WHL Wenatchee Wild

Wenatchee Junior "A" Alumnus Fletcher Joins Pro Ranks with Florida Everblades

March 26, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release


P.J. Fletcher with the Wenatchee Wild
P.J. Fletcher with the Wenatchee Wild
(Wenatchee Wild, Credit: Russ Alman)

ESTERO, Fla. - Another player who began his junior hockey career in the Wenatchee Valley is beginning a new stage in the sport with a move to professional hockey.

The Wenatchee Wild are excited to announce that alumnus P.J. Fletcher has signed his first pro contract with the Florida Everblades of the ECHL, inking an Amateur Tryout contract for the remainder of this season. Fletcher was added to the active roster ahead of Monday's game against the Orlando Solar Bears, but did not appear in a 4-2 Everblades loss. His next chance to make his pro debut will come this Friday and Saturday, when Florida hosts the Jacksonville IceMen for a pair of weekend tests.

A forward from Dana Point, California, Fletcher immediately landed an everyday spot in the Wild lineup for the 2018-19 season, playing in all 58 games for the club during its fourth season as a member of the British Columbia Hockey League. He posted eight goals and 18 assists before leading the team on a lengthy playoff run, playing in all 18 games and posting an additional 14 points in the postseason.

After an NCAA Division I season with Quinnipiac University and a return to juniors with the United States Hockey League's Dubuque Fighting Saints, he settled in with the Miami University Redhawks. In three years at Miami, he picked up 62 points in 108 appearances, including 11 goals and 12 assists in 36 games this past year. Those 11 goals tied for the team lead and set a new personal-best mark in his NCAA career.

Fletcher's signing continues a run of success for former Wenatchee Wild players who are exiting the NCAA ranks, following the recent pro signings of Sam Morton and Drew Bavaro. In all, three players from Wenatchee's Junior "A" era from 2008 to 2023 have reached the NHL, and 19 Junior "A" alumni remain active across the NHL, AHL and ECHL.

The Wenatchee Wild congratulate P.J. Fletcher on signing his first professional hockey contract, and wish him all further success as he begins his pro career.

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Images from this story

P.J. Fletcher with the Wenatchee Wild
P.J. Fletcher with the Wenatchee Wild
(Russ Alman)		   



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