DAUPHIN, MB – The Dauphin Kings are adding size, grit and more skill up front in their latest off season signing!
On Thursday the Kings announced that they have signed 18 year old forward Matthew Pitchenese (1999).
The 6’3 forward from Eagle Lake First Nation led the Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League’s Kenora Thistles in scoring last season, racking up 20 goals and 22 assists for 42 points. He then joined the SIJHL’s Dryden Ice Dogs where he helped the club make it to Ontario’s Dudley Hewitt Cup.
Fans may remember Pitchenese was the other player the Kings added in their trade with the Portage Terriers early in the 2016-17 season. That deal saw Dauphin also acquire Ashton Clark and Howard Yawit, both have since graduated.
“Matthew is a player that can beat you in a number of different ways. He’s got great feet and has excellent puck skills to go along with his big frame” says Kings Head Coach and General Manager Marc Berry.
“He’s a player we expect to make an immediate impact with our hockey club” added Berry.
“I’m very excited to sign with the Kings. I had been keeping in touch with Marc throughout the spring and it seems like a great fit for me” says Pitchenese.
“The way Dauphin’s team is structured and how they’re focused on getting guys to the next level with schooling and hockey really interested me. I’m also looking forward to playing with a bunch of their players, they’ve got a lot of young talent and I’m excited to be a part of it for the next few years.”
The Kings are excited to welcome Matthew and the rest of his family to the City of Sunshine!