Steelheads Sign Veteran Defenseman Mitch Versteeg

BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho Steelheads have signed defenseman Mitch Versteeg to a Standard Player Contract (SPC) for the 2021-22 season, Head Coach & Director of Hockey Operations Everett Sheen announced on Tuesday.Versteeg, 33, played 19 games with Ferencvárosi TC - Telecom in the Hungarian Erste Liga during the 2020-21 season, posting four goals and four assists for eight points with 27 penalty minutes and a plus-12 rating as well as seven points (3-4—7) in 11 playoff games in route to the Erste Liga Championship. The Lethbridge, Alb. native has played in Europe since the 2013-14 season with two non-consecutive years in the Deutsch Elite League (DEL) 2 with three teams, one season with the Nikko Icebucks in the Asia League in 2014-15, and four seasons with HK Nitra in Slovakia from 2016-17 through 2019-20. He posted a career-best 22 points (5-17—22) with HK Nitra in 2019-20 through 55 games.

The 6-foot-1 defenseman began his professional career in the ECHL with the Kalamazoo Wings and Trenton Titans, settling in Kalamazoo for two seasons starting in 2009-10 and in Trenton for parts of two seasons beginning in 2011-12 before going back to Kalamazoo early in the 2012-13 campaign. Over his ECHL career, Versteeg tallied 73 points (24-49—73) with 312 penalty minutes and a plus-22 rating through 231 career games.In his 12-year professional career, he owns 194 points (58-136—194) through 560 games with 995 penalty minutes a plus-34 rating.Prior to his professional career, Versteeg played parts of three seasons with the Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL) from 2006-07 through 2008-09, tabbing 41 points (12-29—41) through 148 games with 297 penalty minutes and a plus-19 rating. His best year came in his final season in 2008-09, boasting 28 points with 125 penalty minutes in 68 games. He is the younger brother of two-time Stanley Cup Champion Kris Versteeg, and the two briefly played together at HK Nitra in 2019-20.

The Steelheads open a three-game weekend against the Rapid City Rush on Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 7:05 p.m. and return to Idaho Central Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 17 at 7:10 p.m. against the Adirondack Thunder. Single-game tickets are available for all home games during the 2021-22 regular season by going to idahosteelheads.com or calling 331-TIXS! Make sure to secure your FloSports subscription for the 2021-22 season to lock in all Steelheads games and more on ECHL TV.