Forward Joe Pendenza joins Steelheads

Boise, ID (8/21/18) – Steelheads Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Neil Graham announced on Tuesday that the Idaho Steelheads have agreed to terms with forward Joe Pendenza on an ECHL contract for the 2018-19 season.

Pendenza, 27, will begin his fourth full professional season in October. The Wilmington, Massachusetts native spent the entire 2017-18 season with the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters, notching six goals and ten points in 46 games.

“Joe is a gifted center who plays the game with a lot of speed and pace,” said Graham. “He has produced at every level and we’re excited to add him to our group.”

The 5-foot-11 forward has appeared in 206 career AHL games for Cleveland and Milwaukee, recording 27 goals and 57 points. Pendenza enjoyed his best AHL production in 2016-17 with Cleveland, scoring nine goals and 21 points in 62 contests. He has posted three multi-goal games over the last two seasons.

Pendenza has played 38 ECHL games during his career, appearing in 34 games with the Cincinnati Cyclones but playing his most recent ECHL stint with four games in 2016-17 for the Manchester Monarchs. In his ECHL career, Pendenza has totaled 16 goals and 31 points, along with 28 penalty minutes.

“I’m really excited to join a team in Idaho that has a history of winning, having won two Kelly Cups,” said Pendenza. “I look forward to helping the team towards the goal of winning another one.”

Pendenza played four years of NCAA Division I hockey at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell from 2010 to 2014, recording 49 goals and 110 points in 152 college games. Pendenza won a Hockey East Championship in 2012-13 and was named to Hockey East’s Second All-Star Team that season, in which he had 15 goals and 38 points in 41 games.

“He adds an offensive dynamic to the lineup every night,” said Graham.

Pendenza is the tenth forward announced by the Steelheads this off-season.

Photo: John Saraya/Cleveland Monsters