Prowlers Sign Pair of Defensemen

The Port Huron Prowlers have announced two more signings on the blue line for the 2022-23 season. Nick Williams returns for his first full campaign as a Prowler while Bryan Parsons is back after spending last season in the SPHL.

Last season was Williams’ first in professional hockey since 2017-18. He saw action in 33 games and added a goal and three assists offensively. Williams’ true value was in his physicality as he racked up a career-high 130 penalty minutes.

“When I connected with [Williams] last year, I didn’t know what to expect after he had taken some time off,” said Prowlers general manager and head coach Matt Graham. “After being around him for a few days, we could tell that his passion and work ethic were contagious. He’s the type of player who is willing to do the things that no one else is and that’s a welcome addition to any team. He plays an old-school style, which is good for the younger guys to see, and intimidates the other team. He embraces his role and works harder than most. We saw improvement every day he was on the ice. I’m excited to have him back and watch him keep getting back to the player he knows he’s capable of being.”

Before his hockey hiatus, Williams began the 2017-18 campaign in Port Huron. He played six games before being traded to the Danville Dashers, where he finished the year. The 35-year-old has suited up for 173 games with six different FPHL franchises dating back to the 2011-12 season.

“I am super excited to be back again this season,” Williams said. “Coming in a little late last season, I am really looking forward to being there from the start. Matt Graham and [assistant GM and coach] Alex Johnson know what needs to be done to have a winning team and I am super happy to be a part of that.”

Parsons got his first chance at the SPHL level last season with the Huntsville Havoc. He dressed for five games before a shoulder injury sidelined him for the rest of the season.

“It’s great to add Parsons to the back end,” Graham said. “He’s extremely reliable and will be a tremendous help to our breakout and transition game. He plays simple and straightforward and that balances well with what we have currently. Even though he missed most of last season, I think he gained a lot of valuable experience being part of a top-tier organization like Huntsville. We will look for him to log big minutes, playing a bigger role than he ever has. We will also look for him to use his experience to help out the younger guys.”

Parsons joined the professional ranks in 2018-19 after manning the blue line at Becker College for four years. He began his rookie year with the Watertown Wolves but was traded to Port Huron on Feb. 7, 2019, along with Cody Karpinski in exchange for Yianni Liarakos. He played 12 games with the Prowlers adding six assists and 32 penalty minutes. Parsons returned to Port Huron each of the next two years and, in all, played 73 games as a Prowler putting up 34 points and amassing 115 penalty minutes.

“Port Huron is basically where my career kicked off,” Parsons said. “Having played with a lot of the core already, I think it will be easy to jump right back into the mix and contribute. Coming back from my injury has been a long and tedious process. I stayed focused and determined to make it back to competitive hockey this season so I’m extremely excited to get back to work.”

The pair of defensemen will be at McMorran Place on Oct. 15 for the home opener against the Motor City Rockers. Early bird pricing on season tickets is still available at the McMorran box office. Fans can purchase tickets in person, by calling 810-985-6166, or by visiting phprowlers.com/season-memberships.

Photos courtesy of Delta Imaging and the Huntsville Havoc