KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Recent University of Notre Dame graduates and former Irish hockey teammates Ryan Helliwell and Hunter Strand are set to join forces once more after signing professional contracts with the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL, as announced by the club Monday morning. The pair spent the past four seasons together lacing up their skates inside Compton Family Ice Arena where they combined for over 250 games and 77 points.
Helliwell finished his career with the Irish having appeared in 113 collegiate contests and amassing 12 points off two goals and 10 assists. In his final season with the Irish, the blueliner posted a career-best seven points behind a goal and six assists and closed out his career with a plus-one on-ice rating as a senior. He scored his final collegiate goal with the Irish in the conference series opener against Wisconsin on November 2, 2024, rounding out a career-long point-streak of three games (1-2-3).
“My time at Notre Dame helped me grow as a player and more importantly as a person,” Helliwell said. “I am extremely thankful for my teammates and coaches. I’m also super excited to be starting a new chapter in Kalamazoo and competing for the Wings.”
Strand spent four years on the Irish attack as the centerman dressed in every game for the Blue and Gold during his tenure. Accounting for 151 games played and 65 points, the Anchorage, Alaska native posted eight goals and eight assists in his final year with the Irish and finished his collegiate career with 25 goals and 40 assists. In his final postseason at Notre Dame, Strand was instrumental in helping the Irish to a Big Ten Playoff Quarterfinals series win at top-seeded Minnesota registering three points, including two goals, in the best-of-three series win.
“Notre Dame was the best four years of my life,” Strand said reflecting on his college career. “I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to play at Notre Dame and have been able to build the brotherhood and family that will last a lifetime. Now that my time is over at Notre Dame, I am excited to start creating new memories in Kalamazoo Michigan and play for the K-Wings.”
Helliwell, Strand, and the rest of the team gets underway in the 2025-26 season on Saturday, October 18.