Bobcats Add Blueliner Hartje for Stretch Run
BISMARCK, ND – With 10 games left in the 2016-17 regular season, the Bismarck Bobcats have bolstered their defensive corps with the addition of 1999-born blueliner Chase Hartje.
During his junior season, Hartje led the Bemidji (Minn.) High School Lumberjacks in assists with 21 and averaged a point per game on defense.
“Chase is a good puck-moving defenseman that skates well,” hailed Bobcats head coach and general manager Layne Sedevie, whose team sits four points outside a playoff spot with just over a month of regular season play remaining, “and we, as a staff, feel like he’s a guy that can step in and solidify our D-corps for the playoff push.”
At the conclusion of the Minnesota high school season, Hartje saw the Bobcats as the best option for his development.
“Talking with my coaches and the Bismarck staff, I understood the Bobcats gave me a chance to get the most game experience,” explained Hartje, who went to Minnesota’s world-famous State Tournament with the Lumberjacks in both his freshman and sophomore seasons. “I’m definitely expecting a faster, more physical game in the NAHL than what I’ve seen in high school.”
Hartje will join his Lumberjack teammate Alex Pollock on the Bobcats, with both eligible to play immediately. As the Bobcats had an open roster spot at the NAHL roster deadline on February 10, Hartje was officially added at that time and activated Tuesday; as a fully rostered player, he is eligible for the playoffs should the Bobcats reach the postseason.
The Bobcats continue the playoff push at 7:05pm on Friday when they open a two-game road series against the Austin Bruins at Riverside Arena.
Friday’s road contest will be broadcast locally on the radio home of Bobcat Hockey, Super Talk 1270 AM, and worldwide on HockeyTV.com–the web television partner of the North American Hockey League–with pregame coverage starting at 6:35pm.
Pro-rated season tickets are now on sale for the Bobcats’ landmark platinum anniversary campaign fans can get more information or reserve their seats for all of Season Twenty now by calling 222-3300.