DECATUR, Ill. – A familiar face is returning to the Decatur Blaze for the team’s initial season in the United States Premier Hockey League.

Forward Nathan Zoellner, a 20-year-old out of nearby Springfield, has signed with the Blaze for the 2015-16 season and cannot wait to get started.

“I'm excited to be back in Decatur this year,” Zoellner said. “To me, it's almost like playing at home because I only live 30 minutes away. The fans and atmosphere are amazing. They give us so much energy and that makes us work harder to put on a good show for them. Coach (Zac) Pearson has a great sense for the game and has taught me a lot, not just as a hockey player, but as a person.

“I can't wait to see what the season has in store.”

During the 2014-15 season in the Midwest Junior Hockey League, Zoellner posted two goals and four assists for six points in 36 games and also added 16 penalty minutes.

Pearson is entering his second season with the Blaze since buying the team and moving it from Bloomington to Decatur prior to last season. He also coached the Bloomington Jr. Blaze from 2012-14.

Getting Zoellner back in the fold was a priority for Pearson during this offseason.

"We are excited to have Nathan back for us for his third season with the Blaze,” Pearson said. “Nathan has progressed each year and I look forward to watching him grow even more. Nathan won’t show up on the score sheet every night, but he definitely brings something very important to the Blaze. Nathan was arguably one of best players on our penalty kill last year. He saw almost every PK last year and really helped the Blaze have one of the best PKs in the league (88% efficiency rate).”

Stay tuned as the Blaze will continue to sign players through the spring and summer months leading up to the start of the ’15-16 season.