Zach Pochiro is on his way back to the Prince George Cougars.
Pochiro, a 20-year-old forward, has been reassigned to the Cougars by the St. Louis Blues, who selected him in the fourth round (112th overall) of the 2013 National Hockey League draft. The Cougars made the announcement Tuesday morning.
Pochiro had been playing for the Alaska Aces of the ECHL. In eight games, he had two assists, 13 penalty minutes and a plus/minus rating of -6. Pochiro will be in Prince George in time for tonight's game against the Vancouver Giants.
"We are very excited to have Zach back with our team," Cougars general manager Todd Harkins said in a media release. "The fact that the St. Louis Blues kept him in the professional ranks for as long as they did shows how close he is to being pro-ready. It's a testament to our organization that the St. Louis Blues have entrusted us to further Zach's development to make his step towards the pro level seamless."
Added head coach Mark Holick: "Zach Pochiro is the type of player that can break open a game. He's a very hard-nosed, versatile player who can provide more offence for our hockey club. He instantly makes us a better team."
The addition of Pochiro leaves the Cougars with four 20-year-olds on their roster, one more than they are allowed to carry. The team will have two weeks to make a roster move. The other 20-year-olds in uniform are forwards Jari Erricson and Chance Braid and backup goaltender Jared Rathjen.
The six-foot-two, 160-pound Pochiro hails from Las Vegas. He was originally listed by the Cougars in the summer of 2012. In 128 career games with the Cats, he has 42 goals and 63 assists for 105 points.
