RICHFIELD, Minn. – Jarod Blackowiak started his 2017-18 season with two games in an Austin Bruins uniform before heading to Mason City to join the Bulls. As one of Todd Sanden’s most consistent players, he remained on the radar of the North American Hockey League’s member clubs, earning a call back to Austin at the start of December.
That consistency, and the body of Blackowiak’s work with the Central Division leaders, have certainly made a mark on first-year Minnesota Magicians head coach Ben Weiand. The Eden Prairie, Minnesota native signed a tender with the Magicians on Thursday, becoming the third Bulls player to sign with an NAHL team this season.
The first-year North Iowa forward has notched a dozen goals and a dozen assists in 19 games with the Bulls this season, including his first junior hat trick against the Rochester Ice Hawks on Dec. 30.
Blackowiak built a 13-game point streak that finally ended on the last day of the NA3HL Showcase in a 6-0 win against the Texas Brahmas. That 13-game run is the second-longest of the season, behind only Cameron Fagerlee‘s 18-game streak, the third-longest in team history.
While their margin is by no means comfortable, the Magicians find themselves in fourth place in the NAHL’s Midwest Division, 11 points ahead of Coulee Region for the final playoff spot. Minnesota is a little more than halfway through its season, though the Chill have five games in hand on the Magicians.
Fagerlee signed an NAHL tender with the Aberdeen Wings two weeks ago, and Brendan Studioso committed to the Minnesota Wilderness in early November. Blackowiak is also one of six North Iowa Bulls to earn a call-up to the NAHL during the 2017-18 season.
For the remainder of the season, Blackowiak’s NAHL appearances will come exclusively for the Magicians, and he’ll come off the league’s draft board this coming summer as well. That means the Magicians will also have the first shot at putting him on their roster when the 2018-19 season begins.
The North Iowa Bulls congratulate Jarod on his commitment to the Minnesota Magicians and wish him continued success both in Mason City and in his future opportunities in the sport of hockey.