Tesink and Dutra join Rush

RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Rapid City Rush, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, announced that forwards Ryan Tesink and Kyle Dutra have signed with the club for the 2017-18 season.

Tesink joins the Rush for his fourth season as a professional. Last yearhed skated with the Wichita Thunder and registered career-hights in goals (7), assists (15) points (22) and penalty minutes (132) in 68 games.

Originally from Saint John, New Brunswick, Tesink, 24, has played his entire professional career to-date in the ECHL, also skating with the Quad City Mallards and Alaska Aces. In his three years as a professional, Tesink has 61 points (18g-43a) and 259 penalty minutes in 169 games. Prior to playing professionally, Tesink played four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Saint John Seadogs and the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, notching 152 points (51g-101a) in 183 games. With Sain John, he won back-to-back QMJHL championships in the 2011 and 2012 seasons, and also won the Memorial Cup in the 2011 season. Tesink was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the sixth round (162nd overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Dutra comes to the Rush after his rights were acquired in a future considerations trade with the Norfolk Admirals at the end of last season. He joined Norfolk at the conclusion of his college career and skated in the final 12 games of last season with the Admirals, recording four points (2g-2a).

Prior to turning pro, Dutra played four years of college hockey with Mercyhurst University, recording 71 points (32g-39a) in 147 carere games.