All-Star Woods back on Mavericks blue line

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – The Kansas City Mavericks announced the club has re-signed defenseman Justin Woods to a contract for the 2020-21 season.

Woods makes his return to Kansas City after leading all Mavericks' defensemen wtih 25 points (4g-21a) in 42 games last season. He also earned a call-up to Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League and has played in 11 AHL games over the course of his three-year career.

A native of Fairbanks, Alaska, Woods was selected as the Mavericks' All-Star representative in the 2020 ECHL All-Star Classic, but was unable to participate due to injury. He was selected as one of the Mavericks alternate captains for the 2019-20 season.

In three ECHL seasons, Woods has accumulated 52 points (16g-36a) in 94 games.

Woods is a five-year survivor of Ewing sarcoma, an extremely rare pediatric bone cancer. He was diagnosed with the disease in 2014, following his freshman year at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and missed the entire 2014-15 season to undergo treatment. Woods was given the all clear and officially cured of the disease last winter, as he has been cancer-free for over five years.