KEELEY: MARINERS SIGN NEIL, INVITE SCHULTZ TO TRYOUT
Former SPHL forwards in the mix for 2018-19
BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners
PORTLAND, ME – August 10, 2018 – The Maine Mariners added two more forwards to the mix for their inaugural season on Friday, announcing the signing of Ken Neil and inviting Durham, New Hampshire native Evan Schultz to a tryout. Both players spent the 2017-18 in the SPHL.
Ken Neil (5’8, 150) is a forward from Clarenville, Newfoundland, who has spent parts of the last two seasons with the Pensacola Ice Flyers (SPHL). In 38 games last season, Neil scored 14 goals and added 11 assists. He had six points in nine games for Pensacola in 2016-17 after graduating from SUNY Oswego, where he had been an assistant captain his Senior season. He was also the team’s leading scorer with 43 points in 25 games.
“We have been searching for a center and we feel Ken adds more depth for us up the middle,” said Mariners head coach Riley Armstrong. “He put up some good numbers in college hockey and I’m looking forward to seeing Ken at training camp.”
Over four seasons at Oswego, Neil tallied a total of 122 points in 102 games (59 goals, 63 assists). Prior to college, Neil had two highly successful seasons with the Nepean Raiders of the CCHL, putting up 85 and 77 point seasons back-to-back in 2011-12 and 12-13 (60 and 61 games played respectively).
Evan Schultz (5’6, 165) signed a tryout agreement with the Mariners and will attempt to bring a local element to the team. His hometown of Durham, New Hampshire is located just an hour from Portland and sits right on the New Hampshire-Maine border. A former Portland Jr. Pirate and New Hampshire Jr. Monarch, the forward began his collegiate career with Neil at SUNY Oswego in 2013-14 but played only four games before transferring to Salve Regina in Rhode Island. With the Seahawks, Schultz averaged more than a point-per-game (77 in 71) and joined the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs of the SPHL for four games at the end of 2016-17. After starting last season with the Dawgs, Schultz ended up playing 45 games with the Birmingham Bulls, scoring 13 goals and adding 17 assists.
“I have seen Evan skate for the past couple of summers and I feel he will push for a spot on the roster coming into training camp,” said Armstrong. “Evan sees the big picture in his development and understands that everyone is on the same level going into training camp and every spot is open for the taking.”
The Mariners inaugural roster currently includes eighteen players (ten forwards, seven defensemen, and one goaltender). The full roster can be found on MarinersOfMaine.com.
The Mariners, proud affiliate of the New York Rangers, will start to play in the inaugural season October 13, 2018, as members of the ECHL. The ECHL is the premier AA hockey league in the United States. Season tickets for the Mariners inaugural season are on sale now by visiting marinersofmaine.com or call toll free 833-GO-MAINE.
