Islanders Reassign Finn and Schempp to Missouri Mavericks

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — The Missouri Mavericks announced today that the New York Islanders have reassigned defenseman Matt Finn and forward Kyle Schempp to the team from the American Hockey League’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Finn, 22, is a third-year pro who spent 20 games with the Mavericks and 33 with the Sound Tigers in 2015-16. He rated fifth among Mavericks defensemen in points last season with 13 (7g, 6a), and was a plus-9 to go along with 13 penalty minutes. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound blueliner also chipped in 14 points (6g, 8a) in his first year with the Sound Tigers. Originally a second-round draft pick (#35 overall) by Toronto in 2012, Finn was acquired by the Islanders on September 17, 2015 as part of a six-player trade that sent Michael Grabner to the Maple Leafs.

Finn has skated in a pair of games with the Sound Tigers so far this season but has not registered a point.

Schempp is a 22-year-old rookie from Saginaw, Michigan who was selected in the sixth round (#155 overall) by the Islanders in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. A 6-foot-0, 180-pound winger, Schempp has appeared in three games for the Sound Tigers this season. Prior to turning professional, he captained the 2015-16 Ferris State University Bulldogs to a Western Collegiate Hockey Association championship and an appearance in the NCAA tournament where the Bulldogs reached the second round.

At the conclusion of his junior season last year, Schempp signed an amateur tryout with Bridgeport and earned an assist in each of his first two professional games. For his collegiate career Schempp totaled 66 points (29g, 37a) and 62 penalty minutes over 121 games.

Finn and Schempp are expected to join the Mavericks in time for their weekend home-and-home series with the Tulsa Oilers. It begins tomorrow with a 7:05 p.m. faceoff in Tulsa and wraps on Saturday at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena, also at 7:05 p.m.

About the Missouri Mavericks: The Mavericks are members of the Mountain Division of the Western Conference of the ECHL—the Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League in North America. Founded in 2009, the Mavericks are entering their eighth season in team history at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena. The Mavericks are the defending Brabham Cup winners after posting a league-leading record of 52-15-5 during the 2015-16 ECHL season, and have been honored with multiple community and league awards including the Harry S. Truman Special Community Service Recognition Award, the Bud Poile Governors’ Cup (CHL), and the CHL Franchise of the Year Award for four consecutive seasons.