Kovacs heads to Mallards for second pro season

MOLINE, Ill. – The Quad City Mallards have signed forward Justin Kovacs for the 2016-17 season.

The Mallards are the ECHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League and the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League.

Kovacs scored 29 points (6g-23a) in 63 games with the Kalamazoo Wings last season before producing five points (2g-3a) in five playoff games. The native of Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. broke into professional hockey with the Wings late in the 2014-15 season, notching five points (1g-4a) in eight games.

Kovacs turned pro after totaling 76 points (23g-53a) in 129 games over four seasons at Western Michigan University. As a freshman, he helped the Broncos to the first Central Collegiate Hockey Association regular-season title in the program’s history and a berth in the NCAA tournament.

Before arriving at Western Michigan, Kovacs spent two seasons in the junior ranks with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League.