Forward Blake Winiecki Back To Defend The Kelly Cup

ESTERO, Fla. - Florida Everblades General Manager Craig Brush, along with Director of Hockey Operations and Head Coach Brad Ralph, announced today the re-signing of forward Blake Winiecki for the 2022-23 season. 

Winiecki, 28, enters his fifth season with the Blades. During the 2021-22 season, Winiecki registered career-highs with 33 goals and 37 assists for 70 points in 68 games. He achieved the Everblades’ longest assist and point streaks of the season with five and 10 games, respectively. Furthermore, Winiecki led the Blades in multi-point games during the regular season with 18. In the 2022 Kelly Cup playoffs, Winiecki played in all 20 games, where he tallied two goals and 11 assists. 

The lone Everblades representative at the 2022 ECHL All-Star Classic, Winiecki collected two goals and an assist in the All-Stars’ 14-7 victory over host Jacksonville.

The Lakeville, Minnesota native started with the Blades during the 2017-18 season, during which he played four games. Winiecki solidified his name with the Blades during the 2018-19 season. That season, the forward played 61 games and tallied 25 goals and 34 assists. He secured 11 goals and five assists in 16 games that postseason. 

After his breakout season, Winiecki became a crucial asset to the team. He tallied 19 goals and 26 assists in 54 games in the 2020-21 regular season. In the 2021 Kelly Cup Playoffs, Winiecki finished with two points in five games. During the 2019-20 season, Winiecki appeared in 56 games, tallying 24 goals and 26 assists. He was loaned to the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL) for seven games that season, where he scored one goal. 

Before going pro, Winiecki attended St. Cloud State University, where he played NCAA Division I hockey in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC). He was named to the All-NCHC Academic Team all three years of his collegiate career. During his tenure with the Huskies, Winiecki totaled 37 goals and 38 assists in 145 career games. 

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.