Kraus, Jackson, Murray also Reign in contracts.

Three more Reign contracts to announce:

Center Tim Kraus (stats here) a Garden Grove guy, scored twice in the preseason.

Goaltender John Murray for a moment there looked like he might be squeezed out of a job when the Reign traded for Kellen Briggs, but Briggs got hurt in the final preseason game and was subsequently placed on the 30-day IR. That makes Murray the backup and Jeff Zatkoff the starter.

LW Todd Jackson (stats here) is a three-year ECHL veteran with some AHL experience.

The full press release, which includes the signing of Itan Chavira:

The Ontario Reign announced today that they have signed C Tim Kraus, LW Todd Jackson, G John Murray and RW Itan Chavira.

Kraus, 21, joins the Reign roster after playing the past five seasons in the WHL, most recently with the Regina Pats. While with the Pats in 2007-08, Kraus scored 15 goals, assisted on 44 others (59 points) and tallied 86 peanalty minutes. That season Kraus led the Pats in assists and ranked second amongst his teammates in points.

Prior to Regina, the 6-foot 1-inch, 197-pound, Garden Grove, Calif. native suited up with the Vancouver Giants, scoring 162 points (60g,102a) and 216 PIM in 244 games. In 2005-06 Kraus won the WHL Championship with the Giants and ended the season with a +32 rating.

Jackson, 27, skated in 53 games with the Newcastle Vipers (EIHL) in 2007-08. While with the Vipers, he netted 17 goals and assisted on 34 others (51 points). He spent his college career with the University of Maine, playing in 161 games in four seasons (2000-04), scoring 45 goals and netting 54 assists (99 points). While at Maine, the 5-foot 10-inch, 180-pound, left-winger was named to the NCAA-East Second All-American Team in 2003-04, as well as being named HE-Best Defensive Forward and selected to the HE-Second All-Star Team.

Jackson spent three seasons in the ECHL (2004-07), spending two seasons with the Toledo Storm and one season (2006-07) with the Phoenix Roadrunners. He finished with 44 goals, 65 assists for 109 points in his time in the ECHL. The Cortland, NY native was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the eighth round (#251 overall) of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.

Murray, 21, appeared in 31 games in 2007-08 with the Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) before signing with the Reading Royals marking his professional debut. While with the Frontenacs, Murray compiled a record of 12-15-1, 3.78 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. Murray suited up for eight games between the pipes for Reading and was named the RBK Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week for Mar. 17-23, 2008, when he posted a 2-0-0 record, notching one shutout, a .985 save percentage and a 0.50 goals-against average.

He spent the 2006-07 season in the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers where he played in 55 games finishing the season with a 40-9-3 record, ranking second in the OHL with 40 wins and third in goals-against average (2.58). He tied for first in the OHL with 5 shutouts and was named the Rangers most valuable player.

Chavira, 20, joins the Reign roster as the only player stemming from the Reign Free Agent Camp held September 27-28. The 5-foot 8-inch, Duarte, Calif. resident suited up in 52 games with the Yarmouth Mariners (MJAHL) in 2007-08 and completed the season netting 41 goals, assisting on 44 others (85 points) and tallying 52 penalty minutes. In 2006-07 Chavira played nine games with the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets scoring 2 points (1g,1a) with 6 penalty minutes.

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About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.