Fuel land high-scoring veteran Geoff Walker

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indy Fuel, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks and the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, announced that they have signed veteran forward Geoff Walker to a contract. Walker brings nine years of professional experience to the Fuel roster, including 269 games in the American Hockey League.

Walker is set to return to North America after spending the 2016-17 season in Europe. The 29-year-old began the year with the Italian HC Fassa in the Alpines Hockey League, where he put up 56 points (21g-35a) in 33 games before transferring to the Sheffield Steelers in the EIHL. Walker chipped in 11 points (4g-7a) in 15 regular-season games for the Steelers before adding five points (3g-2a) in four playoff games as the Steelers claimed the EIHL Playoff title.

A native of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Walker played parts of four seasons in the AHL from 2009-14, recording 116 points (45g-71a) and 382 penalty minutes in 269 total games played with the Syracuse Crunch, Lake Erie Monsters, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Manchester Monarchs. From 2010-12, he posted consecutive seasons with the Penguins with at least 30 points and 100 penalty minutes, including a pair of appearances in the Calder Cup Playoffs

In the ECHL, Walker has produced at nearly a point-per-game pace, tallying 129 points (53g-76a) in 165 outings with the Reading Royals, Missouri Mavericks, Ontario Reign and Florida Everblades. Most recently, Walker posted six points (1g-5a) over five games with Reading in 2015-16, after accumulating 43 points (18g-25a) in 60 games split between Missouri and Ontario the year before.

After four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Walker made his pro debut with the Reign in 2008-09, leading the team in scoring as a rookie with 48 points (21g-27a) in 68 games. During his junior career, he amassed 215 points (94g-121a) and 251 penalty minutes over 228 games with the Prince Edward Island Rocket and Gatineau Olympiques, including a 90-point season with the Rocket in 2007-08.