The Quad City Mallards have re-signed defenseman Mike Monfredo and forward/defenseman Nick Grasso, the Mallards announced today.  

Monfredo, 25, will return for a fourth season with the Mallards after last year matching a career high by scoring eight goals and adding 20 assists to total 28 points.  The 6’ 3”, 210-pound Shirley, New York, native played in each of the Mallards’ 72 games last year and has skated in 204 consecutive games since turning professional with the Mallards in 2012-13.  Monfredo also piled up 100 penalty minutes last season.
 
“Mike has been one of our most important defensemen since the first time he put on a Mallards uniform.  He’s very dependable and can also be really difficult to play against,” said Mallards coach and general manager Terry Ruskowski.  “He’s also someone who contributes offensively and can stand up for his teammates when he needs to.”
 
Monfredo has produced 20 goals, 60 assists and 80 points over the course of his career.
 
Monfredo spent the 2011-12 season at the State University of New York-Fredonia, where he scored three goals and added five assists in 26 games.  He played three seasons in the junior ranks for the Motor City Machine/Metal Jackets of the North American Hockey League before heading to Fredonia.  In 2010-11, Monfredo led the NAHL with 259 penalty minutes.
 
Grasso, 27, scored six goals and picked up 10 assists for 16 points in 63 games last season.  The versatile Smithtown, New York, product, also finished the 2014-15 campaign tied for the Mallard team lead in plus/minus rating (+15).

“Someone like Nick who can fill a variety of roles would be valuable to any team,” said Ruskowski.  “He’s done anything we’ve asked of him the last two years and brings a lot of energy and intensity any time he steps on the ice.”
 
As a rookie in 2013-14, Grasso scored six times, notched 21 assists and collected 27 points in 47 games with the Mallards.
 
Before joining the Mallards, Grasso recorded six goals, 14 assists and 20 points over 99 career games at American International College.  Grasso was named to the Atlantic Hockey All-Academic Team after both his sophomore and junior seasons.  

Grasso played four years of junior hockey for six teams (Waterloo Black Hawks, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, Ohio Junior Blue Jackets, Alpena IceDiggers, Jersey Hitmen and New York Apple Core) in three leagues (United States Hockey League, Eastern Junior Hockey League and NAHL) before heading to AIC.
 
The Mallards will begin their nineteenth season- and their second in the ECHL- on the road against the defending champion Allen Americans on Friday, October 16 before returning to the Quad Cities to play their home opener on Friday, October 23 at 7:05 p.m. against the Tulsa Oilers.  Mallards 2015-16 season tickets are now available.  Season ticket holders enjoy significant savings of the walk-up ticket price and receive a host of exclusive benefits.  For more season ticket information, fans can contact the Mallards at 309-277-1364 or info@myqcmallards.com.