Veteran Beausoleil Returns For Fifth Season In Tulsa
TULSA, OK – A familiar fan favorite will be back on ice at the BOK Center during the 2012-13 season. Veteran forward Michel Beausoleil has re-signed with the Tulsa Oilers.
Beausoleil, 32, enters his twelfth season as a professional and his fifth as a member of the Oilers. The 5’10” 192-pound right wing has 205 games in a Tulsa uniform, more than any other player on the Oilers roster.
Last season, Beausoleil finished fourth on the team with 48 points and reached the 20-goal mark for a third straight season and the eighth time in his career.
“I’m really happy to be coming back,” said Beausoleil. “I think we’ve signed some really good players in the off season and I think we’ll be able to make the playoffs and compete for a championship so it made my decision very easy. I live here in Tulsa, I love this city, and I’m excited to get back out on the ice.”
“I know Michel is extremely loyal to our team and our city and he wants to win as much as anybody I know,” said Oilers Head Coach Bruce Ramsay. “As he’s gotten older, he’s become more involved in the defensive side of the game and in our penalty kill. He’s valuable for our team at both ends of the ice and we’re happy to have him back.”
Beausoleil, who is averaging nearly a point per game over the course of his career, registered his 600th point last season with an assist against Wichita. The Montreal native provides a potent shot on the Oilers powerplay and even though he may be one of the elders in the Tulsa locker room, Beausoleil shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
“I haven’t really thought about how long I want to play,” Beausoleil said. “As long as I love the game and as long as I can go out there and compete with the younger guys, then I’ll keep going. I hope this year I can be more consistent as a player and that we can be more consistent as a team.”
Beausoleil will be one of many current players to hit the ice for the fourth annual Oilers Alumni Game this Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Oilers Ice Center (64th and Mingo). Wednesday, Beausoleil and Oilers defenseman Sean Erickson will each throw out a first pitch at the Tulsa Drillers game at 7:05 p.m. at OneOk Field.
Tickets to the Oilers Alumni Game are $10 for season ticket holders who purchase tickets before the day of the game, $15 for non-season ticket holders before the day of the game, and $20 for everyone on the day of the game.
The Oilers home opener is October 26 and season tickets are on sale now. For more information on pricing and group rates, call 918-632-PUCK. Log on to www.tulsaoilers.com to stay up to date with player signings and announcements.
