K-Wings agree to terms with pair of rookies

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Kalamazoo Wings, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, announced that the team has signed defensemen Stefan Dobrich and Juliano Santalucia to contracts for the 2026-27 season.

Dobrich, 24, is entering his first season of professional hockey. He appeared in 26 regular-season games for the University of Windsor last season, dishing out nine assists in the regular season and two assists in four playoff appearances.

The Amherstberg, Ontario native spent four seasons at Windsor, compiling 18 points (1g-17a) in 91 games. Dobrich saw postseason action in all four years of college hockey, lacing up for 16 games with four assists and 12 penalty minutes. He split his final season of juniors in 2021-22 between the North American Hockey League’s Corpus Christi IceRays and the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Trenton Golden Hawks.

Santalucia, 25, also enters his first professional season. In 2025-26, he scored 19 points (6g-13a) in 32 appearances for Aurora University and was named to the NCHA All-Conference Team after leading his school to its first-ever DIII Frozen Four appearance.

The Burnaby, British Columbia native spent four seasons at Aurora, recording 77 points (22g-54a) in 117 appearances for the Spartans. He was also an ACHA First Team All-American West selection in 2024-25. Santalucia spent five seasons in Canadian juniors, playing in the Alberta Junior Hockey League and the British Columbia Hockey League, totaling 43 points (7g-36a) and 156 penalty minutes in 211 games across both leagues.