Mike Prpich (born March 27, 1982.) is a
Canadian professional
ice hockey player of
Croatian ancestry. He plays both wing positions and is currently a member of the Kenaston Blizzard who play in the Sask Valley Hockey League.
Playing career
Born in
Kenaston, Saskatchewan
Kenaston ( 2016 population: ) is a village in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within the Rural Municipality of McCraney No. 282 and Census Division No. 11. Kenaston is located on Highway 11 (Louis Riel Trail) at the junction of Highwa ...
, Prpich started his career as a junior for the
Penticton Panthers in the
BCHL where in the 2000–01 season he played 52 matches scoring 25 goals and 21 assists. Four years of study (2002–2006) at the
University of North Dakota was the springboard for his future. Specifically, during this period in the
NCAA he played in 160 games with 31 goals and 21 assists culminating with a conference title in his final year in 2006.
After his senior season of collegiate hockey, Prpich made his professional debut at the end of the
2005–06 season in a brief stint with the
Iowa Stars of the
AHL, playing only two games. However, in the 2006–07 season, as the member of the
New Mexico Scorpions
The New Mexico Scorpions were a Central Hockey League (CHL) team located in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The team was established in 1996 as a part of the Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL). In 2001, the WPHL merged with the CHL. On July 2, 20 ...
, who play in the
CHL, he shined and has excelled in 64 duels with 23 goals and 22 assists. AHL and CHL experience opened doors to the highest British
EIHL
The Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), sometimes referred to as the British Elite League or, for sponsorship reasons, the Viaplay Elite League, is an ice hockey league in the United Kingdom. Formed in 2003 following the demise of the Ice Hockey ...
league and the
Cardiff Devils
The Cardiff Devils are a Welsh ice hockey team who play in the British Elite Ice Hockey League. The team play at Ice Arena Wales in Cardiff Bay.
Cardiff are the reigning EIHL play-off champions, winning their third title in a row after beating ...
with whom he had spent two seasons. In his last season with the Devils he led the team scoring 35 goals and 34 assists in 57 games.
On June 30, 2009, Prpich signed a one-year contract with Croatian team KHL Medveščak in the Austrian Hockey League. In the
2009–10 season, Prpich scored 6 goals in 47 games as the Bears progressed to the playoffs. On September 28, 2009, Mike was suspended for 3 games after fighting a
Vienna Capitals player and finished the season amassing 116
penalty minutes.
Career statistics
References
External links
*
Mike Prpich's profile at KHL Medveščak
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prpich, Mike
1982 births
Canadian ice hockey forwards
Canadian people of Croatian descent
Cardiff Devils players
Iowa Stars players
KHL Medveščak Zagreb players
Living people
New Mexico Scorpions (CHL) players
North Dakota Fighting Hawks men's ice hockey players
Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
Penticton Panthers players
Newcastle Vipers players