The Reign will bring back their two leading scorers in 2009-10, as the team announced today the signing of centers Jon Francisco and Tim Kraus. In addition, coach Karl Taylor signed rugged defenseman Brian Kilburg, who is coming off a four-year career at Minnesota State-Mankato.
Kilburg, 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, was a Maverick from 2005-2009, recording 33 points (five goals, 28 assists) and 257 penalty minutes in 137 games. Before that the 25-year-old played three seasons with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL, posting 57 points (21 goals, 36 assists) and 363 penalty minutes in 176 regular-season games.
Francisco and Kraus tied for the team lead with 48 points apiece. In his sixth pro season, the 28-year-old Francisco was the Reign’s first-ever captain and his 20 goals were second only to Geoff Walker’s 21. He missed all of 2007-08 due to a knee injury but only missed 10 games last year, seeing double-duty in most games as a stalwart on the penalty kill and power play.
Kraus, a rookie center from Garden Grove, posted 15 goals while playing all 73 regular-season games. He also shared the team lead with five goals in seven postseason games and was one of three Reign players chosen to play in the ECHL All-Star game.