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Six Sun Devils Ink Professional Contracts

by thesundevils.com
Mar 22, 2022

TEMPE, Ariz. – Six student-athletes on the Arizona State men's ice hockey roster inked professional contracts to continue their careers after ASU's 2021-22 hockey season. The six, including four forwards and two defensemen, set the record for the most professional contracts signed after a season in program history.

The six join 17 fellow Sun Devils who continued their playing careers in a professional capacity after skating for ASU. 

Forward Colin Theisen signed a professional tryout agreement with the Tucson Roadrunners, AHL affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes. In his sole year at ASU, Thiesen set a single-season program record for points with 42. The forward averaged 1.2 points per game with 19 goals and 23 assists through 35 games played, the most in his NCAA career. He led the Sun Devil score sheet and was consistently a top-10 national scorer. Theisen is the first Sun Devil to sign a contract in Arizona.

In his final season, he became one of only 28 NCAA Division I college hockey players in history to play in 175 career games - he finished his career with 179. A Hobey Baker Award candidate and Senior CLASS Award top-10 finalist, Theisen was awarded the captains 'C' for ASU in 2021-22.
 

Defenseman Jacob Wilson signed a one-year AHL contract with the Providence Bruins, affiliate of Boston Bruins, for the 2022-23 season. Wilson joined the Bruins for the remainder of their season on an amateur tryout agreement. In his five years at ASU, Wilson holds the program record for games played as a Sun Devil with 150. He posted a total of 32 points (6G, 26A), 145 penalty minutes and amassed 210 blocks. 

Johnny Walker, who holds ASU's all-time record for goals (70) and points (123), signed an ECHL contract with the Utah Grizzlies for the remainder of the season. The Phoenix native played all five seasons in the maroon and gold where he averaged over a point per game in two seasons. In his highest-scoring season, Walker notched 20 goals and 18 assists for 38 total points in 2019-20. Walker will wear number 17 for the Grizzlies who are currently in first place in the Mountain Division. 

Defenseman Tim Theocharidis joined the Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL for the remainder of the season. Prior to joining ASU for his graduate season, Theocharidis spent three years at Bowling Green where he totaled 39 points (12G, 27A) in 103 games played. The Scarborough, Ontario native was second in scoring for ASU defensemen with four goals and eleven assists in his final collegiate season. After playing in four games with Adirondack, Theocharidis was called up to their AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets.  

Forward Jack Becker joins two other ASU alum, Willie Knierim and David Norris, after signing an ECHL contract with the Idaho Steelheads for the remainder of the season. Prior to joining the Sun Devils, Becker spent four seasons with the University of Michigan where he totaled 51 points (26G, 25A) and served as the team's captain in his final year. During his graduate season at ASU, Becker posted eight goals and 16 assists for a total of 24 points, the best single-season performance in his NCAA career. The Dellwood, Minnesota native was selected 195th overall (7th round) by the Boston Bruins in the 2015 NHL Draft.  

Midway through the season, graduate forward Willie Knierim signed a standard player contract in the ECHL with the Idaho Steelheads. In his three years at ASU, Knierim amassed 20 goals and 15 assists for 35 points in 69 games played. 
 

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