Raleigh, N.C. — The Salmon Arm Silverbacks are excited to share that alumnus Chase Priskie has signed an NHL contract with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Priskie played for the Silverbacks during the 2014-15 season, where he recorded 20 points (6g, 14a) in 57 games. The Florida native then secured a scholarship to Quinnipiac University, where he stood out right away with 26 points in his freshman season, good enough to earn ECAC Hockey all-rookie team honours while also helping the Bobcats reach the NCAA national championship game.
This past spring, the 23-year-old concluded a standout four-year college career, finishing as the program’s all-time leader for goals by a defenceman with 39, and ranking second among defencemen with 116 points and third among defencemen with 77 assists. He served as the team’s captain for two years and was a Top 10 Finalist for the 2019 Hobey Baker Award.
“Chase was one of the best defensemen in college hockey last season,” Hurricanes president and general manager Don Waddell said in a team press release. “We believe he has a bright future in the NHL, and we’re thrilled that he has chosen to come to Carolina.”
In his senior season, the 5-foot-11, 192-pound blueliner registered 39 points (17g, 22a) in 36 games and led all NCAA Division I defensemen in goals, power-play goals (10) and game-winning goals (5).
The two-year entry-level contract will pay Priskie $832,500 per season at the NHL level and $70,000 per season at the AHL level. Originally drafted by the Washington Capitals in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft (177th overall), Priskie became an unrestricted free agent on Aug. 15, 2019 due to a provision in the collective bargaining agreement that allows college players drafted at 20 years of age or older to choose their own destination if they haven’t reached an agreement with the team that originally drafted them three years after their selection.
Priskie is the fifth Silverbacks alumni currently signed to an NHL contract, joining Taro Hirose (Detroit Red Wings), Josh Manson (Anaheim Ducks), Riley Nash (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Travis Zajac (New Jersey Devils).
A reminder that the Silverbacks open main camp on August 19 at the Shaw Centre. Their 2019 home preseason games are Saturday, August 24 against the West Kelowna Warriors and Wednesday, August 28 against the Vernon Vipers. Tickets for all preseason and regular season games can be purchased by clicking here. For season’s tickets, which start as low as $200, click here.
