Correction appended.
Former Ohio defenseman Alex Vazquez has signed with the Brampton Beast of the ECHL.
The news was confirmed by Vazquez on Wednesday.
The native of Shelby Township, Michigan, ended his college career last season as a senior, tallying two goals, four assists and 26 PIMs in 31 games played for the Bobcats.
Vazquez attributed his time with Ohio as a big reason why he was able to continue his hockey career.
"It was a huge impact," Vazquez said. "I came here for hockey, and the school is amazing, too. Everyday you come to Bird Arena, you want to keep working. This isn't the place where you just go through the motions."
Vazquez previously played professionally with the Roanoke Rail Yard Dogs, a Southern Professional Hockey League team in Roanoke, Virginia. He appeared in two games and scored one goal in his first game as a professional.
The 25-year-old joined the Beast, which is the ECHL's only Canadian-based team, after an amateur tryout in July.
"I'm excited," Vazquez said. "A little nervous, a little excited, but that's what makes it fun. You don't know what's going to happen."
Brampton is an affiliate of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens and plays in Brampton, Ontario, which is about a 20-minute drive northwest of Toronto.
The ECHL is a step below the American Hockey League, which is one step below the National Hockey League. There are 27 teams in the ECHL, with an expansion to 28 coming in 2018.
The Beast finished the 2016-17 season with a 40-24-3 record but fell to the Manchester Monarchs in the ECHL playoff quarterfinals.
Though Vazquez is eager to join his new club, he knows that a lot more needs to be accomplished to stay with the team.
"I'm trying to keep an open mind," Vazquez said. "The only thing I can control is how hard I work. Make sure I'm working harder than everyone else in the room. I'm trying to not put any expectations on anything, and I'm going to have to be a guy that goes in there and works really hard."
Correction: A previous version of this report incorrectly identified the league of the Brampton Beast. The article has been updated to reflect the most accurate information.
