The Toledo Walleye have signed Matt Berry, a forward who has averaged nearly a point per game in the ECHL in five seasons.
Berry, a native of Canton, Mich., has amassed 165 points in 171 career ECHL contests. Berry has scored 67 goals to go along with 98 assists. The 29-year-old has played for Utah, Florida, and Kalamazoo in the ECHL. He has also a plus-minus rating of plus-54 in those games.
Berry also has played in 62 games in the American Hockey League, producing 22 points (7 G, 15 A).
Walleye coach Dan Watson said Berry will bring an offensive touch to the team.
“He will be counted on heavily to play against other teams’ top players, contribute on the power play, and provide leadership,” Watson said.
Berry, who played four seasons at Michigan State University, did not play last season.
In 2016-17 with Florida, Berry scored 24 goals to go along with 44 assists in 70 contests. That year he also posted a career-best with 12 points (5 G, 7 A) in 11 playoff contests for the Everblades.
At Michigan State, Berry appeared in 130 games and had 48 goals and 48 assists. In 2014-15, he was named honorable mention All-Big Ten as a senior when he posted 29 points (12 G, 17 A) in 29 contests.
The Walleye have now officially signed 19 players this offseason: goaltender Billy Christopoulos, forwards Berry, Brady Tomlak, John Albert, Josh Dickinson, Brent Boeing, Brett McKenzie, Keeghan Howdeshell, Conlan Keenan, Brandon Hawkins, Marcus Vela, and Brandon Schultz, and defensemen Randy Gazzola, Blake Hillman, Chris Martenet, Chris McKay, Butrus Ghafari, Cole Fraser, and Gordi Myer.
Toledo will play a pair of preseason games against the Kalamazoo Wings. The Walleye play at Kalamazoo on Friday, Oct. 15, and then they host the K-Wings on Saturday, Oct. 16, at the Huntington Center.
The Walleye open the regular season with five straight road games. Toledo plays at Kalamazoo on Saturday, Oct. 23, in the season opener. The home opener is set for Saturday, Nov. 6, also against Kalamazoo.
Single-game tickets are on sale. For more information go to toledowalleye.com.
First Published October 4, 2021, 6:23 p.m.
