Abbotsford – Abbotsford Canucks General Manager, Ryan Johnson, announced that the club has signed forward Matt Alfaro to a one-year contract ahead of the 2022-23 season.
“We are pleased to keep Matt in our group moving forward,” stated Johnson. “Matt joined us at a pivotal point and played a role in our success during the second half of the season.”
Alfaro, 25, split his second professional campaign between the American Hockey League and the ECHL, participating on three separate professional try out (PTO) agreements with three different AHL teams in 2021-22. He made his AHL debut for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on November 3 and scored his first AHL goal with the Manitoba Moose on January 19. Alfaro skated in a total of 36 AHL games this past season, recording 12 points (seven goals, five assists) and six penalty minutes between Wilkes-Barre, Manitoba and Abbotsford. While under contract to the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers, Alfaro recorded 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 20 regular season games, and achieved ECHL career highs in points per-game (1.00) and penalty minutes (40).
The 6-2, 200-pound centre first joined the Canucks organization on March 23 when he signed a PTO with Abbotsford. He would go on to record seven points (four goals, three assists) in 13 regular season games with the Canucks and skated in both of Abbotsford’s Calder Cup Playoff games. Alfaro was released from his PTO on May 6 to rejoin Wheeling, and recorded five points (three goals, two assists) in three ECHL postseason games.
“Although it wasn’t for very long, I had a great experience with the Canucks at the end of last season,” said Alfaro. “I am excited to be retuning in the fall, and to be able to have the opportunity to play a full season in front of the great hockey fans in Abbotsford.”
A native of Calgary, Alberta, Alfaro played three seasons in USPORTS for his hometown University of Calgary Dinos from 2017 to 2020. He concluded his collegiate career as a Second Team All-Canadian during the 2019-20 season, leading the Dinos in all major statistical categories. Upon the conclusion of Abbotsford’s inaugural season, Alfaro is currently the only player in franchise history to have scored a goal both for and against the club. He recorded one goal against the Canucks as a member of the Manitoba Moose in Abbotsford’s 5-2 home victory on February 12.
