Sewell, Stephens are Fighting Irish
There is no place quite like home.
Detroit Fighting Irish of the Midwest Jr. Hockey League have inked a pair of area products, coach-general manager Dan Vasquez has confirmed to HockeyNewsNorth.com.
The two are 1996 birth-year forward Steven Sewell and 1997 birth-year goalie Sean Stephens, both of whom are from the Metro Detroit area.
The 5-foot-11, 210 pound Sewell heads home to Detroit via the Tri City Icehawks of the Minnesota Jr. Hockey League.
The 6-foot-2, 190 pound Stephens moves up to the Fighting Irish and the MWJHL from Allen Park High School.
Vasquez kept tabs on Sewell while he was in the Minnesota league.
“We have spent a lot of time watching Steven over the last couple of seasons and we are confident that he will fit into our system,” said Vasquez. “We like his physical play as well as his work ethic.”
Vasquez also likes what his new goalie will bring to the Fighting Irish program.
“Sean has shown the capabilities to play junior hockey and his athletic ability as well as his strong academic commitment assures us that when he hits the ice we will get 100 per cent from him,” said Vasquez.
Meanwhile, the Fighting Irish has decided to go with a pair of goaltending consultants for the 2014-2015 season.
Devin Sutton and Dan Vasquez Jr. will work with the Fighting Irish goalies.
Sutton played at the collegiate level with Montana State University.
Vasquez, who is the son of the Fighting Irish hockey boss, played in the North American Hockey League with the erstwhile Helena Bighorns and at the collegiate level with Wayne State University.