The Trade-Mart Dundee Stars are delighted to announce the signing of American netminder, Jarrett Fiske for the 2024-2025 Elite League campaign.
The 25-year-old goalie joins the club from Niagara University, where last season he played in 29 games and recorded a save percentage of .912%, a goals against average of 2.72 and was nominated for the Hobey Baker Award, which is awarded to the best player in the NCAA each season.
Born in Erie, Pennsylvania, Jarrett is also a two-time NCAA (Atlantic Hockey Association) Champion, a three-time AHA Regular Season Champion and in 2023, he was named Goaltender of the Year in the AHA, whilst icing for American International College.
Fiske, who stands at 6-foot and 4-inches tall, has spent the past five seasons in the NCAA and featured in 58 games for AIC and Niagara University, playing 54 of them in the past two seasons.
The American, who catches with his left-hand, also dressed in one game for Utah Grizzlies at the end of last season, making his professional debut in the ECHL.
LEFEBVRE ON FISKE
After adding the first of his two import goaltenders, Stars Director of Hockey Operations and Head Coach, Marc LeFebvre, said: “We have been looking at a lot of different options since we decided to go with two import goalies.
“We were looking for a guy who can come in and push the number one, earn his minutes and play a key role for us.
“I thought it was imperative that we went with two imports goalies because of the situation we got ourselves into last season after the deadline and we are delighted to have Jarrett joining us.
“Once Jarrett got the chance to start in the last few years, he really showed what he can do and at AIC, he was named the conference goalie of the year in the Atlantic Conference, then he was nominated for the Hobey Baker Award this past season.
“He played in a smaller conference but those teams are always pushing to be on the national stage and you just need to look at his size, in today’s game most goalies are a bigger size now and his 6’4” frame covers a lot of net.
“He got a taste of the pro level at the end of last season with Utah and he will come in here and get better every day, push for starts and minutes and I think he will be really good for us when he gets in the net.”
Discussing how prestigious it is to be nominated for an award such as the Hobey Baker, LeFebvre continued: “He came into the college level at a time where everyone was going through COVID and you can see the lack of starts he had for a few years but once everything settled down, he got the opportunity to start in his last year at AIC which is a very good programme.
“He was the best goalie in the conference that year and then moved to Niagara University in his fifth year of eligibility and got nominated for the Hobey Baker Award.
“To be nominated and even just mentioned in that category is tremendous.
“So many players have went on to have great NHL and professional careers that were nominated and won that award, so just to be in that category of names speaks volumes for the type of player and person he is.”
Explaining how he plans to utilise both import goaltenders this season, he said: “I believe in having a clear number one, however especially in our league, the majority of teams are going with two imports and I like to have somebody as a second goalie, who pushes our starter and makes them work hard every day in practice, in games and creates the healthy internal competition that we need.
“It means we cannot have the starter thinking they will start every night and he has to push himself to be better and Jarrett is going to be in a position to challenge our starter for more starts and more minutes.”
FISKE ON THE OPPORTUNITY
Once the deal was signed, Jarrett said: “I am super grateful and excited to be coming Dundee, I cannot wait to be a part of the team.
“Marc was great to me, he is kind and very knowledgeable about the game of hockey, he said there was an opportunity to be a part of the team and I could not pass it up, so I am very grateful he reached out to me.”
Fiske also iced with former Star, Elijiah Barriga during his earlier college career and shared what he knows of the Elite League so far, adding: “Elijiah is a very talented hockey player and a great teammate and what I have heard about the league so far is from other NCAA guys who played here.
“It was always something of interest to me because playing professional hockey is the dream of every kid and as I said, I could not pass up this opportunity.”
Jarrett also explained how he likes to play the game, commenting: “In terms of how I describe my game, obviously I am bigger guy but I think I am a more athletic goalie and I am competitive.
“I really, really like to win and I like to be involved in the community and find ways to get more involved as much as I can.”
Finally, Jarret shared a quick message for the fans and he said: “I am super excited and grateful to be coming to Dundee, I cannot wait to meet everyone in the community and to be playing for the Stars.”
Listen to the full interview with Jarrett and Stars TV below!
FISKE’S CAREER
Jarrett’s career started back in 2014 with Cathedral Prep in the Pennsylvania division of the United States High School league and in three appearances, he held a 2.90 GAA and .878 SVS%.
The following season, the American joined Shady Side Academy in the Midwest Prep Hockey League and would feature in 44 games over the next three years, including two playoff matches.
In his first season with Shady Side, Fiske held a 3.80 GAA and .880 SVS% through 12 games and the next year, he played in 12 more matches and improved his stat line to 2.19 GAA and .912 SVS%.
In the 2017-2018 campaign, Jarrett’s playing time increased to 18 games and he finished the season with a 2.98 GAA and .891 SVS%, before also claiming the MPHL record for most career saves.
The following summer he moved North of the border to join Canadian outfit, Kemptville 73’s of the Central Canada Hockey League and in his only season, Fiske held a record of 13 wins, 23 losses and four ties with one shutout and a .909 SVS% and 3.29 GAA.
Ahead of the 2019-2020 season, Jarrett committed to playing in the NCAA with American International College and in his rookie year, he saw game action on two occasions and one more time in each of the next two seasons that were heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through those first three years, AIC won two Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA) titles and three regular season championships, then once the hockey world began to return to normality, Fiske was in his fourth year of college and he became the starter for AIC.
In the 2022-2023 campaign, Jarrett featured in 25 games, winning six, losing five and drawing four times, whilst holding a 2.38 GAA and .923 SVS%, which put him in the Second All-Conference Team and he was named Goaltender of the Year in the AHA.
He then made the choice to transfer to Niagara University for his final year of college eligibility and he would play 29 times for the Purple Eagles, with a GAA of 2.72 and a SVS% of .912, with a nomination for the Hobey Baker Award coming that season and the chance to turn pro with the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies.
Jarrett is our 17th signing of the summer and joins Drydn Dow, Ben O’Connor, Jonathan McBean, Xavier Pouliot, Craig Garrigan, Kris Inglis, Kyle Pouncy, Brett Gravelle, Craig Moore, Keanu Yamamoto, Brendan Harms, Jake Elmer, Alex Tonge, Cole MacDonald, Domenic Alberga and Zach Tsekos on the roster for next season.
Fiske has also shared a dressing room with a few former Stars players throughout his career, including: Elijiah Barriga and Hugo Reinhardt during his time at AIC.
Fiske will wear #33 for the Stars and you can sponsor his equipment for this season right now, click HERE.
To see Jarrett’s career stats on Elite Prospects click HERE.
Banner image: Niagara University Athletics.