Former Wisconsin men’s hockey team captain Mike Vorlicky signed with the Idaho Steelheads on Thursday.
Based in Boise, Idaho, the Steelheads have been a member of the East Coast Hockey League’s Western Conference since 2016-17. The league includes professional minor hockey squads in the United States and Canada and serves as a farm system to the American Hockey League and National Hockey League.
Most specifically, the Steelheads are a direct affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars.
Vorlicky joins the Idahoan squad on a five-year contract after playing five seasons with the Badgers from 2019-24. Most recently, the defenseman appeared in 37 games as the platoon’s team captain in his graduate season.
In total, Vorlicky skated in 124 bouts for UW under former head coach Tony Granato and current leader Mike Hastings. He scored four goals and pocketed 17 assists for 21 points during his five-year tenure in Madison.
Congrats @mikevorlicky !!!
He's the latest Badger pro https://t.co/OWK0FhXGV1
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) August 22, 2024
The righty took 84 total shots as a Badger and registered 12 of his 21 points during his final seasons as a representative of UW. He also helped guide UW to the conference’s regular season title during the 2020-21 season.
Given the Steelheads’ ties to professional opportunities, Vorlicky could end up playing himself into a major league role down the line. The team captain title at one of the nation’s premier hockey programs never hurts.