Beaupre returns while Komets add Cazzola

Fort Wayne, Ind. - The Fort Wayne Komets announced that defenseman Gabriel Beaupre will be returning to the Fort Wayne blue line for 2016-17. Also, center Mike Cazzola has agreed to terms and will make his pro debut with the Komets.

The Komets are the ECHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League and the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League.

Beaupre, 23, will be appearing in his third season with Fort Wayne. After making his pro debut during the 2012-13 season skating stints with Lake Erie in the AHL and Denver in the Cental Hockey League, Beaupre spent the entire 2013-14 season with Lake Erie (65 games) and added 35 games with the Monsters in 2014-15 before joining Fort Wayne for 11 games. The Levis, Quebec native scored seven points (2g-5a) and ranked third with 87 penalty minutes in 52 regular-season games with the Komets last season and added 15 playoff games scoring two assists and leading the Komets with a +12.

Cazzola, 25, is coming off a four-year collegiate career with Acadia in the CIS. The Guelph, Ontario native finished his college stint last year leading the Axemen with 16 goals and 30 points and earned a spot on the CIS Second All-Star Team for the second straight year. In 107 college career games with Acadia, Cazzola totaled 133 points (52g-81a). Prior to joining Acadia, Cazzola skated a five-year juniors career in the Ontario Hockey League, recording 225 points (77g-148a) 219 games.