The Quad City Mallards today announced a series of transactions:
• The Mallards have acquired forward Quentin Shore from the Florida Everblades along with future considerations and financial considerations in exchange for the ECHL rights to forward Sam Warning
• The Mallards have acquired forward Nick Bligh and future considerations from the Wichita Thunder in exchange for forward Brayden Low
• Defenseman Kyle Bigos has been traded to the Jacksonville Icemen in exchange for financial considerations
• Forward Huba Sekesi has signed an amateur tryout agreement with the Mallards
• Goaltender Ivan Kulbakov has been recalled from the Mallards by the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters
Shore, 23, was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the sixth round of the 2013 National Hockey League Entry Draft with the one hundred sixty-eighth overall choice. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Denver native has scored 11 goals and added 16 assists for 27 points in 45 games with Florida this season. As a rookie last season, Shore split time between the American Hockey League’s Ontario Reign and the ECHL’s Manchester Monarchs. Shore scored once in 13 games with Ontario and produced 18 goals, 25 assists and 43 points in 56 outings for Manchester.
Shore turned professional after playing college hockey at the University of Denver. He set collegiate career highs in goals (13), points (28) and games played (40) while helping the Pioneers to the NCAA Frozen Four as a senior in 2015-16. Shore totaled 40 goals, 58 assists and 98 points 151 games over four highly successful seasons at D.U. The Pioneers reached the NCAA tournament each of his four years at Denver and won the first ever National Collegiate Hockey Conference tournament title in 2015. Shore was named to the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team each of his final three years at Denver. Shore also represented the United States at the 2014 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships in Sweden.
Bligh, 25, has scored nine goals and added 13 assists for 22 points in 34 games split between the Thunder and Indy Fuel this season. The 6-foot, 185-pound Milton, Massachusetts, native has scored once and collected five assists in 11 games since joining Wichita in a December 22 trade with Indy. Bligh recorded 15 goals, 13 assists and 28 points in 41 games while dividing last season- his first in professional hockey- among the Fuel, South Carolina Stingrays and Adirondack Thunder.
Bligh played at Dartmouth for four seasons before breaking into the pro ranks. He scored 19 goals and notched 23 assists for 42 points in 96 career games with the Big Green. As a senior in 2015-16 he set collegiate career highs in goals (10), assists (8) and points (18) in 22 games.
Sekesi, 24, joins the Mallards immediately after completing his Division III college career at Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound product of Germering, Germany, registered 14 points (three goals and 11 assists) in 21 games for St. John’s this season.
Sekesi rang up 25 goals, 40 assists and 65 points in 94 career games while helping the Johnnies to four consecutive winning seasons. Sekesi was named to the All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference first team after setting collegiate career highs in goals (9), assists (16) and points (25) in 24 games as a sophomore in 2015-16 and was an All-MIAC honorable mention selection the following season. He made the MIAC All-Rookie team as a freshman in 2014-15 and earned Academic All-MIAC honors each of his first three years at St. John’s.
Warning, 25, is currently skating for the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Chesterfield, Missouri, native has scored one goal in nine games since signing a professional tryout agreement with the Barracuda on February 1. Warning had 16 goals, 15 assists and 31 points in 41 games with the Mallards this season. Warning contributed 56 goals, 60 assists and 116 points in 174 games over three seasons since making his pro debut with the Mallards in 2015.
Low, 23, scored 17 times and pocketed 22 assists for 39 points in 58 games with the Mallards this season. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound native of Richmond, British Columbia accounted for three goals and four assists in 42 games with the Rapid City Rush as a rookie last year.
Bigos, 28, provided two goals and six assists in 39 games with the Mallards this season. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound Upland, California product joined the Mallards after playing two games last season for the Idaho Steelheads. Prior to this year, Bigos last played a full campaign in 2015-16 when he skated for Edinburgh Capitals in Britain’s Elite Ice Hockey League. In 185 career games- including eight in the AHL with the Worcester Sharks- Bigos has totaled 11 goals, 45 assists and 56 points .
Kulbakov, a 21-year old rookie, joins the Monsters for the fourth time this season. The 6-foot, 182-pound native of Gomel, Belarus has gone 0-4-0 with a 3.95 goals against average and a .865 save percentage in seven games with Cleveland this year. Kulbakov has gone 10-9-0 with a 3.47 goals against average and a .906 save percentage in 19 games with the Mallards.
The Mallards return to action on the road tomorrow night against the Thunder. The Mallards next play at home Wednesday night, March 14 at 6:35 p.m. against the Toledo Walleye. Fans can enjoy $1 10-ounce beers from TaxSlayer Center concession stands during all Wednesday home games.
Tickets for the March 14 game- and all Mallards regular season home games- are also now on sale at the TaxSlayer Center box office, Ticketmaster toll free charge-by-phone (1-800-745-3000) and ticketmaster.com. The box office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
