Former Winnipeg ICE defenceman Ben Zloty signs with the Texas Stars.
The final Winnipeg ICE graduate from the 2022-23 season has found place to play for the coming season. And he is doing so professionally.
Defenceman Ben Zloty has signed a one-year American Hockey League contract with the Texas Stars for 2023-24, that will see the 21-year-old skate for the affiliate of the Dallas Stars.
The Calgary, Alberta product spent his entire Western Hockey League career with the ICE, starting in Kootenay and finishing with four seasons in Winnipeg.
An offensive defenceman, Zloty produced at well over a point-per-game rate over his final two years with the ICE. Concluding his WHL career with 26 goals and 189 points in 207 regular season games, Zloty also added three goals and 40 points in just 34 playoff matchups.
After producing a career-high eight goals and 64 points in 2021-22, Zloty bumped up his totals to 13 goals and 81 points this past year.
The former Calgary Royals AAA star attended the Dallas Stars development camp in early July, where he made a positive impression on the Stars' scouting staff. The undrafted blueliner agreed to a one-year, AHL deal with Texas shortly thereafter.
He will need to sign an NHL deal with Dallas, should the Stars have any interest in calling him up to the big leagues at any point this season.
Alongside Zloty, fellow ICE graduates Connor McClennon and Owen Pederson have also signed AHL deals in advance of the 2023-24 season. More information on those signings can be found here.