The Kansas City Mavericks have announced that forward Jake Bricknell has signed a standard player contract for the 2021-22 season. The 24-year-old Port Perry, Ontario native will be joining the Mavericks for his first pro season. After playing two seasons at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Bricknell decided to turn to professional hockey after the Fall 2020 USports hockey season was canceled. Bricknell signed with the Brampton Beast, but with the Northern Division opting out of the ECHL season Brampton did not participate.
Bricknell spent four seasons in the OHL playing for the Belleville Bulls, Guelph Storm, and Hamilton Bulldogs. In those four seasons, he played 205 games and scored 42 points on 19 goals, and 23 assists. He also racked up 252 penalty minutes. He also spent a season and a half in the OJHL playing for the Cobourg Cougars and Aurora Tigers where he was captain. In 68 games in the OJHL he scored an impressive 117 points on 45 goals and 72 assists, and an eye-popping 148 penalty minutes. 99 of his OJHL points came in the 2017-18 season. In his two-season collegiate career, Bricknell played 51 games and scored 48 points on 20 goals and 28 assists. In his sophomore season at Ontario Tech, Bricknell had seven multi-point games.
Bricknell’s life and career have several parallels with his new teammate, Loren Ulett. Both players hail from Port Perry, Ontario, played for the Cobourg Cougars, and both attended the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. Like Ulett, Bricknell projects to be a gritty power forward. It would not be surprising if these two players become close over the course of the coming season.
As mentioned, this will be Bricknell’s first professional season and he is coming onto the team at a critical time. In order to make it back to the playoffs, this team needs young, dynamic players who lay it all out on the ice every night. Bricknell has shown the ability to perform at a high level in Canadian Major Junior Hockey, and in Canadian Collegiate Sports. Sometimes the transition from junior or collegiate hockey to the ECHL is a tough one for players, while other players really hit their stride when they play in the ECHL. Hopefully, Bricknell is part of the latter group.
Along with signing Bricknell, the Mavericks announced on August 26th that they have re-signed Defenseman Tommy Muck. Muck was in and out of the lineup last season only playing 47 games. In those 47 games, he had four assists and was a minus 18 +/- rating. Muck is the fourth defenseman of an overall unimpressive D-corps to be returning to the Mavericks. Before joining the Mavericks, Muck played four years at Bemidji State University where he was Captain of the Beavers hockey team his senior year. Hopefully, the 5’10” 25-year-old has a better season. As of yet, the Mavericks still have not announced any new defensemen joining the team.