Harsch returns to Steelheads

BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho Steelheads, ECHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars, announced that the club has re-signed defenseman Reece Harsch to a contract for the 2024-25 season.  

Harsch enters his third professional season, second with Idaho, after being acquired last season on March 21 from the Jacksonville Icemen in exchange for Lincoln Erne. The 25-year-old finished the year with two points (1g-1a) in four regular-season games with the Steelheads while appearing in eight Kelly Cup Playoff games tallying three points (1g-2a). He began last season playing overseas with the Fife Flyers of the Elite Ice Hockey League, scoring a goal in 10 games, before signing with the Cincinnati Cyclones on Dec. 10 where he registered five points (2g-3a) in 25 games. He was then traded to Jacksonville on Feb. 13 from Cincinnati where he played eight games with the Icemen scoring two points (1g-1a) in eight games.

0he Grand Prairie, Manitoba native made his pro with the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Canucks on Feb. 20, 2022, appearing in five games before finishing the season skating in seven games in the ECHL with the Toledo Walleye, picking up three assists. He spent the 2022-23 season in the EIHL with the Fife Flyers notching 14 points (3g-11a) in 50 games.

Prior to professional hockey, he played one season at the University of Manitoba, collecting 12 points (2g-10a) in 15 games. He played parts of five seasons in the Western Hockey League from 2016-20 splitting time with the Seattle Thunderbirds, Saskatoon Blades and Winnipeg Ice accumulating 83 points (20g-63a) in 240 career games. He helped lead the Thunderbirds to the WHL championship in 2017.