The Season so far
The Corpus Christi IceRays are a quarter of a way into the 2026-27 regular season, which began with an historic 6-0 start led by Coach Nick Skerlick. The IceRays have a 9-5-0 record and have consistently held fourth place in the South Division, falling behind the Odessa Jackalopes. The IceRays faced and lost their first shoot-out on Oct. 31, falling 3-4 to the Lone Star Brahmas.
They took on the Houston Bulls for the first time Oct. 23 and defeated them 4-3. The Bulls relocated from Iowa during the off-season, and they are now the closest team to the IceRays.
The game was physical and intense, with the IceRays attempting to fuel the new rivalry as best they could. The organization showed a level of boldness they’ve never shown before, going as far as saying “Bulls suck” during intermissions.
NAMES TO WATCH
“When you build a winning team, you build from the back to the front and it starts in goal,” IceRays CEO and former goaltender Steve Donner said. “Coach Skerlick has three very strong goaltenders,” adding that the goaltenders are the backbone of the IceRays.
Goaltending has been a such a big deal in Corpus Christi that the IceRays have produced two NHL goaltenders. Pheonix Copley is with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Anthony Stolarz with the Toronto Maple Leafs, while the IceRays’ 17-year-old Russian-born goalie Yegor Batsokin was named one of four NAHL goaltenders to the NHL Central Scouting Watch List. Batsokin is being scouted by 10 NHL teams, according to Donner.
He received a C rating, the highest out of any other NAHL goaltender, and is projected as a possible fourth or fifth round draft pick in the 2027 NHL Draft if he can hold his rating. Just three goaltenders from other leagues ranked above Batsokin.
Batsokin is playing his first season outside of Russia with the IceRays. “[He’s] a kid that is learning English, junior hockey, and how to be a typical North American teenage boy each and every day,” said Coach Nick Skerlick in an interview with JuniorHockey.io. “Yegor has shown incredibly resiliency.” Batsokin has proved that statement right, winning three of five games and a save percentage of 0.927. The average save percentage in the NAHL is 0.915.
Goaltender Vladislav Bryzgalov earned a tryout contract with the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers, the affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks of the NHL, who his father Ilya “Mr. Universe” Bryzgalov played for. Bryzgalov did not make it past tryouts with the Oilers and has played three games with the IceRays since his return.
Forward Oliver Czaja has been a central player of the IceRays and is leading the organization in points. He has played 15 games, scoring 10 goals, the most out of any player on the IceRays and six assists. He is not yet committed to a university.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
“Our goal is real simple, over the next five years, we want to bring a Robertson Cup Championship to this city,” Donner said. “I believe we have a team this year that can contend for that championship.”
Donner laid out the goals of the IceRays for the next five years. “We want to be off the ice, the best organization in the North American Hockey League,” Donner said. He added that the IceRays have the highest attendance in the league and they hope to keep that streak.
Donner said they hope to build a practice facility for the IceRays within the next 36 months. He wants the facility to be open to the public and hopes to establish a youth hockey team. Corpus Christi previously had a youth hockey team under the Corpus Christi Youth Hockey Association, which ceased operations in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Donner said “our goal for the next couple of years, including this year is to have some major sell-out games and open our upper-deck and fill [the Hilliard Center] with eight or nine thousand fans … and set the tone for hockey in the South.”
Donner also wants the IceRays to form a closer relationship with the Corpus Christi Hooks and Corpus Christi FC, so the three organizations can join forces in promoting sports in the Coastal Bend.
