Wellenreiter joins Troops

The North Bay Battalion has signed right winger Nick Wellenreiter, a free agent, to a scholarship and development agreement, the Ontario Hockey League club announced Thursday.

Wellenreiter, who turned 18 on Feb. 17, has played this season with the Coquitlam Express of the British Columbia Hockey League, which withdrew from Hockey Canada effective June 1, 2023. Hockey Canada has approved Wellenreiter’s return to sanctioned play.

A Waterdown, Ont., resident who arrived in North Bay on Wednesday, Wellenreiter will be with the Battalion for two road games against the Soo Greyhounds on Friday and Saturday nights.

“The organization’s been great so far,” said the native of Houston, Texas. “The guys have been welcoming, and I’m just excited to get going.”

A right shot who stands five-foot-11 and weighs 176 pounds, Wellenreiter had three goals and 12 assists for 15 points in 20 games with Coquitlam. He split last season between the BCHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders and Salmon Arm Silverbacks, totaling seven goals and six assists for 13 points in 38 games.

Wellenreiter played three seasons, culminating in 2022-23, for Bishop Kearney High School of Rochester, N.Y. In his final campaign, with the U16 team, he amassed 46 goals and 61 assists for 107 points in 74 games.

He’s the first player acquired by the Battalion since the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division I council voted Nov. 7 to permit former Canadian Hockey League players to compete for Division I schools in the U.S. starting next Aug. 1. Previously, CHL participation ended players’ eligibility, with some opting to retain it by playing in the United States Hockey League or the BCHL, which declared itself independent to be able to recruit across Canada.

“Nick is a player who wouldn’t have been available before the recent NCAA rule change and will be a big help to our current team,” said Adam Dennis, the Battalion’s president and director of hockey operations.

“He brings a lot of speed and skill and was a player who might not have got as much attention in his OHL draft year playing in the U.S. and having NCAA aspirations. Since then, he has grown and developed into a player we feel can step in and help us right away.

“We look forward to working with the University of Maine, where he is committed, and thank Nick and his family for choosing our program. We look forward to helping him continue in his development.”

The first game of the Soo trip, scheduled for 7:07 p.m. Friday, can be seen live in North Bay on YourTV Channels 12 and 700.