ALUMNI REPORT

The Odessa Jackalopes joined the North American Hockey in 2011 after 14 seasons as a professional organization in both the Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL) and Central Hockey League (CHL).  Jacks alumni are spread throughout all levels of hockey including the NHL, NCAA, OHL, NAHL, and BCHL. Every month the Jacks will catch you up with those who once donned the iconic Jackalope’ on their chest.

NHL- Former Jackalope’ goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has cooled off with the Winnipeg Jets since beginning his National Hockey League Career 4-0, but the former Umass- Lowell River Hawk’ (Hockey East, D1) is coming off a 2-1 win over St. Louis in which he made 21 saves on 22 shots on February 9. Hellebuyck is 13-10-1 in 25 games played with Jets this season with 2.25 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage.

NCAA D1- Goaltender Tanner Creel (UCONN), forward Ian Mansfield (Army) and forward Tyler Poulsen (Alabama-Huntsville) have been the only current Jacks alumni to get significant playing time in this season for their respective NCAA D1 programs. Creel is 1-2-1 in seven appearances (five starts) for the Huskies in his freshman year with a 2.98 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage. Creel is coming off a 2-2 tie vs. Merrimack on February 6 in which he made 43 saves on 45 shots. Mansfield has zero points through 20 games with the Black Knights and is coming off a game against Sacred Heart in which he registered one shot. Poulson scored his third goal of the season in his last game on January 30 in a 4-3 loss to Alaska-Anchorage. Poulsen has points in three of his last four games (2 goals, 1 assist).

NCAA D3- The Jacks currently have 36 alumni competing at the NCAA Division III level.

OHL

USHL- Kenny Hausinger has been one of the Des Moines Buccaneers most lethal contributors this season in his first USHL campaign. Hausinger is tied for the team lead in points (39) and is second in goals (14). Both Kenny and his brother Christian decommitted from Sacred Heart (Atlantic Hockey, D1) in late November and have reopened their recruitment. Christian is part of his third USHL club this season after being traded from the Muskegon Lumberjacks to the Bloomington Thunder. In two games with Bloomington, the defenseman has zero points and a +1 rating. Oliver Celec suffered and early concussion after being traded to Des Moines for Ben DeMaio in December, but the former Jack has one assist in 6 games played.

NAHL- Due to a recent flurry of trades, a few more alumni are spread throughout the NAHL. Jacks defenseman Tim Faulkner collected a pair of assists against the Austin Bruins on January 23rd and has 50 PIM in eight games with the Brookings Blizzard. Eric Carreras scored a goal and tacked on an assist in his debut with the Aston Rebels on February 6th against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Gunner Rivers began his Minotauros career 2-0 but is coming off a 3-2 overtime loss on February 5th against the Aberdeen Wings.

BCHL- The only former Jack' competing in the BCHL (British Columbia Hockey League) currently is Cornell  (NCAA, D1) committed forward Corey Hoffman. Hoffman began the year with the Prince George Spruce Kings where he played 41 games and collected 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists). Last year in Odessa, Hoffman appeared in 34 games for the Jacks, tallying 32 points (10 goals, 22 assists).