NAHL’s Ice Wolves building for ’20-21 with recent tender signings
The NAHL’s New Mexico Ice Wolves are hoping a successful 2019-20 season on and off the ice will mean more highlights for the 2020-21 season.
In recent weeks, the Ice Wolves have signed a trio of players to tender agreements as forwards Tylor Greene and Micah Maldonado and defenseman Jimmy Jurcev are in the team’s plans for next season.
“I went to New Mexico’s main camp this past summer and then I went to New Mexico over Christmas break and played against the Amarillo Bulls,” said Greene, currently with the Colorado Springs Tigers’ 18U AAA team. “The coaching staff with New Mexico is great and the players work hard every day. It creates a great environment. The facilities are very nice, and the team has a very committed ownership.”
“We are very excited about signing Tylor to a tender agreement,” said Ice Wolves coach-GM Phil Fox. “He is a 200-foot player with great instincts all over the ice. With his high hockey IQ and compete level, we think he can be an impact player for our organization going forward. He thinks and plays the game at a high level and he is the type player we want here in New Mexico.”
Maldonado plays for the Dallas Stars’ 18U AAA team and is already looking forward to the future.
“I think it’s going to be a great opportunity and when I met the boys, I knew it was a special team to play for,” said Maldonado. “I chose the Ice Wolves because I’ve known (associate coach-assistant GM) Keenan Kelly for a long time and when I heard he was coming to New Mexico, I had to come down and see what it was all about.”
“Micah is a forward who has great hockey IQ,” added Fox. “He does all the things we are looking for in a player. Plays with speed, size, and is puck savvy. He makes the players around him better and is very hard to play against. We saw him at our main camp and knew we wanted to tender him for next year.”
Jurcev is a 16-year-old native of Palos Heights, Ill., playing this season for the Team Illinois 16U AAA team. He has registered eight goals and 31 points in 56 games.
“I am excited and proud to sign with New Mexico,” said Jurcev. “I have heard nothing but great things about what it is like to play there. I can’t wait to learn and develop not only as a hockey player but as a person.”
“Jimmy is a very smooth-skating defenseman with a great stick and great length,” added Kelly. “He has great poise with the puck and never panics under pressure. We are excited for him to take the next step in his career and look forward to him being a strong addition to our defensive corps next season.”
— Matt Mackinder
(March 3, 2020)
