The Kansas City Mavericks, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, announced Wednesday morning that former Cornell men’s hockey forward Eric Freschi ’17 signed with the team for the 2017-18 season, becoming the seventh member of last year’s graduating class to sign a professional contract.
🖋 Signing News! We have re-signed forward @MBertson9 and have signed forward Eric Freschi. For full story read 👓👉 https://t.co/NVmHfOeD18 pic.twitter.com/RwdLwJYNAT
— KC Mavericks (@kc_mavericks) September 20, 2017
“I’m most excited to join an organization that is committed to a team-first attitude and that wants to win the right way,” Freschi said, according to the team’s website. “Talking with the coaching staff made my decision easy because I could tell the staff values hard-nosed players, which I pride myself on.”
The Bloomington, Minnesota native played in 126 games during his time in Ithaca, the most amongst his graduating class. He was acknowledged for his “contributions to the team [that] don’t show up in the box score, but rather are in the form of energy, heart and hustle” by being awarded the Cornell Hockey Association’s Award two seasons in a row.
Freschi accounted for 14 points his senior season last year in the form of 12 assists and two goals, including a game-winning goal against Colgate in his 100th career game to lift the Red to a 3-2 victory back in late November.
“Speaking with Eric, he’s looking to come in, compete and do whatever it takes to help his team win,” Mavericks head coach John-Scott Dickson said, according to the team’s website. “He’s a guy who is coming in to make an impression and I know we’re all excited to see him at camp in October.”
With the signing, Freschi joins six of his classmates in signing with a professional organization out of college. Patrick McCarron ’17 signed with the AHL’s the Grand Rapids Griffins, Mitch Gillam ’17 originally with the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears but participated in NHL Rookie Camp for the New York Islanders this past summer, Matt Buckles ’17 with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds, Jake Weidner ’17 with the Iserlohn Roosters in Germany, Jeff Kubiak ’17 with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Holden Anderson ’17 with the Herlev Eagles in Denmark.