Kelly Cup Champion Jeremy Yablonski Returns from Retirement, Signs with Steelheads

BOISE, Idaho – Jeremy Yablonski has come out of retirement after six years to sign with the Idaho Steelheads, marking the first time with the Steelheads since the 2013-14 season , Head Coach & Director of Hockey Operations Everett Sheen announced on Friday.Yablonski will be available for all three games this weekend against the Allen Americans.Yablonski, 41, comes out of retirement after last playing with the Ontario Reign in the 2014-15 season for eight games. The Meadow Lake, Sask. native debuted with the Steelheads during the 2001-02 season as members of the West Coast Hockey League (WCHL) for 69 games following his three-year WHL career and returned to the team for 44 games from 2005-07 as well as eight contests in 2013-14, totaling six goals and five assists for 11 points with 526 penalty minutes. He was a member of the 2007 Kelly Cup Championship team, his 303 penalty minutes in 2001-02 is the most for a single-season in the WCHL era, and his 526 career penalty minutes trails only Lance Galbraith for the most in team history.The 6-foot forward played 15 seasons of professional hockey and played one NHL game with the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 30, 2003 against the Philadelphia Flyers and fought against Todd Fedoruk in that contest. Much of his career was spent in the American Hockey League starting in 2002-03, playing with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, Worcester IceCats, Milwaukee Admirals, Binghamton Senators and Bridgeport Sound Tigers, totaling 26 points (9-17—26) across 283 games in eight seasons with 939 penalty minutes. He also played two seasons in the KHL with Vityaz Chekhov from 2011-13, tallying 190 penalty minutes in 24 games.Prior to his professional career, Yablonski played three seasons in the WHL with the Edmonton Ice and Kootenay Ice, notching five points (4-1—5) and 220 penalty minutes through 74 games. He is currently living in Texas for his post-hockey career.The Steelheads return from the holiday break on Friday, Dec. 31 at 5:05 p.m. against the Allen Americans from Allen Event Center and come back to Idaho Central Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 5 at 7:10 p.m. against the Utah Grizzlies. Single-game tickets are available for all home games during the 2021-22 regular season by going to idahosteelheads.com or calling 331-TIXS! Make sure to secure your FloSports subscription for the 2021-22 season to lock in all Steelheads games and action from around the ECHL.