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All-Star Motte re-signs with Mallards

All-Star Motte re-signs with Mallards

Wednesday, August 9th

MOLINE, Ill. – The Quad City Mallards have re-signed goaltender C.J. Motte for the 2017-18 season.

The Mallards are the ECHL affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League and the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League.

Motte, 25, returns for a second season in the Quad Cities after shining for the Mallards last year. The St. Clair, Mich. native finished last season tied for sixth in the ECHL in save percentage (.917) and tied for eighth in goals-against average (2.68) while going 20-11-2 in 36 games. In January, Motte represented the Mallards in the 2017 ECHL All-Star Classic.

Motte also enjoyed three stints in the American Hockey League last season, suiting up for the Chicago Wolves, Charlotte Checkers and Iowa Wild. He saw action in two games with Charlotte and went 1-0-0 with a 0.75 goals-against average and a .976 save percentage while surrendering a single goal on 42 shots.

Motte went 15-22-2 with a 2.83 goals against average, a .910 save percentage and two shutouts in 42 games as a rookie with the Elmira Jackals in 2015-16.

Motte broke into professional hockey with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers, for whom he played four games and posted a 1-2-1 record, a 2.49 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage late in the 2014-15 season.

Motte turned pro after four standout seasons at Ferris State University. In 2014-15 he became the first goaltender in school history to serve as team captain. He set Ferris State records for most career wins and shutouts (15) while going 66-49-12 with a 2.13 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage in 127 collegiate games.

Motte not only earned All-WCHA honors in both his junior (first team) and senior (third team) years, but was also one of 10 finalists for the 2014 Hobey Baker Award. As a senior, Motte finished second in the nation in minutes played (2435:33) and tied for sixth in shutouts (5) after leading Division I netminders in both wins (28) and minutes (2431:06) and also finishing tied for sixth in shutouts (5) in his junior year.

Motte and the Bulldogs won regular-season conference titles and earned NCAA Tournament bids in both 2011-12 and 2013-14 and in 2012 reached the National Title Game.

Motte played three years of junior hockey before heading to Ferris State. He spent two seasons in the United States Hockey League with the Waterloo Black Hawks after a single campaign in the North American Hockey League with the Traverse City North Stars.