ESTERO, Fla. - Florida Everblades General Manager Craig Brush, along with Director of HockeyOperations and Head Coach Brad Ralph, announced on Tuesday the signing of forwards Jake Durflinger and Oliver Chau for the 2022-23 season.Durflinger, 24, joins the Everblades after completing a five-year collegiate career at the University of Denverand Merrimack College. At the University of Denver, the Walnut Creek, California native tallied 15 goals and 18 assists in 131 games through four seasons.
Durflinger was named to the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Academic All-Conference Team all four seasons with the Pioneers. In addition, Durflinger was on the NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete list for his freshman, sophomore, and senior seasons. Denver made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament during Durflinger’s collegiate career, reaching the Frozen Four in the2018-2019 season. Durflinger notched three goals and six assists in 34 games during his graduate season at Merrimack College.
Before attending college, Durflinger played for the Sioux City Musketeers from 2013 to 2016 and the Bloomington Thunder from 2016 to 2017 in the United States Hockey (USHL). Durflinger tallied nine goals and 15 assists in 62 games with the Musketeers. He served as an alternate captain during the 2015-16season. He then tallied 23 goals and 33 assists in 103 games with the Thunder. Durflinger was one of the team’s alternate captains during the 2016-17 season.Chau, 24, joins the Everblades after competing in 10 games during the 2021-22 season for the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League. In those 10 games, the Oakville, Ontario native registered four assists.
Before turning professional, Chau attended played at the University of Massachusetts for four seasons and Quinnipiac University for a fifth season. From 2017-21, Chau accumulated 28 goals and 56 assists in 135 games with the Minutemen.
During his four-year stay at UMass, Chau competed in two NCAA Division I Frozen Fours. He was a member of the NCAA Division I National Championship team as a senior in 2020-21, while also helping the Minutemen to national runner-up honors in 2018-19.
Highlighted by the raising of the 2022 Kelly Cup Championship banner, the Everblades 25th Anniversary home opener is Saturday, October 29 at 7:00pm against the Jacksonville Icemen at Hertz Arena.
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