Once again Ken Pearson went back to a talent pool he is familiar with, the Manitoba Midget AAA Hockey League, to sign some future North Stars.
Pearson, Battlefords North Stars general manager and head coach, announced the signing of two young forwards from separate MMAAAHL teams earlier this week.
The first player committed for the 2011-12 season is Tanner Quinn, a national champion, who played with the Winnipeg Thrashers. Quinn is listed at 57?, 186 pounds and has some junior experience, as he played three regular season games with the Winnipeg Saints of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and recorded one assist. Quinn had 18 goals and 27 assists in 44 games last season as a rookie with the Thrashers.
Tyson Stoesz, another 18-year-old, was the second player signed this week. Stoesz played with the Eastman Selects where he notched 19 goals and 24 assists in 44 games and was second on the team in points. Stoesz, the Steinbach forward, weighs in at 160 pounds, stands 59? and brings two years of midget AAA experience.
Quinn and Stoesz both finished in the top 20 in the MMAAAHL in points and should provid more secondary scoring for the North Stars come next season.
The two MMAAAHL graduates become the fourth and fifth 1993-born players to sign with the Battlefords North Stars, as Dillon Forbes, Jared Samborski and Nathan Zimbulak committed earlier in the month.
