Published: September 02, 2009 12:02 am      

Two newest Chiefs bring size, scoring

The Johnstown Chiefs boosted their roster by two more players this week.

The ECHL team announced Tuesday the signing of center Torren Delforte. On Monday, the Chiefs signed forward-defenseman Jozef Sladok.

Johnstown still is without a head coach, but already has signed nine players.

Delforte netted 56 points (23 goals, 33 assists) in 63 games as a rookie last season with the Central Hockey League’s New Mexico Scorpions. He was the leading rookie scorer on the Scorpions and fourth in the CHL. The right-handed center proved equally effective at even strength and on special teams as he produced 16 power play points (5-11-16) and four (2-2-4) while shorthanded.

“The Chiefs feel Torren is a solid addition to our team and we expect big things from him this season. He is a guy who competes hard every shift and has proven he can put up numbers with a very productive season in New Mexico last year,” Chiefs General Manager Bill Bredin said.

Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 220 pounds, Sladok joins the Chiefs for his second professional season. He spent his rookie campaign with the Corpus Christi IceRays of the Central Hockey League and made a big impression in a short amount of time. Known for putting up more penalty minutes than points, Sladok did just that with 154 in only 29 games.

“Jozef is a player that (former coach) Ian Herbers became very familiar with during his time in the OHL, and someone that we sought out when he became available. He is a huge presence who can play wing or defense,” Bredin said. “The Chiefs are excited to have a player in our lineup like Jozef that our opponents will have to be aware of, and our fans will enjoy watching him apply his trade.”