Komets re-sign Roy, Hodgman

Fort Wayne, IN -- The Komets announced Wednesday that forwards Marco Roy and Justin Hodgman have agreed to terms and will return to the lineup for 2018-19. Brothers Nicholas Kuqali and Alexander Kuqali also have been added to the preseason roster.

Roy (wah), 23, will be returning for his second season in Fort Wayne after posting career highs of 17 goals, 31 assists and 48 points in 45 games last year. The forward also shared 13 AHL games with San Jose and Utica during the season. Roy completed a five-year juniors career in the QMJHL in 2014-15. He made his pro debut in 2015-16 splitting the campaign between Bakersfield in the AHL and Norfolk in the ECHL. The Boisbriand, Quebec native added 23 AHL games with Utica and five ECHL games with Alaska in 2016-17. In 60 ECHL career games, Roy has scored totals of 19 goals, 36 assists and 55 points.

Hodgman, 30, started his career by helping the Komets to three straight IHL championships in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The veteran also collected the 2008 IHL Playoffs MVP award. During 2009-10 the center made his AHL debut and went on to post AHL career totals of 30 goals, 52 assists an 82 points in 157 games over a span of four seasons. He also logged a European career of 201 games from 2011-12 to 2016-17. During that time Hodgman also signed an NHL two-way contract with Arizona and made his NHL debut in 2014-15 appearing in five games with the Coyotes. He also scored his AHL career best 11 goals, 24 assists and 35 points in 62 games with Portland. Last season Hodgman returned to the Fort Wayne lineup and skated 30 games scoring nine goals and 25 points. He has amassed 34 goals 49 assists and 83 points in 84 Fort Wayne career games, including playoffs.

Nicholas Kuqali (coo-KAHL-ee), 33, will be joining the Komets camp for his second time. He was also in the Fort Wayne 2015-16 camp and appeared in six regular season games. This will be the ninth season of Kuqali's hockey career. From 2010-11 thru 2015-16 the defenseman skated stints in the FHL, SPHL, CHL and ECHL. He traveled to Europe in 2016-17 and helped DVTK win the Erste Liga Continental Cup. Last season the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native skated with Vienna scoring four goals and 14 points in 40 games.

Alexander Kuqali, 27, is the brother of Nicholas Kuqali and is also a defenseman. The Dallas, Texas native completed four years of juniors at Indiana and Sioux City in the USHL in 2011-12 prior to a four-year career at Rochester Institute of Technology (R.I.T.) where he was on board for three consecutive NCAA (AHA) championships in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Kuqali was also named to the All-Tournament Team and earned Senior Class All-American First Team honors. Kuqali split 2016-17 in the ECHL with Florida and Quad City. He skated 55 games with Quad City last year and had a career best five goals, 16 assists and 21 points.

The Komets preseason roster expands to 23 players and includes 14 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders.

-See Komets preseason roster-

mets' 2018-19 season home opener is slated for Saturday, Oct. 20 against the Kalamazoo Wings. Season tickets are on sale at the Komet office at 1010 Memorial Way in Fort Wayne. For more information visit the Komet office, Komets.com or call 260-483-0011.