On Wednesday July 8th, the Fort Wayne Komets announced the signing of the teams Defensemen of the Year, Olivier Galipeau.
Galipeau, 23-years-old, returns for his second season in the orange and black attack. Last season in his first playing professional, Galipeau played 55 games, racking up eight goals and 26 assists. While collecting 34 points, he also added on 14 penalty minutes.
Olivier made his pro debut with the Atlanta Gladiators in 2018/19. During that time, he amassed six goals and 17 assists for 23 points. While adding on 20 penalty minutes, he managed to do so in 56 games. Galipeau has also appeared in nine AHL contests between Providence and Chicago.
Galipeau played junior hockey in the QMJHL between Val d’Or, Chicoutimi and Acadie-Bathurst. He did so from 2013/14 to 2017/2018. He capped off his junior career with a Memorial Cup Championship while playing with the Titans.
In a statement from GM David Franke, he said on Wednesday with regards to the signing, “Anytime you can bring back your defenseman of the year it’s a good thing. Olivier is a talented defenseman who can contribute offensively as his numbers show from last year, he’s also very valuable on special teams.”