The Cincinnati Cyclones announced today that the team has signed rookie defenseman Dakota Betts to a Standard Player Contract for the 2022-23 ECHL season.
Betts, 21, spent the 2021-22 season wearing a letter for OHL-Niagara. The blue liner skated in 61 games, collecting 33 points and leading his team with 93 penalty minutes. Betts becomes the seventh defenseman to sign with the Cyclones. Cincinnati has inked five players (including Betts) that accumulated 65 or more penalty minutes last season.
"I talked to a couple of teams, but my conversations with Jason (Payne) were good and made it feel like there was a close connection and that this would be a really good fit," said Betts. "Now I just gotta prove myself. It's something I've done my whole playing career. I guess I've never really been looked at as one of the top players, so I just try to make myself stand out in any way I can to battle for my teammates and prove that I belong."
"We've got a competitor in Dakota," said Payne. "He's one of those guys that puts so much effort into his work ethic on and off the ice. He's blue collar and those are the kind of unsung heroes you'll find on good teams. We're excited to see how he acclimates himself to the pro game here in Cincinnati."
Dakota Betts
Position: Defenseman
Drafted: Undrafted
Age: 21 (8/21/2001)
Born: Bowmanville, Ontario
HT: 6'1” | WT: 185 lbs
Shoots: Left
- Scored eight goals and 25 assists with Niagara IceDogs last season, while leading the club with 93 penalty minutes. Began the 2021-22 season as team's Alternate Captain, before being named Team Captain in March.
- Previously posted 19 points in 63 games with Niagara during 2019-20 OHL season.
- Notched eight goals as apart of a 17-point campaign in the 2018-19 season with OJHL-Whitby. Broke out during the postseason with six goals in 12 games.
