Quad City Mallards forward Olivier Archambault has been recalled by the American Hockey League’s Iowa Wild, while Mallards forward Matt Neal has signed a professional tryout agreement with the Wild, the Mallards announced today.

The Mallards acquired Archambault’s ECHL rights last month in a trade with the Alaska Aces.  As a rookie last season, the 22-year old Archambault split time between the Aces and Wild.  The 6’ 0”, 190-pound, Le Gardeur, Quebec, native averaged a point per game in 38 outings for Alaska, scoring twenty goals and picking up 18 assists while posting a plus/minus rating of +7.  Archambault scored four times and added five assists in 24 AHL games. 

Archambault was selected by the Montreal Canadians in the fourth round of the 2011 National Hockey League Entry Draft with the one hundred eighth overall pick.  He got his first taste of professional hockey when he notched a goal and an assist in ten games with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs late in the 2012-13 season.

Archambault returned to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 2013-14 to score 19 goals and collect 27 assists for 46 points in 38 games with the Quebec Ramparts.  Archambault totaled 100 goals, 131 assists and 231 points in 270 career QMJHL games over five seasons with the Ramparts, Drummondville Voltigeurs and Val d’Or Foreurs.

Neal, 23, made an immediate impact after joining the Mallards out of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in March.  The 5’ 11”, 200-pound Minesing, Ontario, native piled up a goal and five assists in seven regular season games before scoring three goals and adding two assists in seven playoff games. 

Neal scored five times and notched 11 assists for 16 points in 35 games as a senior at RPI last season.  In 2013-14, he set collegiate career highs by scoring ten goals and recording 27 points in 37 games.

Over his four seasons as an Engineer, Neal produced 25 goals and 52 assists for 77 points in 127 games.

Before arriving at RPI, Neal spent three seasons with the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Stouffville Spirit.  He capped off his junior career in 2010-11 by ringing up 40 goals and 60 assists in 50 games to finish fourth in the OJHL with 100 points.

The Mallards will begin their nineteenth season- and their second in the ECHL- on the road against the defending champion Allen Americans on Friday, October 16 before returning to the Quad Cities to play their home opener on Friday, October 23 at 7:05 p.m. against the Tulsa Oilers.  The home opener will also bring the a postgame fireworks show outside the iWireless Center and return of $1 Dog/$1 Beer Friday presented by 97X.  In addition, Every Friday game will also be a MetroLINK College Night this season.  The Mallards have once again partnered with Metro to provide transit service between Augustana College and downtown Moline during all Friday home games. As part of Metro’s unlimited ride program, Augustana riders can use their Augustana ID as their fare. 

Single game tickets for all Mallards regular season games- including the home opener- 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. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Tickets are available for $10, $16, $20 and $28.

Mallards 2015-16 season tickets are also still available.  Season ticket holders enjoy significant savings of the walk-up ticket price and receive a host of exclusive benefits.  For more season ticket information, fans can contact the Mallards at 309-277-1364 or info@myqcmallards.com.