Former Quebec Remparts Captain Commits to the Panthers

By Jason Malloy, Sports Editor The Guardian Newspaper

Kurt Etchegary is raring to get back to playing competitive hockey after nagging injuries sidelined him for most of last season.

The St. John's, N.L., native will get the chance this fall with the UPEI Panthers men's hockey team.

"I've been away from hockey for the last eight months and I'm super hungry to play," he said. "I'm 100 per cent healthy, haven't had an ache or a pain in a long time. I've never felt so energized."

Etchegary played four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Quebec Remparts, including two years as the team's captain. His final junior season was 2014-15 when the Remparts hosted the Memorial Cup.

It was in the President Cup series Etchegary suffered a separated shoulder. He played through the injury, but it and other nagging injuries lingered through part of 2015-16.

Etchegary said the nagging injuries weren't allowing him to be the effective player he wanted to be. He decided the best thing would be to step away from the game and heal.

Panthers head coach Forbes MacPherson, who had recruited Etchegary during his final season in the QMJHL, reached back out to the forward to see if he was interested in coming to Charlottetown.

Talks with Panthers forward Marcus Power, a former linemate from minor hockey, and Marcus's father, Tim, helped seal the deal.

"I've heard nothing but unbelievable things about not only the school aspect of things, but also on the ice," Etchegary said.

MacPherson is excited to have Etchegary join a strong recruiting class for the 2016-17 season.

"He's the kind of player that I love," he said. "He covers all the inches of the ice. He's a character player . . . He's just a hard-nosed team player that can do it all."

Etchegary is familiar with a number of Panthers players from his days in the QMJHL, including Ryan MacKinnon, Casey Babineau, Brent Andrews and Darcy Ashley.

"Those guys are just heart and soul guys that you want to have on your team," he said.

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