Cottonmouths invite three more players to training camp

The Columbus Cottonmouths announced the signing of three players to tryout agreements on Friday.

Two of the three are former Columbus players: Will Aide and Tyler MacPherson. The third is Rusty Hafner.

Aide, who played at Wisconsin-Stevens Point, has played three years for the Snakes in a total of 104 games.

He has accumulated a total of 378 penalty minutes as the team's enforcer.

MacPherson played in 43 games for the Snakes last year, his first in Columbus.

The Brampton, Ontario, native is a defensemen.

Hafner, who is from Toldeo, Ohio, has not played in a professional hockey league.

"These guys are going to add a real aspect to our team that can win a lot of games," Snakes coach Jerome Bechard said. "We are excited to have (Will) Aide and (Tyler) MacPherson back because we know what they can bring to the ice. Rusty (Hafner) is going to add some more, needed, beef to our back end and we are excited to see what he is going to be able to bring to the ice come the first game."

The Snakes have also invited forwards Chris Rial and Andrew Kolb to training camp along with goalies Brandon Jaeger and Joel Danyluk.

The Snakes have signed five players: goalie Shannon Szabados, defensemen Andy Willigar and Kyle Johnson and forwards Craig Simchuk and Patrick McCadden.

The team will host a free-agent camp Oct. 9-11. Training camp will open Oct. 14.

The Snakes open the 2015-16 season at home against Huntsville on Oct. 23.

This story was originally published October 2, 2015 at 8:54 PM with the headline "Cottonmouths invite three more players to training camp ."