Wranglers center fights ‘good’ label

Armed with an engaging personality as large as his 6-foot-4-inch, 230-pound frame, Shay Stephenson is used to being the center of attention.

It's fitting, then, that he'll start at center for the Wranglers this season after playing virtually every other position besides goalie in his first four professional seasons, including a short stint in the NHL.

''He's played everything, but I think center is a good spot for him because it keeps him interested all the time,'' first-year Las Vegas coach Ryan Mougenel said. ''I want him to be a guy with a competitive edge that drives to the net, pushes the (defense) back and is a force out there. He needs to be physical.''

Expected to be one of the Wranglers' top scorers this season, the 26-year-old Stephenson compiled 41 points in 62 games for the ECHL's Reading Royals in his rookie year of 2005-06.

He tallied 21 points in 55 games for the American Hockey League's Manchester Monarchs in 2006-07, when he also appeared in two games for the Los Angeles Kings, and played the past two seasons in Europe, where he scored 61 points in 81 games.

''I just felt that I'd like to come back home and give it another shot,'' said Stephenson, a native of Outlook, Saskatchewan. ''I had been successful before I headed over to Europe. I got up to the NHL a little bit, and I'd like to give it another run.''

Mougenel and his special assistant, former NHL All-Star Keith Primeau, agree Stephenson has the size and skills to make it back to the NHL, but he'll need to improve in other areas to do so.

''He's an amazing person, first and foremost,'' Mougenel said. ''He's a personality and ... a jovial guy, but when you're on the ice, you want to have a scowl.

''He needs to be more competitive, and I think having a guy like Keith, who was known for his competitive spirit, is going to be great for him.''

Primeau said the easygoing personality that has endeared him to his teammates could hamper him on the ice.

''His teammates love him, and he's got a great demeanor, to the point that it's probably been a setback,'' said Primeau, a veteran of 15 NHL seasons. ''The knock is he's a good guy.''

Stephenson sounds determined to put his impressive size and skills to good use for the Wranglers, who defeated the Ontario (Calif.) Reign 5-2 on Thursday in a preseason game at the Orleans Arena.

''Hopefully I'll put up a lot of points and add some grit, too,'' he said.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or at 702-383-0354.