The New York Islanders signed forward Travis St. Denis to a two-year, two-way (NHL/AHL) contract on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old Trail native led the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (American Hockey League) with a career-high 23 goals, 11 coming on the power-play, and totaled 44 points in 74 games last season. He added a career-best 21 assists during his second professional campaign.
St. Denis uses his speed and quickness to create room in the offensive zone and hasn’t been slowed down by the grind of an AHL season. The reward of a two-way deal doesn’t guarantee that he’ll make the NHL one day, but it does give the Islanders the option of giving him a shot should injuries arise.
Bridgeport missed out on the playoffs this season because of their tough division, but will be back next year with their top scorer in tow.
St. Denis became the fifth Sound Tiger to record five points in a single game when he notched three goals and two assists on March 15 against the Rochester Americans. The Trail, B.C. native, has 64 points (35 goals, 29 assists) in 124 AHL games.
St. Denis played four seasons at Quinnipiac University, collecting 125 points (60 goals, 65 assists) and a plus-30 rating in 162 games with the Bobcats. He served as an alternate captain during his senior season. St. Denis also helped Quinnipiac reach the 2016 NCAA National Championship, leading the team with a career-high 27 assists and ranking second on the club in scoring with 49 points. Quinnipiac reached the 16-team Frozen Four Tournament in each of his four collegiate seasons.
Prior to attending Quinnipiac, the five-foot-seven, 170-pound forward played four seasons in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) with the Trail Smoke Eaters and Penticton Vees from 2008-12. During that time, he racked up 225 points (98 goals, 127 assists) in 203 games and led Penticton to a BCHL Championship and Doyle Cup title in 2012.