Manitoba Moose sign seven players

As I indicated yesterday the Moose are going to be bringing back their captain Patrice Cormier as well as Winnipegger Peter Stoykewych on one- year deals for the 2017-18 season.  In addition to these two they have also signed five other players including Darren Kramer, Brody Sutter, Francis Beauvillier, Jake Kulevich and Colton Phinney.

Moose Release:

The Manitoba Moose Hockey Club announced today the team has re-signed forwards Patrice Cormier and Darren Kramer, along with defenceman Peter Stoykewych to one-year contracts.  The club also signed forwards Brody Sutter and Francis Beauvillier, defenceman Jake Kulevich and goaltender Colton Phinney to one-year deals.

Cormier, 27, served as captain for the Moose in 2016-17, while chalking up 29 points (13G, 16A) and 101 penalty minutes in 69 games.  Those marks were good for seventh on the team in scoring and third in penalty minutes.  Having played 333 games with the Winnipeg Jets’ affiliate, Cormier sits sixth on the team’s all-time games played list.  In his AHL career of 344 games, the Moncton, N.B. native has 157 points (76G, 81A) and 504 penalty minutes.

Kramer, 25, enters his third campaign with the Moose after posting four points (3G, 1A) and 89 penalty minutes in 42 games last season.  For career totals, the Peace River, Alta. product has 38 points (18G, 20A) along with 772 penalty minutes.  Kramer’s best offensive output was during the 2014-15 season when he posted 17 points (5G, 12A) in 70 games with the Binghamton Senators.

Stoykewych, 24, enjoyed a career year with the Moose last season.  The Colorado College product finished third among Manitoba defenders with 20 points (5G, 15A) in 72 games.  He also finished fourth on the team with a plus-six rating.  A native of Winnipeg, Stoykewych has appeared in 125 AHL games, while totaling 28 points (5G, 23A).

Sutter, 25, tallied nine points (4G, 5A) in 19 games for the Springfield Thunderbirds last season.  During his 230-game AHL career, the 6’5, 205 lb. forward has 92 points (41G, 51A) to his credit alongside 102 penalty minutes.  A seventh round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2011, Sutter has appeared in 12 NHL games, all with Carolina.

Beauvillier, 23, appeared in nine games with the Moose last season, tallying five points (4G, 1A) to go with 13 penalty minutes.  Before his stint with Manitoba, Beauvillier posted 54 points (26G, 28A) in 74 games throughout three seasons with the University of New Brunswick.  The Sorel-Tracy, Que. native helped the Varsity Reds win back-to-back U Sports Men’s Hockey Championships in 2016 and 2017.

Kulevich, 24, registered two assists in 11 games with the Moose to close out the 2016-17 campaign.  The Salem, Mass. native posted a career high 22 points (6G, 16A) in 37 games to lead Colgate University (ECAC) in scoring last season.  The Raiders’ captain finished his NCAA career totaling 60 points (15G, 45A) in 150 games during four seasons at Colgate.

Phinney, 24, completed his NCAA career in 2016-17, playing four seasons at Princeton University (ECAC).  A product of Chatham, N.J., Phinney holds numerous goaltending records at Princeton, where he appeared in 110 games, compiling a record of 27-74-9 with a 3.10 GAA and 0.912 SV%.  In 2016-17, the five-time ECAC Goalie of the Week went 14-16-3, supported by a 3.06 GAA and 0.908 SV%.