MARQUETTE – The Northern Michigan University hockey team has added a new player to its roster.

Adam Rockwood, a 5-foot-10, 165-pound forward, is transferring to the Wildcats after spending the last two seasons with the University of Wisconsin.

While he is currently practicing with Northern, due to NCAA transfer rules he can’t play in games until the 2017-18 season. So he’ll miss an opportunity to play his former team four times this season.

“Adam came on the market and we contacted some guys to see how interested he was,” NMU head coach Walt Kyle said. “He is a really talented player. He’s a good passer and has good vision. He played up on special teams and had some success at Wisconsin. He’s a good pickup for us and I wish we could have him play this year.”

During his two years with the Badgers, Rockwood picked up five goals and totaled 30 points in 60 games. Before coming to Wisconsin, he skated for the Coquitlam Express of the British Columbia Hockey League for three seasons. During his time with the Express, he scored 23 goals and 120 points and helped lead his team to the Fred Page Cup in 2013-14.

Rockwood is the Wildcats’ second transfer this decade after Matt Thurber, who played two years at Northern. He led the Wildcats with 32 points in 2012-13.

Former NMU defenseman Barrett Kaib was the team’s most recent transfer. Kaib spent three seasons with the Wildcats after spending his freshman year with Providence and scored nine goals and 25 points during his time at Northern.

The Wildcats open their season Oct. 2 with an exhibition against the University of Victoria, British Columbia, and their regular season Oct. 7-8 against the Badgers in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Ryan Stieg can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. His email address is rstieg@miningjournal.net.