Roster, Captains, New Addition
Hawks Make Final Preparations for New Season
Mason Reiners will serve as the Waterloo Black Hawks’ captain when the new United States Hockey League season opens tomorrow during the USHL Fall Classic in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.
The Hawks announced Reiners’ captaincy on Wednesday, as well as revealing the team’s full roster which includes the addition of forward Tyler Kostelecky, who was added this week after spending the preseason with the Tri-City Storm.
Reiners is in his third full season with the Black Hawks and is the only current member of the organization to have appeared in more than 100 regular season games (105). He made his USHL debut on March 26, 2019, dressing for five games that spring as an affiliate, and he has been in the lineup for 100 of 102 possible games during the past two winters. The 20-year-old from Edina, Minnesota, has recorded three goals and 25 assists in USHL competition. Last week, Reiners committed to St. Cloud State University.
The Black Hawks’ associate captains will be forward Jacob Jeannette and defenseman Tucker Ness. Like Reiners, Jeannette is in his third season with Waterloo. The Duluth, Minnesota, native has eight goals and 10 assists in 62 games, including two game-winning goals last year. Jeannette’s +2 plus/minus differential ranked third among the Hawks last season and is best among returning players. Ness is preparing for his second year in the Cedar Valley after taking the ice 44 times with a goal and four assists as a rookie. His older brother, Griffin, previously served as the Hawks’ captain during the 2019/20 season.
Kostelecky comes to Waterloo after a solid 2020/21 season in the North American Hockey League with the Minot Minotauros. He produced 17 goals and 31 total points in 36 appearances. Kostelecky’s year was highlighted by four multigoal games. Prior to his time in junior hockey, Kostelecky played for Maple Grove (MN) High School, where he was the team’s captain as a senior. He turned 20 this summer and is committed to Arizona State University.
All Black Hawks roster adjustments during the 2021/22 season are presented by Upper Cervial Health Centers in Cedar Falls and Doctors Kyle Troyer and Tyler Speed.
The 2021/22 Black Hawks roster includes eight players who were with the organization fulltime in 2020/21. Four others (Carter Batchelder, Owen Baker, Garrett Schifsky, and Jake Rozzi) had brief stints with the team. Kostelecky is among a group of players coming to Waterloo after notable experience last year with other junior clubs, including Tyler Procious (Muskegon), Mason McCormick (Shreveport, NAHL), Hunter Jones (Wichita Falls, NAHL), and Ben Brunette (Powell River, BCHL).
Waterloo’s first game of the forthcoming campaign is against the Green Bay Gamblers. Puck drop is scheduled from 11 a.m. Central Time Thursday. The Hawks’ home opener is October 1st versus the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Fans at Young Arena will receive a 2021/22 schedule poster presented by Karen’s Print Rite. It will also be the first Fleet Farm Friday Night of the new season. Order seats online from tickets.waterlooblackhawks.com or by calling the Domino’s Black Hawks Box Office at (319) 291-7680.
|
# |
GOALIE |
POS |
D.O.B |
HEIGHT |
WEIGHT |
HOMETOWN |
COLLEGE |
|
1 |
Emmett Croteau |
G |
Dec 7, 2003 |
6.2 |
181 |
Bonnyville, AB |
Clarkson |
|
35 |
Jack Williams |
G |
Jun 21, 2001 |
6.4 |
185 |
St.Louis, MO |
|
|
# |
DEFENSE |
POS |
D.O.B |
HEIGHT |
WEIGHT |
HOMETOWN |
COLLEGE |
|
4 |
Cooper Wylie |
D |
Oct 26, 2001 |
6.0 |
190 |
Stillwater, MN |
St. Cloud State |
|
6 |
Mason Reiners |
D |
May 3, 2001 |
6.1 |
186 |
Edina, MN |
St. Cloud State |
|
10 |
Tucker Ness |
D |
Nov 25, 2002 |
6.2 |
215 |
Wayzata, MN |
|
|
18 |
Tucker Shedd |
D |
Sep 8, 2004 |
6.0 |
183 |
Holt, MI |
Michigan State |
|
22 |
Adam Cardona |
D |
Oct 5, 2003 |
6.2 |
196 |
Beaconsfield, QC |
|
|
27 |
Tyler Procious |
D |
May 29, 2003 |
5.10 |
170 |
Pittsford, NY |
|
|
52 |
Ben Brunette |
D |
Aug 1, 2002 |
5.11 |
181 |
North Bay, ON |
Massachusetts-Lowell |
|
88 |
Patrick Geary |
D |
Feb 18, 2004 |
6.0 |
164 |
Hamburg, NY |
|
|
# |
FORWARD |
POS |
D.O.B |
HEIGHT |
WEIGHT |
HOMETOWN |
COLLEGE |
|
9 |
Michael LaStarza |
F |
Jan 14, 2004 |
5.10 |
170 |
Montral, QC |
Boston University |
|
12 |
John Waldron |
F |
Nov 13, 2002 |
6.0 |
182 |
Batavia, IL |
Miami |
|
13 |
Jake Schneider |
F |
Dec 24, 2002 |
5.11 |
194 |
Plymouth, MN |
|
|
14 |
Jacob Jeannette |
F |
Dec 13, 2002 |
6.1 |
209 |
Duluth, MN |
|
|
16 |
Owen Baker |
F |
Jan 29, 2004 |
5.9 |
175 |
Howell, MI |
Michigan State |
|
17 |
Connor Brown |
F |
May 3, 2005 |
5.9 |
168 |
Estero, FL |
|
|
19 |
James Hong |
F |
Nov 22, 2004 |
5.9 |
175 |
Irvine, CA |
|
|
20 |
Hunter Jones |
F |
Jul 13, 2002 |
5.10 |
163 |
Andover, MN |
|
|
21 |
Carter Batchelder |
F |
Feb 25, 2003 |
5.10 |
176 |
Eden Prairie, MN |
Colorado College |
|
24 |
Tyler Kostelecky |
F |
Jun 23, 2001 |
5.9 |
174 |
Maple Grove, MN |
Arizona State |
|
25 |
Mason McCormick |
F |
May 25, 2001 |
6.3 |
193 |
Verona, WI |
Air Force |
|
26 |
Conner Schneider |
F |
Aug 17, 2003 |
5.9 |
174 |
Madison, WI |
Nebraska-Omaha |
|
28 |
Garrett Schifsky |
F |
Apr 8, 2003 |
5.09 |
166 |
Andover, MN |
|
|
29 |
Gavin O’Connell |
F |
Feb 19, 2004 |
5.11 |
169 |
Wayzata, MN |
|
|
71 |
Jake Rozzi |
F |
Jan 27, 2004 |
5.11 |
137 |
Kirkland, QC |
|
|
81 |
Nicholas Ahern |
F |
Dec 2, 2002 |
5.9 |
170 |
Chicago, IL |
|