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Cougars release D-man Bobos

Martin Bobos has played his last game for the Prince George Cougars. The Cougars announced late Wednesday they have released the 19-year-old import defenceman to clear a roster position for 19-year-old defenceman Kirk Bear.
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Martin Bobos has played his last game for the Prince George Cougars.

The Cougars announced late Wednesday they have released the 19-year-old import defenceman to clear a roster position for 19-year-old defenceman Kirk Bear.

Bobos, a native of Kosice, Slovakia, was a healthy scratch in 13 of the Cougars 28 games this season. His only point of the season came in his final game in a Cougars uniform when he picked up an assist last week in a 5-2 loss to Regina. He totaled seven assists and 57 penalty minutes in 67 games last season. The Cougars selected Bobos 69th overall in the 2013 import draft.

"We just wanted get our numbers down to 25 and just felt a 19-year-old defenceman who was in and out of the lineup wasn't the best use for our roster and also we wanted to make sure Martin gets back to Europe and plays so he can try to get a European contract," said Cougars general manager Todd Harkins. "It's no good for him sitting in the stands here when he's trying to get a contract to be a pro hockey player and most likely play in Europe."

That leaves the Cougars with one import player – winger David Soltes. Soltes, the fourth overall pick in the 2013 import draft, ranks seventh in team scoring with nine goals and 13 points and has been picked to play for Slovakia in the world junior tournament.

WHL teams are allowed a maximum of two imports and are limited to 25 roster players.

"It does give us an option for another European player to play on our roster is something does become available but it has to make sense because you'd be releasing or moving somebody else,'" said Harkins.

The six-foot-three, 197-pound Bear joined the Cougars for his first game Nov. 21 in Kamloops. He's has been held pointless in four games and has a minus-2 rating with nine penalty minutes.

The native of Whitewood, Sask., played 35 games in the WHL last season for the Red Deer Rebels, where he had a minus-3 rating with 29 penalty minutes. Bear started this season in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League with the Melville Millionaires, where he had two goals and eight assists in 23 games, with 41 penalty minutes.