OKLAHOMA CITY–The Oklahoma Warriors have acquired forward Riley Brueck and defenseman Dominic Elliott from the United States Hockey League.
Brueck and Elliott both joined the team this week ahead of a two-game series against the El Paso Rhinos at Blazers Ice Centre.
Brueck, a native of Chesterfield, Mo., is a familiar face to the Warriors organization and many of its longtime fans. He was an original Wichita Falls Warrior for two seasons, joining the team in the fall of 2020. He earned the opportunity to play for the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers for all of last season and the beginning of this season.
“He was a huge part of creating our culture,” head coach Garrett Roth said. “He is a high-character kid who works hard. He has a great skill set. We are excited to have him back. He is going to be an impact player in all facets of the game for us. He knows what the expectation is from being here for two years. I have seen a lot of growth in the game since the last time he suited up for the Warriors.”
Riley, who joined older brother Adisen for both years in Wichita Falls, worked his way into the lineup at just 17 years old. After learning the ropes his first year, the 6’2″ forward proceeded to score 18 goals and 33 points during his second year. The Union College commit, now 20, has 95 career NAHL games, all of them with the same franchise.
Roth and the Warriors signed a tender agreement with Brueck over the summer. With that line of communication and interest open, Roth jumped on the opportunity to bring an original Warrior back to Oklahoma City.
“His ability to continue developing put him on a really good path to be able to play in the USHL last season and get his commitment to Union,” Roth said. “This is an opportunity to come here, play big minutes, and get himself prepared to go be an impactful player for Union next year.”
Elliott, a 19-year-old from Allendale, Mich., will make his NAHL debut when he suits up for the first time. He brings 102 career USHL games to the table, all of them with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Elliott joined Cedar Rapids in the fall of 2021 at just 17 years of age himself.
“Dominic is a really good puck moving defenseman that plays with an edge,” Roth said. “We had followed him for the last couple of years. We ended up drafting him and traded for him from Cedar Rapids to give him an opportunity to come on board and have a huge role on our team this year.”
Oklahoma used a second-round pick to select Elliott in the 2023 NAHL Draft. With the 5’10” defenseman joining the team, five of the Warriors’ eight draft picks are now on the active roster.
“In everything we do, we definitely want to make sure that we get a high-character kid and the right personality to come in and mesh well with our group,” Roth said. “In that process over the summer before the draft, Dominic checked every single box that we looked into. We know the caliber of player he is and what he can add to our locker room.”
With Brueck and Elliott now in Oklahoma City and getting acclimated to their new surroundings, Roth believes the additions will not only put the Warriors in better position to win hockey games, but also drive the rest of the team to compete for coveted positions in the lineup and on special teams.
“It is an opportunity for guys to continue to push, compete, and earn spots in the lineup every single day,” Roth said. “With the addition of both these guys, I thought we had an excellent last couple days of practice.”
The Warriors (7-3) meet El Paso (7-2) in a matchup of the top two teams in the South Division by points percentage. Both games are at 7:15 p.m. from Blazers Ice Centre in Oklahoma City.
Fans can purchase tickets to all Warriors games at www.okwarriors.com/tickets. Box office opens at 5 p.m. and doors open at 6 p.m. for a 7:15 p.m. puck drop. Every game is broadcast live through www.NAHLTV.com, the North American Hockey League’s streaming service.
