Prowlers Select Three In Mentor Dispersal Draft

By: Jeremy Skiba

The Port Huron Prowlers are proud to announce the selection of three players in the Mentor Ice Breakers dispersal draft.

The Prowlers held the seventh pick of the first round and used it to select defenseman Dominick Horvath. The Northwood, Ohio native played four years of NCAA D-III hockey at SUNY-Potsdam where he registered four goals and six assists in 85 games. Horvath has appeared in six SPHL contests tallying only one assist. He split last season between the Ice Breakers and Elmira Enforcers appearing in 31 games and notching two goals and three assists.

Prowlers assistant general manager Matt Graham had Horvath high on his list of potential selections.

“Dominick was the number one stand out for me when looking over Mentors roster and Jeremy agreed he was the best defenseman for us to pick. He has a terrific resume with playing experience from a D-III school and the SPHL and it never hurts to add a man on the blue line,” Graham said. “We’re proud to have Dom with us in Port Huron.”

In round two, the Prowlers held the second overall pick and selected forward Thomas Munichiello. Munichiello spent the 2019-2020 hockey season with the Delaware Thunder notching 12 goals and 18 assists in 43 games. He was selected by Mentor during the Delaware/Motor City draft and his rights will revert back to Delaware once the 2021 season ends.

Prowlers assistant general manager Jeremy Skiba didn’t want to pass on Munichiello while he was on the draft board.

“Thomas was a player I had high on our list during the last dispersal draft. Unfortunately, he wasn’t available by the time our second pick of the draft came around. He’s a terrific offensive talent that skates well, has a great set of hands and loves to attack the net,” Skiba said. “He’ll definitely fit in with us in Port Huron and even though he’ll only be with us for one season, we know having him around for that length of time is well worth it.”

In the third and final round of the draft, Port Huron selected forward Austin Weber. Weber began last season with the Battle Creek Rumble Bees registering one assist in 12 games before heading to Port Huron with Brandon Contratto in a mid-season trade. With the Prowlers, Weber appeared in eight games tallying a goal and an assist before being traded to the Ice Breakers with Cody Oakes for Steven Fowler. Weber became a first line winger for Mentor and notched three goals and two assists in three games with them before the season came to a halt.

All three members of the Prowlers front office agreed for a Weber reunion in Port Huron.

“When I tell players that if a chance comes up for us to re-acquire them, I go out of my way to make sure they end up back on our roster. Austin was a great depth forward for us and Matt and Jeremy agreed he would be the best choice for us in round three,” said Prowlers general manager Joe Pace. “We know he loved it here last season and we can’t wait to see him back here with us in January.”

Welcome to Port Huron Dominick and Thomas! And welcome back Austin!