Steelheads re-sign Knierim

BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho Steelheads, ECHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars, announced that the club has re-signed forward Willie Knierim to a contract for the 2023-24 season. 

Knierim enters his second professional season after tallying 29 points (17g-12a) in 53 games with the Steelheads last season along with 11 points (5g-6a) in 20 Kelly Cup Playoff games. His 17 regular-season goals tied for sixth amongst Idaho skaters.  

The 25-year-old signed his first professional contract with Idaho on Jan. 16, 2022 and ended the season tallying seven points (3g-4a) in 16 games. The Skokie, Illinois native began his collegiate career at Miami University, where he played two seasons from 2016-18 registering nine points (4g-5a) in 49 games. He then returned to junior hockey for the 2018-19 campaign playing for the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the United States Hockey League notching 47 points (18g-29a) in 60 games along with 140 penalty minutes while serving as an alternate captain. From there he went back to college hockey joining the Arizona State University Sun Devils for three seasons from 2019-22 where he accumulated 35 points (20g-15a) in 69 games.