K-WINGS INK FORWARD BRANDON YEAMANS & GOALTENDER MARIAH FUJIMAGARI

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 18, 2023

K-WINGS INK FORWARD BRANDON YEAMANS & GOALTENDER MARIAH FUJIMAGARI

Kalamazoo adds strength up front and in the crease with Yeamans and Fujimagari signings.

KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, announced Monday that forward Brandon Yeamans signed a Standard Player Contract for the 2023-24 season.

The team also announced rookie goaltender Mariah Fujimagari signed to a Professional Tryout contract (PTO).

Yeamans, 25, enters his third professional season and joins the K-Wings after spending 2022-23 with the Cincinnati Cyclones (20 GP, 3g, 3a, 37 PIM), Florida Everblades (4 GP, 9 PIM), and Jacksonville Icemen (23 GP, 1g, 31 PIM). He began his ECHL career with Cincinnati in 2021-22 (20 GP, 3g, 3a, 37 PIM), and returned to the team via trade last season.

“Brandon is a player that brings energy and competitive edge,” said Joel Martin, Kalamazoo Wings Director of Hockey Operations and Head Coach.

The 5-foot 10-inch, 180-pound, Maple, ON, native played collegiately at York University (USports) from 2019-2022 (22 GP, 5g, 2a, 12 PIM). Before attending York, Yeamans excelled in the OJHL for Mississauga and North York in 93 games played, scoring 44 goals with 65 assists and 237 penalty minutes in 2017-18 & 2018-19 combined.

“Over the last few years, coming in as a visitor, you see how devoted the K-Wings fanbase is,” Yeamans said. “I’m really excited to be a part of the culture here in K-Zoo, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to bring a Kelly Cup home.”

Fujimagari, 29, is a 5-foot 11-inch, Markham, ON native entering her rookie season. In 2022-23, the netminder played professionally in Sweden for Allmänna Idrottsklubben (AIK) in the SDHL (W).

“Mariah is an athletic goaltender that battles on every shot and reads the play well,” Martin said.

Prior to joining the K-WIngs, the goaltender spent four years at the University of Maine (2013-2017), sporting a 7-9-2 record with a .898 career save percentage. Following college, Fujimagari joined SKP Bratislava (EWHL/Slovakia) in Slovakia for one season (2017-18: 24 GP, 1.55 GAA, .941 S%), before joining the Worcester Blades (CWHL) in 2018-19.

"I couldn't be happier to join the K-Wings,” Fujimagari said. “I'm going to make sure to set the tone from the start with a solid performance every day. I'm most excited to be a part of the Kalamazoo community and skate in front of the amazing fans."

Fujimagari suited up for the Buffalo Beauts (NWHL) in 2019-20, and spent the next two seasons with the Connecticut Whale (NWHL/PHF) before joining AIK last season. In 2021-22, the netminder made five appearances for the Whale, going 5-0-0 with a 1.40 GAA, a .938 save percentage and two shutouts.

The left-catching goaltender also served as an alternate captain with Maine in 2017, was selected as an NWHL All-Star in 2020, was nominated as a Denna Laing Award Finalist in 2022, and has served as a global ambassador for the EWHL, CWHL, SDHL, and the NWHL / PHF.

Kalamazoo’s ‘Home Opener’ kicks off the 2023-24 regular season on Saturday, October 21 versus Toledo Walleye at 7:00 p.m. EST at Wings Event Center. Tickets to the preseason, the Home Opener and each of the K-Wings’s 36-game home schedule can be purchased HERE.

Last season, over 25-thousand people enjoyed a K-Wings game on a Group Outing! And with the season just a few months away, spots are filling up fast for 2023-24. Click HERE to lock in your group NOW!

It’s also not too early to secure 2023-24 K-Wings season tickets. Enjoy exclusive benefits, including guaranteed seat location to all 36 home games, complimentary parking, early access to the arena and more. Click HERE to join the ranks of the K-Wings High Flyers today.

The Kalamazoo Wings are a professional hockey team located in southwest Michigan that has been a staple in the Kalamazoo, MI professional sports landscape since 1974. The K-Wings compete in the ECHL and are the AA affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks and the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Canucks. Kalamazoo plays their 36 regular season home games at Wings Event Center from October through April.

###