Steelheads bring back four

BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho Steelheads have agreed to terms with defenseman Darren Brady, forward Colton Kehler, defenseman Matt Stief and forward Zach Walker for the 2022-23 season.Brady completed his first season with the Steelheads and second in the ECHL in 2021-22, tallying 32 points (7g-25a) in 47 games. The Lake Orion, Michigan native led all Steelheads defensemen in goals and sat second in assists and points. He earned his first American Hockey League call-up from the Abbotsford Canucks and made his AHL debut on Dec. 18 in Henderson. Brady made his ECHL debut with the Rapid City Rush in 2020-21, and through 83 ECHL games owns 34 points (7g-27a).The 26-year-old made his professional debut with the Southern Professional Hockey League's Macon Mayhem in the 2020-21 season and had two assists in eight games. Prior to his professional career, Brady played four seasons with Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) from 2016-20, tallying 36 points (10g-26a) in 135 collegiate games minutes while serving as captain during his senior season.Kehler finished his first professional season in North America and second overall with 62 games played with the Steelheads, totaling 36 points (17g-19a) with 53 penalty minutes. The Port Coquitlam, British Columbia product finished third on the team in goals and points. He made his professional debut with Herner EV 2007 in Germany during the 2020-21 season, where he put together 38 points (17g-21a) in 35 games and finished seventh on the team in scoring. In 97 professional games, Kehler owns 74 points (34g-40a) with 106 penalty minutes.Prior to his professional career, the 25-year-old played two seasons of collegiate hockey with the University of British Columbia between 2018-20, posting 15 points (8g-7a) through 42 games following his junior career with the Edmonton Oil Kings in the Western Hockey League. In three seasons with Edmonton, he tallied 108 points (67g-41a) in 200 games while serving as an alternate captain in his final two seasons in 2016-17 and 2017-18. His best year was his final campaign thanks to a 51-point (32g-19a) venture in 71 games, helping to lead the Oil Kings in goals and ranking third in points.Stief makes his return to Idaho after 54 games with the Steelheads in his ECHL debut season, posting 18 assists - with 10 on the power play - and 18 penalty minutes. The Weston, Florida native joined the Steelheads following one season in the SPHL with Macon, where he earned seven points (1g-6a) in 34 games.The 26-year-old played four seasons at Canisius College from 2016-20, tallying 60 points (5g-55a) in 133 games and owns the second-most assists by a Canisius defenseman in their Division I history. He served as an alternate captain during the 2019-20 campaign and earned All-Atlantic Hockey Third Team honors while finishing fifth in the nation in power play assists (17) and third on the team in points (26). He was part of the first Atlantic Hockey regular-season championship in program history during the 2016-17 season.Walker became the first Boise native to sign and play with the Steelheads during the 2021-22 season when he posted 23 points (10g-13a) in 63 games. He was one of nine players to reach double-digit goals and one of seven players to have a 10-goal, 20-point season last year. He began his professional career with the Pensacola Ice Flyers of the SPHL in the 2020-21 campaign and tallied 10 points (4g-6a) in 36 games while helping to earn the 2021 SPHL President’s Cup championship.Prior to his professional career, the 24-year-old played four seasons at Boston College from 2016-20, tallying 18 points (3g-15a) in 113 games. He was part of two Hockey East regular-season championships in 2017-18 and 2019-20, his sophomore and senior seasons, respectively. Walker was also a member of the U.S. National Team Development Program for two seasons and participated in the 2016 U18 World Jr. Championships, notching four points (2g-2a) in seven games while earning a bronze medal.