BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho Steelheads, ECHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars, announced that the club has re-signed defenseman Matt Register to an contract for the 2024-25 season.
Register, 35, enters his 14th professional season, third with Idaho, after being named to the All-ECHL Second Team last season for the third time in his career after finishing second amongst league defenseman in scoring with 64 points (10g-54a) in 71 games. The ECHL’s all-time post-season games played (156) leader tallied four points (2g-2a) in 10 Kelly Cup Playoff games last year and his assist on May 8, 2024 vs. Kansas City made him the ECHL’s all-time post-season points leader with 118 points (29g-89a) in 156 games. On March 15, 2024 he skated in his 600th career regular-season ECHL becoming one of just 14 players in league history to reach that mark.
The Calgary, Alberta native’s 54 assists last season were the most by a Steelheads skater in franchise history. During the 2022-23 campaign he was named to the All-ECHL First Team for the sixth time in his career and was a co-winner for the ECHL Plus Performer of the Year at +53 while collecting 52 points (9g-43a) in 68 games. His 43 assists led all Steelheads skaters and tied for first amongst all league defenders while his 52 points tied for second.
He captured three straight ECHL Kelly Cup championships winning with the Colorado Eagles in 2017 and 2018 after earning his first league title with the Allen Americans in 2016. Register is the only defenseman in league history to be named MVP of the Kelly Cup Playoffs having done so in 2017 where he led all defensemen with 24 points (8g-15a). In addition, he has been named ECHL Defenseman of the Year three times (2014, 2017, 2018).
He has played parts of 11 seasons in the ECHL from 2012-24 splitting time with six different teams: Idaho (2022-Present), Ontario (2013-15), Atlanta (2015-16), Allen (2016, 2020-21), Colorado (2016-18), and Toledo (2018-19) accumulating 490 points (110g-380a) in 611 regular-season games. Register has spent parts of four seasons in the American Hockey League on three different teams: Iowa (2019-21), Hartford (2018-19), and Chicago (2014-15) totaling eight points (1g-7a) in 43 career games.
TOP 5 CAREER ECHL DEFENSEMEN - GAMES PLAYED
Kyle Bushee (660), Matt Register (611), Chris Valicevic (611), Bob Woods (523), Dave Craievich (467)
TOP 5 CAREER ECHL DEFENSEMEN - POINTS
Chris Valicevic (611), Bob Woods (523), Matt Register (490), Dave Craievich (467), and Tom Nemeth
TOP 5 CAREER ECHL DEFENSEMEN – GOALS
Bob Woods (159), Chris Valicevic (151), Dave Craievich (123), Tom Nemeth (118), Matt Register (110)
TOP 5 CAREER ECHL DEFENSEMEN – ASSISTS
Chris Valicevic (460), Matt Register (380), Bob Woods (364), Tom Nemeth (346), and Dave Craievich (344)