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Posted: Mar 28, 2018

L’Esperance signs ATO with Texas Stars

L’Esperance signs ATO with Texas Stars

CEDAR PARK, Texas – Michigan Tech hockey senior forward Joel L'Esperance has signed an amateur tryout agreement with the Texas Stars the team announced Tuesday (March 27) evening. Texas is the primary AHL affiliate of the NHL's Dallas Stars.

L'Esperance, a native of Brighton, Michigan, played four seasons for the Huskies, appearing in 152 career games. He was an alternate captain this season and finished with 98 career points, racking up over 25 points in each of his final three seasons. He received the Gary Crosby Memorial Award as the team's top scorer as a junior after tallying 28 points on 11 goals and 17 assists. This season he was fourth on the team with 27 points on 12 goals and 15 assists. He had a career-high 16 goals as a sophomore, finishing with 26 points after putting up 17 points (7G-10A) as a rookie.

L'Esperance was named to the Ice Breaker Invitational All-Tournament Team after he scored a pair of goals in the semifinal win over No. 16 Union on October 6, including the game-winner. He scored the game-winning goal in a 4-3 victory over Alaska at home on January 20, recording eight game-winners in his career.

L'Esperance had seven multi-point games this season and 21 for his career. He had a season-high three points after scoring a goal and adding a pair of assists in Tech's WCHA Quarterfinal clinching game at Bemidji State on March 3. His career-high for points was four at Bemidji State on February 20, 2016, after scoring a goal and racking up three assists. He also had a career plus-38 rating while scoring 15 career power goals.

L'Esperance had nine points (4G-5A) in seven playoff games this season, scoring in the WCHA Championship Game for the second season in a row. In 20 career playoff games, he had 23 points on 10 goals and 13 assists while finding the scoresheet in all three NCAA games with two assists and a goal.

L'Esperance was a member of a senior class that won 97 games—the most since the 1984 class. The class was the first since 1978 to have a winning record all four seasons. They took the Huskies to three NCAA Tournaments, won a pair of WCHA Tournament Titles, won the MacNaughton Cup as WCHA regular season champs as sophomores, and were ranked the No. 1 team in the nation in 2014-15 after a program-best 10-0 start. They also won the Desert Hockey Classic in 2015-16 and the Ice Breaker Championship earlier this season.

Before his career at Tech, L'Esperance played two seasons in the USHL. He spent the first half of 2013-14 with the Tri-City Storm (USHL), compiling 34 points (21G-13A) in 35 games before joining the Sioux City Musketeers. He had 14 points (6G-8A) in 25 games in Sioux City in the regular season and then helped the team to the USHL Western Conference Finals. He played for Compuware before joining Tri-City.

Michigan Tech Hall of Famer Scott White is the General Manager of the Texas Stars along with his duties as the Assistant GM of the Dallas Stars. White played 154 games for the Huskies from 1985-89. He also served as an assistant coach from 1994-99. As a player, White racked up 93 points on 20 goals and 73 assists from the blue line.

The Stars have nine regular season games remaining on the schedule. They currently sit fourth in the Pacific Division and would qualify for the Calder Cup Playoffs if the season ended today.