On Thursday October 22nd, the Kalamazoo Wings announced the re-signing of American left-winger Justin Kovacs. The two sides agreed to terms on a standard player contract for the upcoming season.
Kovacs, from Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, played two seasons of junior hockey in the USHL for the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders. During hie tenure with the team, Kovacs recorded 20 goals along with 46 assists which made for 66 points. He did so in 82 games.
Following that, Kovacs spanned four seasons with the Western Michigan Broncos in the NCAA. Throughout, he tallied 23 goals along with 53 assists which made for 76 points, He did so in 129 games.
Over the next four seasons, Kovacs played two years with the K-Wings and another two with the Quad City Mallards. Following that, he spent two years overseas with Nitra HMC and the Nottingham Panthers.
Last year, he returned to the K-Wings and scored 11 goals along with 21 assists. That made for 32 points which the forward recorded in 52 games. Throughout the course of his ECHL career, Kovacs has recorded 40 goals along with 94 assists for 134 points. He’s done so in 161 contests.
In a statement from Nick Bootland on Thursday, head coach of the Kalamazoo Wings, he said of the team’s latest signing, “Justin is a talented player who makes the five foot give and go plays that most players do not even see, and executes those plays with ease. He battled through injuries almost all season last year and I know we all appreciated that from him.”
The K-Wings are set to partake in a 62-game season starting January 15th. This of course is pending jurisdictional approval from both the state and the local government.