Prowlers Take Four From FPHL Free Agent Camp

The Port Huron Prowlers have announced they are inviting four players from the FPHL free agent camp to their training camp. Goaltender Alexandre Taddeo, defensemen Matthew Brown and Kenyon Carda, and forward Rocco Bonaffini will battle for a spot on the roster come October.

“The camp was great,” said Prowlers general manager Matt Graham. “We had four full teams and that made every session competitive. Our team, the gray squad, finished 3-0!”

Taddeo has spent the past two seasons in Ligue de Hockey Senior Élite for Farnham Cuisine Action. Last season, his 3.78 goals-against average ranked second amongst goaltenders who appeared in at least 10 games and his 10 wins were tied for the league lead. The 23-year-old played his junior hockey in the Quebec Junior Hockey League.

“We knew that we would be looking to add a goaltender from this camp if we saw one we liked,” Graham said. “Taddeo was far and away the best goaltender at camp, and we’re excited to add him to the fold.”

Brown spent the last three seasons with the University of Alabama in the ACHA and CHF/AAU. The 6’3, 220 lbs defenseman posted 12 points in 25 games this past season, leading all Crimson Tide defensemen. He played his junior hockey in the USPHL Premier and NA3HL.

Carda played the past two years with the University of Victoria in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League. Last season, he dressed in six games and dished out two assists. Before college, the 6’4, 220 lbs defenseman played three seasons in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League with the Kerry Park Islanders, appearing in 47 games.

“Brown and Carda are both big strong defensive defensemen who play the game as big as they are,” Graham said. “Brown was able to make the best offensive players at the camp irrelevant and shut them down. Carda plays the game with an edge, and adds toughness to our back end. He dropped the gloves multiple times during camp.”

Rocco Bonaffini is a forward who caught Graham’s eye during the camp. “Bonaffini was a pleasant surprise,” Graham said. “We felt comfortable where we were at forward-wise heading into camp, but Rocco was a guy that made every single player he stepped on the ice with better. He plays a complete game and also plays with an edge. He dropped the gloves multiple times as well, taking on a guy twice his size. After watching him compete, he was a player I felt that we had to have.”

“We were able to grab all the guys we had targeted,” Graham said. “We went in looking to fill very specific needs and feel that we did with these additions. I’m excited to see what all four can bring to training camp and expect that we will see a couple of them on the opening night roster.”

Opening night is Oct. 20 and season ticket packages are still available to see every home game this season. For more information and to purchase, visit phprowlers.com/season-memberships or call the box office at 810-985-6166.

Photos courtesy of Doug Page