The Coventry Blaze reinforced their blueline on Monday [19 February], signing defenceman Chase Hartje for the remainder of the Elite League season.
Hartje replaces James Shearer on Danny Stewart’s active roster, with the Canadian placed on long-term injury reserve last week.
“It was vital to get a capable body in at the deadline to strengthen us at the back and protect the guys that we have,” explained Stewart.
“Chase is a very good skating, and puck moving defenceman that can help us in all three zones. He adds depth and pace to our backend and we look forward to getting him in this week.”
Hartje joins the Blaze following a four-year collegiate career with the University of Manitoba.
During his stint in USports, the 24-year-old totalled 45 points (eight goals, 37 assists) in 69 games, building on his 73 points (13 goals, 60 assists) in 178 Western Hockey League appearances as a major-junior athlete.
Analysis: Coventry Blaze issue statement of intent with Chase Hartje signing
The Coventry Blaze are flying high in the Elite League as we approach the business end of the season, with Danny Stewart once again building an under-the-radar playoff threat.
Coventry featured in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup (we’ll skate over the aggregate scoreline against the Sheffield Steelers) and could yet punch up the table in the final weeks of the season.
In other words, the Blaze are a legitimate playoff challenger and could spring a surprise or two once the postseason arrives.
With that in mind, the organisation had no choice but to reward its players with a bone fide replacement for the injured James Shearer, who was averaging more than 19 minutes of time on ice per game before his injury.
Chase Hartje, now of the Coventry Blaze (Image: Dave Mahussier / Bison Sports)
Chase Hartje is a quality addition for the Blaze, although the usual caveats apply with the Minnesota-born blueliner untested in the professional ranks.
Hartje is a strong skater who was known for his ability to make defensive reads in USports. While he will face tougher opponents in the Elite League, you would back him to adapt quickly given Stewart’s high hit rate when signing players straight out of Canada’s university system.
Here’s the bottom line – the Blaze are legit, sitting just four points behind the third-placed Belfast Giants, and adding Hartje to their defence mitigates the loss of Shearer.
