Former Grande Prairie Storm forward Tanner Fritz has signed a two-year, two-way (NHL/AHL) entry-level contract which will begin at the start of the 2017-18 season.
Fritz, 25, currently ranks second in points this season with 40 (19 goals, 21 assists) in 61 games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League. Fritz's mark of six power-play goals, is tied for eighth among all AHL rookies.
Fritz, who was born in Grande Prairie in 1991, is in the middle of his first full professional season despite playing 19 regular season games last season. Fritz has collected 52 points (21 goals, 31 assists) in 80 career AHL games and 33 points (10 goals, 23 assists) in 43 ECHL games. Fritz added two helpers in three AHL playoff games last season.
Prior to turning professional, Fritz played four seasons at Ohio State University where he recorded 110 points (36 goals, 74 assists) in 142 NCAA games. Fritz served as team captain during his senior year and as an alternate caption his junior year. During his last two seasons at OSU, Fritz won the NCAA (Big Ten) Sportsmanship Award (2013-14, 2014-15).
He played in the Grande Peace Athletic Club with the Bantam AAA Storm and the Midget AA Storm before joining the Junior A Storm, where he played four seasons from 2007 to 2011.
He played four exhibition games with the Islanders at the start of this season.
If he ends up playing a regular season game with the Islanders he will be the third Storm graduate to play in the NHL. The first was Grant Stevenson (47 games with the San Jose Sharks 2005-2006) and the second Carter Rowney, who is currently playing with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
