The Signings Continue

You were warned that the signings would continue, and it seems they have. And while I certainly don't want anyone to think that's a threat, it's a great sign that U SPORTS is doing its job in producing quality hockey players as the ECHL was busy once again this week in finding players to fill rosters. A few of those teams set their sights on university programs north of the border, and there was even an AHL team who jumped into the mix to sign a player. If you are a fan of U SPORTS men's hockey, there will be a number of teams to keep an eye on this season as players who suited up in the last few years will be skating in the ECHL. Who is going where? Let's find out as we look at the third week of signings by ECHL teams in July!

The first player in our look at this week's signings is a re-signing by the Norfolk Admirals. Danny Katic played 17 games for the University of Toronto in 2021-22 where he scored four goals and added 12 helpers in thos games. He was signed by the Norfolk Admirals in 2022-23, so his time at the university was very short when compared to others we've seen on these lists. However, the signing by the Admirals was very beneficial for them as Katic played in 67 games where he led the team in goals with 18 and was second in points with 40 while finishing second in PIMs with 123. The 22 year-old doesn't look like a power forward, but he plays the game like every shift is his last. And the good news is that Katic will be back in Admirals' colours this season after Norfolk re-signed him for the 2023-24 campaign!

We saw an impressive campaign last season from the Calgary Dinos, and one of the players who had an impact was Bradley Schoonbaert. Schoonbaert's best season with the University of Calgary came in his senior year where he scored ten goals and added 15 assists, and his 2018-23 career at the Calgary institution saw him total 23 goals and 30 assists in those four seasons over 83 games. The Kansas City Mavericks liked what they saw in watching tape of Schoonbaert's game with the Dinos, and they signed him to a contract on July 13. The Canada West All-Rookie Team member in 2018-19 will suit up for his rookie season in the ECHL when the Mavericks open their season on October 20 in Wichita against the Thunder!

It's been a few years since the man to the right was on campus, but that's former Manitoba Bisons forward Kamerin Nault. Nault played three seasons in Manitoba colours as he racked up 16 goals and ten assists in 46 Canada West games from 2016-19, and since that time he's appeared in four different ECHL teams' colours, two AHL teams' colours, and one EIHL team's colours. From 2018-21, Nault skated with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits before being dealt to the Kansas City Mavericks. In 2021-22, he signed with the Atlanta Gladiators, and he jumped to the Reading Royals in 2022-23 before finishing last season in the EIHL with the Fife Flyers. Over that same time, he played in four games with the Manitoba Moose and one with the Charlotte Checkers. Nault's best season is when he was playing regularly with Greenville as he scored 16 goals and added 16 assists in 40 games in 2019-20, and he'll look to replicate that kind of success this season in Indiana as Nault has signed a contract to skate for the Fort Wayne Komets this season!

The player to the left saw his sister win a U SPORTS National Championship with the Manitoba Bisons in 2018, and he looked to replicate that success when he joined the Mount Royal Cougars. Andrew Fyten spent three seasons with the Cougars where he scored 12 goals and 21 assists in 50 Canada West games from 2019-23 before taking his talents to Estero, Florida! While it wasn't quite South Beach, the Florida Everblades signed Fyten after the season ended last year, and he put up five goals and five assists in 21 regualr season games before helping the Florida Everblades capture their second-consecutive Kelly Cup! While he didn't get a U SPORTS championship ring, he does now have an ECHL ring and he'll look to add a second one after the Everblades announced that they had re-signed Fyten for the upcoming season!

Another Canada West player is on the move, and it would appear that one ECHL team is loading up on U SPORTS talent for the upcoming season. Nolan Volcan was a solid player for the Alberta Golden Bears over his three seasons in the green-and-gold, and he was alternate captain this past season when he posted ten goals and 15 assists in 28 games for Alberta. Over those seasons from 2019-23, Volcan chipped in 25 goals and 33 assists in 76 Canada West contests. He won't be back with the Golden Bears this season, though, as the Fort Wayne Komets came calling and signed Volcan to a deal for the 2023-24 season! The former Seattle Thunderbirds forward earned a WHL championship in his time in that league, and he'll attempt to help Fort Wayne win a Kelly Cup when they hit the ice against the Indy Fire on October 20!

This former UPEI Panthers defender will have his third set of uniforms in as many years. Owen Headrick, the ECHL's reigning Defenseman of the Year, will not be back in Idado Steelheads' colours to defend his trophy as he's on the move up the hockey ladder once again. Headrick will play in the AHL this season after the Chicago Wolves signed the rearguard to a deal on July 18 after earning the ECHL's top honour for defencemen on the strength of a 54-point season that saw him become just the fourth rookie in ECHL history to earn those honours. While the Wolves are unaffiliated for this season after opting to play as an independent AHL team, there will likely be a number of NHL teams who keep their eyes on Headrick if he plays as well for them as he did in Idaho.

A couple of U SPORTS programs celebrated these signings, but it's hard to understand why the conferences and U SPORTS itself isn't doing updates like you find here. As an example, Canada West's website has been down since the end of the university year, and it's still showing "We're Moving" on its landing page which hasn't changed in months. It's hard to be excited for any sports when all you have on your website is an image of cardboard boxes, so Canada West is, at the very least, continuing its long tradition of being rather useless when it comes to promoting its sports and athletes.

In any case, HBIC will remain on the case when U SPORTS players get signed. If there's one website out there ensuring you know who is playing where next season when it comes to U SPORTS teams, HBIC has you covered with all the signings!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!