Mavericks Add Four To Recruiting Class
May 4, 2016 | Hockey
OMAHA, Neb. – Omaha hockey head coach Dean Blais announced the signing of four student-athletes to National Letters of Intent on Wednesday. All four will join two previously announced signees on the Mavericks' roster for the 2016-17 season.
“Forwards will make up a majority of this incoming class,” said Blais. “Due to graduation and an early departure, we have the greatest need up front. All of these players, the goaltender and defensemen as well, give us the kind of student-athlete who will fit well with our current roster and help us compete for a National Collegiate Hockey Conference championship.”
Of the four new incoming student-athletes, one is American, two are Canadian and one hails from Finland. Three are forwards and one is a defensemen. Two of the student-athletes played for teams in the United States Hockey League last season while the other two played in Canadian junior leagues. They will join previously announced signees Ryan Jones and Kris Oldham on the ice this fall.
The following is a list of the new incoming players sorted alphabetically by position:
Forward
Colin Grannary – Merritt (BCHL)
Height: 6-0; Weight: 170; Hometown: Delta, British Columbia; DOB: Sept. 24, 1997
Grannary led Merritt of the BCHL in scoring last year with 28 goals and 48 assists for 76 points. He finished ninth in scoring in the British Columbia Hockey League. His assist total also led the team. In addition, he had 44 penalty minutes while playing in 55 games. In 110 career games with Merritt, he had 47 goals and 68 assists for 115 points and 58 penalty minutes.
Zach Jordan – Des Moines (USHL)
Height: 6-3; Weight: 213; Hometown: Collinsville, Ill.; DOB: Nov. 12, 1996
In 60 games with Des Moines in 2015-16, Jordan had 32 goals and 12 assists for 44 points to finish second on the team in points and first in goals. He tied for fourth in the USHL in goals scored and also led his team with five game-winning goals. He also earned 80 penalty minutes. In 93 career games with Des Moines, he had 38 goals and 18 assists for 56 points and 114 penalty minutes. He also played 41 games with Omaha of the USHL from 2013-15, scoring two goals and earning four assists along with 28 penalty minutes.
Teemu Pulkkinen – Sioux City (USHL)
Height: 5-9; Weight: 177; Hometown: Kirkkonummi, Finland; DOB: March 13, 1995
Pulkkinen finished the 2015-16 season ranked third in scoring for Sioux City with 15 goals and 16 assists for 31 points in 43 games. He also had a team-leading four game-winning goals in addition to four penalty minutes.
Defense
Dean Stewart – Portage (MJHL)
Height: 6-2; Weight: 178; Hometown: Portage la Prairie, Manitoba; DOB: June 10, 1998
In 42 games for Portage in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League in 2015-16, Stewart had eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points as well as 28 penalty minutes. He added three goals and 10 assists for 13 points and had eight penalty minutes in 13 playoff games as the Terriers won the MJHL playoff championship. In 75 career games with Portage, he had nine goals and 19 assists for 28 points and 30 penalty minutes.
“Forwards will make up a majority of this incoming class,” said Blais. “Due to graduation and an early departure, we have the greatest need up front. All of these players, the goaltender and defensemen as well, give us the kind of student-athlete who will fit well with our current roster and help us compete for a National Collegiate Hockey Conference championship.”
Of the four new incoming student-athletes, one is American, two are Canadian and one hails from Finland. Three are forwards and one is a defensemen. Two of the student-athletes played for teams in the United States Hockey League last season while the other two played in Canadian junior leagues. They will join previously announced signees Ryan Jones and Kris Oldham on the ice this fall.
The following is a list of the new incoming players sorted alphabetically by position:
Forward
Colin Grannary – Merritt (BCHL)
Height: 6-0; Weight: 170; Hometown: Delta, British Columbia; DOB: Sept. 24, 1997
Grannary led Merritt of the BCHL in scoring last year with 28 goals and 48 assists for 76 points. He finished ninth in scoring in the British Columbia Hockey League. His assist total also led the team. In addition, he had 44 penalty minutes while playing in 55 games. In 110 career games with Merritt, he had 47 goals and 68 assists for 115 points and 58 penalty minutes.
Zach Jordan – Des Moines (USHL)
Height: 6-3; Weight: 213; Hometown: Collinsville, Ill.; DOB: Nov. 12, 1996
In 60 games with Des Moines in 2015-16, Jordan had 32 goals and 12 assists for 44 points to finish second on the team in points and first in goals. He tied for fourth in the USHL in goals scored and also led his team with five game-winning goals. He also earned 80 penalty minutes. In 93 career games with Des Moines, he had 38 goals and 18 assists for 56 points and 114 penalty minutes. He also played 41 games with Omaha of the USHL from 2013-15, scoring two goals and earning four assists along with 28 penalty minutes.
Teemu Pulkkinen – Sioux City (USHL)
Height: 5-9; Weight: 177; Hometown: Kirkkonummi, Finland; DOB: March 13, 1995
Pulkkinen finished the 2015-16 season ranked third in scoring for Sioux City with 15 goals and 16 assists for 31 points in 43 games. He also had a team-leading four game-winning goals in addition to four penalty minutes.
Defense
Dean Stewart – Portage (MJHL)
Height: 6-2; Weight: 178; Hometown: Portage la Prairie, Manitoba; DOB: June 10, 1998
In 42 games for Portage in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League in 2015-16, Stewart had eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points as well as 28 penalty minutes. He added three goals and 10 assists for 13 points and had eight penalty minutes in 13 playoff games as the Terriers won the MJHL playoff championship. In 75 career games with Portage, he had nine goals and 19 assists for 28 points and 30 penalty minutes.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Hockey
D
/ Hockey
F
/ Hockey
G
/ Hockey
F
/ Hockey
D
/ HockeyTuesday, September 01
Wednesday, August 26
Friday, August 21
Tuesday, April 21
