FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 18, 2025

K-WINGS ACQUIRE FORWARD PATRICK NEWELL FROM GARGOYLES & SIGN ROOKIE DEFENSEMAN GREG JAPCHEN 

Kalamazoo lands skilled forward with nose for net in Newell, and inks rookie defenseman Japchen out of Robert Morris.

KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, announced Wednesday that the team has acquired forward Patrick Newell from the Greensboro Gargoyles for future considerations. The K-Wings have also signed rookie defenseman Greg Japchen to a Standard Player Contract (SPC).

Newell, 30, is a 5-foot 10-inch, 170-pound, Thousand Oaks, CA native in his sixth professional season. The forward has notched 37 points (8g-21a) in 46 games played this season. Last season, he amassed 38 points (10g-28a) in 67 games played with the Tahoe Knight Monsters. 

Prior to 2024-25, Newell played in Europe (Stjernen/Norway, Södertälje SK/Sweden, HK Nitra/Slovakia) from 2021-24, with a 18 game (4g-10a) stint with Orlando in 2023-24. The left-shot also played parts of three seasons in the AHL for the Hartford Wolf Pack (2018-21), scoring 25 points (11g, 16a) in 87 games played. 

Newell also played four seasons (145 GP, 38g, 82a) for St. Cloud State University (NCAA), winning the NCAA (NCHC) Championship in 2018-19. He also garnered a Hobey Baker Award finalist nomination in 2018-19, along with an NCAA (NCHC) All-Tournament Team, NCAA (NCHC) First All-Star Team, NCAA (NCHC) Forward of the Year, NCAA (NCHC) Scoring Championship (28) and NCAA (NCHC) Sportsmanship Award that season.

Japchen, 24, is a 6-foot 4-inch, Doylestown, PA native who joins the Wings out of Robert Morris Univ. (RMU), scoring a goal and an assist in 32 games for the Colonials this season. 

The defenseman is fresh off a four-year collegiate career split between Union College (2022-23), Stonehill College (2023-24) and Robert Morris Univ. (2024-26). The left-shot totaled 5 goals and 18 assists across 95 games in NCAA  play. 

Japchen was invited to the 2024 San Jose Sharks NHL Development Camp.

Kalamazoo has also released defenseman Kylor Wall from his Standard Player Contract.

Next up, Kalamazoo remains at home for the first of a three-game homestand next weekend. March into the weekend with $3 Friday, presented by Bud Light, on Friday, Mar. 20 at 7:00 p.m. EDT at Wings Event Center! Enjoy $3 beers, sodas, and hot dogs (*until 8 p.m.) while the K-Wings bring the heat on the ice to welcome the Rapid City Rush. Great hockey, great vibes, and great deals - what more could you want?

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Good grief! Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the Peanuts gang are taking over Wings Event Center as the K-Wings face off against the Rush on Saturday, Mar. 21, for a 4:30 p.m. EDT puck drop, presented by Discover Kalamazoo. It’s also Pucks ‘N Paws - where your pup takes center ice! We’re silencing the goal horns and turning up the tail wags. Plus, don’t miss the dog race during the first intermission and the Peanuts-themed specialty jersey auction after the game, benefiting the MRC Industries!

Little fans, big energy! It’s our third Jersey Giveaway Sunday game, and this one’s all about the kids - and hockey-inspired at 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, March 22, presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield. The first 500 kids (12 & under) score a Detroit Red Wings-themed K-Wings hockey jersey, and the fun doesn’t stop there. After the game, Kids (under-12) hit the ice for an epic Golden Shot prize showdown. Let’s hear it for the next generation of hockey legends!

Wastin’ away again at Wings Event Center! Margaritaville Night, presented by Honor Credit Union, brings the beach vibes to the barn on April 3. Plus, sip $3 beers, sodas, and dogs ’til 8 PM, then kick back, relax, and enjoy a tropical twist on K-Wings hockey. Also, don’t miss the Jersey Auction post-game benefiting KZoo Parks - flip flops optional, fun guaranteed!

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The Kalamazoo Wings are a professional hockey team based in southwest Michigan, having 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 its 36 regular-season home games at Wings Event Center from October through April.

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