K-WINGS SIGN TWO ROOKIES, FORWARD JORDAN SEYFERT & GOALTENDER HAYDEN STEWART

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 20, 2023

K-WINGS SIGN TWO ROOKIES, FORWARD JORDAN SEYFERT & GOALTENDER HAYDEN STEWART

Kalamazoo welcomes ‘heart and soul’ rookie forward and stout rookie netminder to 2023-24 roster.

KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, announced Wednesday that the team has signed rookie forward Jordan Seyfert to a Standard Player Contract for the 2023-24 season.

The team also announced rookie goaltender Hayden Stewart signed a Professional Tryout contract (PTO).

Seyfert, 24, is an Annville, Pennsylvania native who turns pro after four seasons at Merrimack College. The forward suited up in 100 games for the Warriors from 2018 thru 2023, recording twelve goals and 25 assists in that span. 

“Jordan Seyfert is a heart and soul player that fits our culture,” said Joel Martin, Kalamazoo Wings director of hockey operations and head coach. “He can play up and down the lineup.”

Prior to joining Merrimack, the 5-foot 10-inch, 185-pound centerman won two USHL titles with the Chicago Steel (2016-17: 23 GP, 1g, 3a, 8 PIM) and Fargo Force (2017-18: 15 GP, 4g, 5a, 41 PIM). Seyfert joined both championship teams as a key midseason addition, registering one goal and three assists across 24 career Clark Cup playoff games. 

“It’s an honor to play for this organization,” Seyfert said. "Community is something I take pride in, and I’ve heard the fans bring excitement every night. Those two things make this opportunity to pursue a championship even more rewarding.”

Last season, Seyfert also helped lead Merrimack to its third NCAA D-I Tournament (2022-23: 35 GP, 7g, 6a, 10 PIM, +11) in North Andover.

Stewart, 28, is a 6-foot 3-inch, 205-pound Rockford, Illinois, native who has spent the last three seasons with the SPHL’s Birmingham Bulls. In 2022-23, Stewart went 12-8-1 as a starter with two playoff victories for the Bulls (22 GP, 2.71 GAA, .905 SV%). 

“Hayden Stewart is a big goalie that uses his size and technical ability to frustrate shooters,” said Martin.

The left-trapping netminder played collegiately at Cornell University from 2015 thru 2018, going 6-7-1 in 14 career starts for the Big Red. Stewart’s ECHL debut came with the Cincinnati Cyclones in 2017-18 (4 GP, .901 SV%, 2-2-0), and he's made other appearances with Orlando (2018-19: 5 GP), Fort Wayne (2018-19: 1 GP), and Rapid City (2021-22: 1 GP) in his career.

“Growing up watching the K-Wings play often, I am looking forward to being a piece of such a historical organization,” Stewart said. “I have heard about how passionate the fans are in Kalamazoo, and I can’t wait to experience that in person.” 

Stewart is also credited with the first goal scored by a goaltender in SPHL history, finding the empty net in a 3-0 win over Evansville with the Bulls in March of last season.

Kalamazoo’s ‘Home Opener’ kicks off the 2023-24 regular season on Saturday, October 21 versus Toledo Walleye at 7:00 p.m. EST at Wings Event Center. Tickets to the preseason, the Home Opener and each of the K-Wings’s 36-game home schedule can be purchased HERE.

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Last season, over 25-thousand people enjoyed a K-Wings game on a Group Outing! And with the season just a few months away, spots are filling up fast for 2023-24. Click HERE to lock in your group NOW!

It’s also not too early to secure 2023-24 K-Wings season tickets. Enjoy exclusive benefits, including guaranteed seat location to all 36 home games, complimentary parking, early access to the arena and more. Click HERE to join the ranks of the K-Wings High Flyers today.

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The Kalamazoo Wings are a professional hockey team located in southwest Michigan that has been a staple in the Kalamazoo, MI professional sports landscape since 1974. The K-Wings compete in the ECHL and are the AA affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks and the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Canucks. Kalamazoo plays their 36 regular season home games at Wings Event Center from October through April.

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