Ontario Reign captain Joe Hicketts has been loaned to Hockey Canada and will represent his country on the roster for the 2025 Spengler Cup. 

The tournament will be held from Dec. 26-31 in Davos, Switzerland. Team Canada will compete against other pro clubs from four other European countries including HC Fribourg-Gottéron (Switzerland), HC Davos (Switzerland), IFK Helsinki (Finland), and HC Sparta Praha (Czechia). 

Hicketts, 27, has appeared in all 27 games for Ontario this season in his third season with the Reign, second as captain, and has posted 12 points (3G, 9A). He is the only defenseman on the club to have skated in every game this season and one of eight total skaters. 

The Kamloops, BC native has collected 59 points (7G, 52A) in 119 games for Ontario during his tenure and has played parts of 10 seasons in the AHL splitting time with Ontario, Iowa, and Grand Rapids accumulating 256 points (41G, 215A) in 538 regular season games. He has also appeared in 41 AHL Calder Cup playoff games notching 18 points (2G, 16A) and helped the Grand Rapids Griffins the 2017 Calder Cup. Hicketts skated in 22 NHL games with Detroit from 2018-20 tallying five assists. 

Hicketts helped Canada to the U20 World Junior Championship Gold Medal in 2015 and was named a top three player in the tournament the following year. He also guided his country to a U18 World Junior Championship Bronze Medal in 2014 and an Ivan Hlinka Memorial Gold Medal. In addition, he also captured a U17 Silver Medal with Canada in 2013. 

Canada opens the 2025 Spengler Cup against the U.S. Collegiate Selects at 8:15 p.m. PST. The championship game is set for Dec. 31 at 12:10 p.m. PST. 

The Reign return to action after the AHL’s holiday break Saturday in San Jose against the Barracuda at 6 p.m. PST. 

For all the latest news and updates, download the official Reign Mobile App and follow the Reign on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

###

Ontario Reign Hockey