MOLINE, Ill. (December 14, 2014) - Quad City Mallards defenseman Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel has been signed to a professional tryout agreement by the American Hockey League's Iowa Wild, the Mallards announced today.
Dieude-Fauvel, 28, scored four goals, added three assists and registered a plus/minus rating of +2 while playing in each of the Mallards' first 22 games this season. The 6' 2", 220-pound Bordeaux, France, native Friday night scored the game winner in the Mallards' 3-1 victory over the Thunder in Wichita.
Dieude-Fauvel last season set career highs in goals (11), assists (29) and points (40) while finishing seventh among Central Hockey League defensemen in each of those categories. He likewise established a career best in plus/minus (+17) last year. Dieude-Fauvel also proved durable in his first season as a Mallard, missing just one of the club's 66 games.
Dieude-Fauvel went on to notch a goal and an assist in 14 postseason games while helping the Mallards win a playoff series and advance to the semi-final round for the first time in 11 years.
In May, Dieude-Fauvel capped off his banner 2013-14 campaign by representing France at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship in Belarus as les Bleus advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since 1995.
Over six years in North America, Dieude-Fauvel has produced 37 goals and 122 points in 318 games. He reunited with Mallards coach Terry Ruskowski last season after first playing for Ruskowski in 2009-10 and 2010-11 with the CHL's Laredo Bucks. From the Bucks, Dieude-Fauvel moved on to spend two seasons with the ECHL's Elmira Jackals.
Dieude-Fauvel spent five-plus seasons playing in his homeland- for Amiens, Chamonix and Morzine-Avoriaz- before making the trip across the pond.
The Mallards return to action tonight against the Oilers in Tulsa. The Mallards next play at home next Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. against the Brampton Beast. Fans can purchase four tickets to any Mallards Wednesday home game for just $20. In addition, after each Wednesday home contest, fans can join the Mallards at T.G.I. Friday's on River Drive in Moline- adjacent to the iWireless Center- for a postgame party.
Single game tickets for all remaining Mallards regular season home games- including next Wednesday's tilt- are on sale now at the iWireless Center box office, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000. The box office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and game days from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period. Tickets are available for $10, $16, $20 and $28.
