Denver Cutthroats Add Veteran Forward Brett Lutes To Roster

On Tuesday, the Denver Cutthroats announced the signing of 30-year-old Brett Lutes. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound forward will be playing in his 9th professional season, a career that boasts 417 points in 480 games (162 goals, 255 assists). His pro career includes three years in the Central Hockey League: 2009-2010 with the Colorado Eagles and 2010-2012 with the Dayton Gems. Lutes is coming off an impressive 2011-2012 season, logging 20 goals and a team-leading 42 assists, as well as making an appearance in the CHL All-Star Game.

Lutes began his hockey career playing in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for the Montreal Rockets. His best year with the Rockets came in 2002-2003 when he scored 34 goals and 49 assists for 83 points in 71 games. The Riverview, New Brunswick native followed that up with a stint at St. Thomas University. He also spent a season playing in Germany for the Crimmitschau ETC and another with the Port Huron Flags of the United Hockey League.

Lutes enjoyed a professional career best during the 2006-2007 season, his second of three with the Bakersfield Condors of the East Coast Hockey League. Lutes netted 34 goals and 36 assists in 67 games.

With Lutes's experience in the CHL, Cutthroats Head Coach Derek Armstrong is confident the forward will bring valuable knowledge of the competition his team will face. "Brett is a veteran scorer who also brings some key playmaking ability to our roster," he said. "He will help us succeed on the ice."

Brett Lutes was a seventh-round draft pick of the St. Louis Blues in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He is now the fourth player signed by the Cutthroats for the upcoming inaugural season.