RoughRiders expected to add Shand to active roster

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders have had an open roster spot for the past couple of weeks and apparently have found someone to fill it.

Forward Kevin Shand will join the club from the Springfield Jr. Blues of the lower-level North American Hockey League. He'll be the fourth NAHL addition since the holiday break, joining forwards Brennan Sanford and Mitch Maloney and defenseman Logan Von Ruden.

Shand has skated with the RoughRiders the past two days, Head Coach/General Manager Mark Carlson said Thursday. His addition is expected to become official Friday.

Cedar Rapids hosts Green Bay on Friday night and Chicago on Saturday night.

Shand, 18, is from Saline, Mich., and is a listed 6-foot-1 and 218 pounds. He had eight goals and 10 assists in 21 games this season for Springfield, compiling a plus-minus rating of plus-15.

He also spent time with the Metro Jets of the Tier III North American 3 Hockey League, scoring 17 points in nine games. He played last season for Michigan prep power Cranbrook-Kingswood.

Shand is the son of longtime former National Hockey League defenseman David Shand. The elder Shand was a first-round draft pick (eighth overall) of the Atlanta Flames in 1976 and played 421 games with the Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals.