NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, Texas — If defense wins championships, then the  Texas Brahmas of the Central Hockey League (CHL) are one step closer as they solidified their blue line with the recent signing announcement of defenseman Tim Laurila on for the 2007-08 campaign.

Laurila, 29, is no stranger to the CHL, as this will be his fourth stint in the league.  Last season he played for both the Corpus Christi Rayz and Memphis Riverkings. He also played with the Oklahoma City Blazers for the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons.  In his three seasons in the CHL, Laurila has played 166 games, recorded 32 points (9 goals, 23 assists) and 220 penalty minutes.

The Moorhead, Minnesota native joined the Motor City Mechanics of the United Hockey League (UHL) in 2004, now known as the International Hockey League (IHL). In 63 games, Laurila notched 11 points (3 goals, 8 assists) and compiled 76 penalty minutes.   

Laurila played college hockey for the Michigan Tech Huskies four years, from 1998 to 2001. During his final NCAA year, he became a member of the Columbus Cottonmouths of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) for 10 games before rejoining the Huskies.

Head Coach Dan Wildfong considers Laurila a great fit to the organization as the Brahmas continue to add to their roster.
"He is what you call a solid defenseman and we expect him to be a good stay at home presence on the ice.  His leadership will also be key both on the ice and in the locker room", said Wildfong.