ESTERO, Fla. —The Florida Everblades made another significant offseason acquisition on Thursday to further bolster the team’s offensive depth for the 2019-20 season.
Everblades General Manager Craig Brush, along with head coach Brad Ralph, announced that the ‘Blades have agreed to terms with forward Michael Huntebrinker, a proven producer at the ECHL level who split time in the American Hockey League and ECHL in 2018-19.
“Huntebrinker is a standout,” Ralph said. “He’s an intelligent, hard-working player that can play in all situations. He will lead our team offensively and certainly adds to our desire to be the best.”
Heading into his third professional season, Huntebrinker is coming off a sensational sophomore campaign that saw him average better than a point per game with the ECHL’s Reading Royals. Huntebrinker, 27, totaled 44 points (18g-26a) in only 36 games and finished with the highest points-per-game average of any Royals player who played in more than 30 games. The Chesterfield, Missouri, native also suited up in 22 games for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms and tabbed a pair of goals.
A product of Minnesota State University, Mankato, Huntebrinker played the entire 2017-18 season with the Royals and saw action in 65 games. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound winger finished sixth in overall scoring for Reading that season with 41 points (20g-21a) and more than doubled the next-highest point total of a Royals rookie skater.
Prior to turning pro with Reading at the end of the 2016-17 season, Huntebrinker played four seasons for MSU from 2013-17. He registered 15 goals and 53 points in 124 career games with the Mavericks. He helped lead MSU to a WCHA regular season championship in 2013-14 and a Broadmoor Trophy, the postseason championship in the WCHA, in both the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons.
Florida starts the 2019-20 season on the road before returning to Hertz Arena for Opening Night on Saturday, Oct. 19.
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