Fort Wayne, IN— The Fort Wayne Komets’ pre-season roster grew to 24 players today with the additions of forward Max Patterson and defenseman Jake Willets. Also, goaltenders Dylan Ernst and Henry Graham have agreed to tryout agreements.
Patterson, 25, skated six games with Fort Wayne last season without registering a point. Before joining the Komets, the 6’6 winger played four seasons at the University of Calgary, scoring 27 goals with 44 assists in 89 games. Paterson also skated 320 games in the WHL with Kootenay, Swift Current, Everett and Seattle.
Willets, 26, split last season playing 16 games in Maine and 23 games overseas in Europe. The Erie, Michigan, native netted five goals and added nine assists during the 2024-25 campaign. Willets has also had stops in Atlanta and Toledo during his pro career. Before becoming a professional, the 6’1 defenseman appeared in 120 NCAA games with Lake Superior State and Ferris State.
Ernst, 21, played six seasons with Kamloops in the WHL. The 6’2 rookie collected a record of 85-61-7 and a career goals against average of 3.17 and a .897 save percentage in 165 games with the Blazers.
Graham, 25, appeared in two games at Lindenwood University last season. During his college career, he has also skated in a game for Boston University and eight with UMass, going 1-2-1 with a goals against average of 2.34 and a .921 save percentage during the 2022-23 season.
Pre-season roster
Forwards: Alex Aleardi, Nick Deakin-Poot, Jack Gorniak, Josh Groll, Dillon Hamaliuk, Zach Jordan, Paxton Leroux, Austin Magera, Brandon McNally, Matt Miller, Blake Murray, Anthony Petruzzelli, Kirill Tyutyayev, Max Patterson
Defenseman: Grant Gabriele, Owen Gallatin, Tyler Inamoto, Dru Krebs, Dustyn McFaul, Matt Murphy, Harrison Rees, Jake Willets
Goaltenders: Henry Graham, Dylan Ernst
Keep checking komets.com for more details on Komets ticket offers, promotional events/schedules, special game jerseys/theme nights, and other highlights planned for the 74th consecutive season of Fort Wayne Komet Hockey.
Season tickets are on sale now for the 2025-26 season. For more information, visit komets.com or call 260-483-0011.
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