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ECHL Kansas City Mavericks

Mavericks Sign High-Scoring Forwards Cooper, Dziurzynski

July 26, 2018 - ECHL (ECHL)
Kansas City Mavericks News Release


INDEPENDENCE, Mo. - The Kansas City Mavericks added high-scoring forwards Mark Cooper and Darian Dziurzynski for the 2018-19 season, announced Thursday by head coach John-Scott Dickson.

Cooper, 26, returns for his second season with the Mavericks following a team-leading 47-point campaign (23g, 24a) that earned him Team MVP honors last year.

The Toronto, Ontario native began his professional career in the 2016-17 season, splitting time between the AHL's Tucson Roadrunners and the Rapid City Rush. In 54 games with Rapid City, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound forward registered 42 points on 16 goals and 26 assists to finish as the second-leading scorer on the squad.

Prior to turning pro, the right-handed forward played college hockey at Bowling Green State, amassing 91 points (45g, 46a) in 157 career games with the Falcons. Following his senior season in 2015-16, Cooper made his AHL debut with two games with the Chicago Wolves.

Last year, Cooper centered the team's second line in which he was winged by Corey Durocher and Jared VanWormer - two Mavs returnees for the 2018-19 season. After the acquisition of Durocher in mid-February, the trio combined for 54 points over the season's final 22 games, including nine goals and eight assists from Cooper in that span.

"I'm really excited to be back in Kansas City," said Cooper. "I'm eager to help the team improve on our season last year and compete for a Kelly Cup."

Dziurzynski (pronounced dur-ZIN-skee), 27, comes to the Mavericks following an impressive season with the Indy Fuel in which he helped guide the team to its first-ever playoff appearance with 46 points (24g, 22a) in 47 games.

The Lloydminster, Alberta native split the 2017-18 campaign between Indy, Rapid City (eight games), Toledo (10 games) and Slovakia's HKM Zvolen (five games). All told, Dziurzynski ran up 51 points in 65 games in the ECHL last year.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound forward first turned pro in the 2012-13 season and has played in 184 AHL games. He was a fifth-round pick (141st overall) in the 2011 NHL Draft by the then-Phoenix Coyotes and current Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving.

The upcoming season will be the left-handed forward's second stint with the Mavericks, previously joining the club for 17 regular season games during the Brabham Cup-winning 2015-16 season, totaling 13 points (10g, 3a) in 17 regular season games. He remained on the Mavericks' roster for the playoffs, adding four assists in 10 games.

"I'm very excited to be a member of the Mavericks again," said Dziurzynski. "The city, organization and fans are truly first-class. I'm looking forward to getting the season going!"

Season tickets for the 2018-19 campaign remain on sale.

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