond’s Zagreb Bears this season.
Huculak played nine games, amassing 51 penalty minutes, there before returning to Bakersfield, where he lives with his girlfriend.
“He gives us a little bit of size up front,” O’Dette said of Huculak. “A little bit of snarl or something like that. A guy that when the going gets tough out there is not going to hide under the bench.”
O’Dette said he;s not looking for Huculak, a veteran, to fight all the time, but provide some size and physical play the Condors lack.
He’ll change the perception of us a little bit,” O’Dette said.
And what is the current preception?
“I think teams look at our lineup and think they can get the physical edge on us, maybe intimidate ... our forwards aren’t exactly bruising. ” O’Dette said.
“(Huculak) is a guy out there who will have a presence, maybe make our guys a little bit better out there physically. He’ll get up and down the wing and be simple, throw his body around and go to the net. He’ll give our guys a little more comfort out there. Another guy who is big and will have their back.”
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