A lifelong desire to play professional hockey came to fruition for former Stony Brook University ACHA Division I men’s defenseman Chris Joseph on Wednesday afternoon, when he signed a one-year contract with the Huntsville (Ala.) Havoc, a Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) team. Huntsville, the single-A affiliate of the Nashville Predators of the NHL, is one of nine teams in the Southern Professional Hockey League. The Havoc opens its 57-game season Friday night at the Columbus (Ga.) Cottonmouths, a team it played in an exhibition game last Friday on Huntsville’s home ice at the Von Braun Center.
While at Stony Brook Chris was named assistant captain as a junior and captain his senior year. He led the Seawolves to three out of four ESCHL titles, and a semi-final and finals appearance in the ACHA National Championship tournament. In Chris’s Junior and Senior year he was an All American and was chosen for the ACHA all-tournament team, and picked to represent Team USA in the World University Games in both Italy and Spain.
“This is a huge accomplishment for Chris and we couldn’t be happier for him. He always had a great work ethic and strived to develop the skills needed to play at the next level. Not only is this an achievement for him but it is a huge success for Stony Brook University and the Hockey program. It speaks volume about the quality program we have here at Stony Brook and the fact that we are capable to push players to a professional level,” head coach Chris Garofalo states.
The Seawolves wish Chris and the Havoc the best of luck this season!
