Walleye sign three D-men, one high scoring forward

Defensemen Butrus Ghafari and Connor Walters have agreed to terms with the Toledo Walleye for the 2020-21 season. They are two of three defenseman and a forward who have joined up with the Walleye in recent weeks.
Ghafari played one game with the Walleye last season (signed on March 10, 2020) after playing 36 games for Michigan State where he had 5 points (two goals, three assists) for the Spartans. The 23-year-old Michigan native appeared in 114 career games at Michigan State.
“We brought Butrus to Toledo at the end of the 19-20 season and liked is character and investment of wanting to get better every day,” said Walleye Dan Watson. “He is a strong defender, hardworking, blue-collar type player who will develop quickly into a solid pro.”
Walters joins Toledo after patrolling the blueline for Brock University appearing in 56 games tallying 29 points (3G, 26A), where he was named to the 2018-19 OUA All-Star team. Prior to that, the 23-year-old spent parts of three seasons each in the OHL with the Owen Sound Attack and Hamilton Bulldogs.
“Connor has won an OHL Championship, playing on the same team as Kaden Fulcher, so he knows what it takes to win when the pressure is on. He is a steady, reliable defenseman who shows poise with the puck. We look forward to helping Connor continue his development,” Watson said.
The Welland Ontario native skated for a combined 260 games in the OHL with 10 goals, 57 assists, 67 points, and 85 penalty minutes.
Defenseman Chris McKay has agreed to terms with the Walleye.
McKay, a native of Edmonton Alberta, is preparing for his first professional hockey season. He comes to Toledo after a four-year career at the Rochester Institute of Technology. From 2016-2020, he played in 123 games for the Tigers, scoring 5 goals with 23 assists and 167 penalty minutes. McKay finished his senior year with a plus 17 rating. Twice, he earned a place on the Atlantic Hockey All-Academic Team.
Watson describes 24-year-old McKay as a big, defensive defenseman who plays with an edge.
“He has a high compete level and plays a solid team game. He will be counted on to play big minutes and we look forward to continue helping him develop,” Watson said.
Prior to his college days, McKay played three seasons with the Sherwood Park Crusaders of the AJHL. He was the first Sherwood Park defenseman to score a hat-trick in a game.
Forward Conlan Keenan has also agreed to terms with the Walleye for the 2020-21 season.
Keenan joins Toledo after completing his college career at SUNY-Geneseo where he consistently ranked among the top in points every season he played. Playing in over 100 games during his college career, the 24-year-old racked up a total of 172 points (86G, 86A) and 30 penalty minutes.
 “Conlan had a fantastic college career offensively. He has great vision, scoring touch and the ability to make players around him better. He was a captain for his team for the past two seasons, so he will bring leadership qualities to the Walleye as well,” Watson said.
The 5-foot-10, 170 pound, Rochester, New York native helped lead the Knights to back-to-back State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Championships and NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the NCAA Frozen Four in 2019.
The Walleye announced its list of six players that have received qualifying offers for the 2020-21 season. They are goaltender Billy Christopoulos, forward Justin Buzzeo and defensemen Blake Hillman, Brenden Kotyk, Mike Moffat, and Dylan Zink,