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A year ago this week, GM Craig Heisinger brought an undrafted hockey player named Rick Rypien into the Manitoba Moose fold on an amateur tryout contract.
Nine months later, Rypien was playing for the Vancouver Canucks.
Now it's Kelly Czuy's turn to make a name for himself in the AHL. Actually, if they can just say his name correctly, that would make him just as happy.
His name is pronounced CHEW-ee, but the 23-year-old Edmontonian, who signed an amateur tryout contract with the Moose yesterday, has heard everything from Suzie to Zy.
"I get Kazoozie a lot, though," Czuy said with a laugh. "Probably about one in a thousand people actually pronounce it right."
Czuy, a right-winger, is coming off a four-year career at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks that ended just last week. He had 39 goals, 45 assists and 269 penalty minutes in 144 games for the Nanooks.
"I'm a physical presence out there, so I'll try to throw my weight around a little bit and adjust to this type of game as quickly as I can," said Czuy.
GOOD TRACK RECORD
Czuy must bring something special to the table, because Heisinger has a pretty good track record when it comes to undrafted pickups.
Rypien and another Heisinger find, Alexandre Burrows, both began with AHL deals and played well enough to earn two-way contracts from the Canucks.
Rypien had one goal in five games with the Canucks before breaking his leg on New Year's Eve, and Burrows has played 32 games with the big club this season.
Rypien, who's recovered from his injury and is back playing with the Moose, has some simple advice for Czuy.
"Whatever type of game you play, you don't want to really change that," Rypien said. "Stick to what you do best out there. That's a big part of it."
Part of Czuy's game could very well include fisticuffs. He's 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, and the former Canmore Eagle of the Alberta Junior Hockey League probably is itching to rumble.
"I haven't fought for four years, so it'll be interesting when I drop my mitts for the first time," he said with a chuckle.
With the Moose fighting for every point possible down the stretch, Czuy might have to scrap just to get into the lineup.
He'll be busy enough, though, as he's worked out a deal with his professors at Alaska-Fairbanks to complete his finance degree.
"I guess it was just kind of a win-win situation," he said. "I've always wanted to pursue my dream and play in the American Hockey League.
"So I'm getting a chance, and I'm excited."
Czuy watched last night's game against the Milwaukee Admirals from the MTS Centre press box, which was understandable after he flew Friday from Fairbanks to Anchorage to Seattle to Vancouver to Winnipeg.
WOW! The Moose, along with Power 97, raised $52,000 in the inaugural Cut For Cancer campaign.
More than 350 people shaved their heads to support CancerCare Manitoba and the pediatrics cancer treatment program.
The amazing part is they needed only three days to raise the funds.