The cliché is defense wins championships.

The Rhinos took a huge step towards their quest for another championship by re-signing 3 more veteran defensemen.

All 3 d-men came to the Rhinos as rookies last season and now return for their second year. The trio of 1990’s provided the Rhinos with solid consistent play night in and night out.

“We went with 7 new defensemen last season so they had to figure things out quick.

"They really pulled it together fast and the 90’s were a great surprise because 2 months into the season they were playing smart, and really keeping mistakes to a minimum and really were the backbone of our d for the whole season.”

"These guys should continue to be the anchor of defense for our program this season and hopefully next season as well.”

-Coach Cory Herman

Shapiro – “Kyle needs to take up where he left off last season and continue be a solid defenseman for us in our own end this year.  He needs to make simple plays, He is a big strong player and with a year of with the Rhinos under his belt this will be a big year for him.”

Benson – “Tyler is another solid defenseman, he looked very good at our spring training camp this June.  He has physically filled out and we are looking for him to step up his offensive game this season.”

Deloach – “Josh will be a big part of our d core this year.  He’s very good at reading the play in the neutral zone and really sees the ice well on the power play.  This will be a big year for Josh, we expect him to step into a leadership role as well as a solid defenseman.”

-Coach Cory Herman