Mason Morelli signed a one-year deal with Barys Astana for the 2025-26 KHL season, joining Mike Vecchione and Jake Massie, both 2023 and 2024 Hershey Bears champions. Vecchione had signed with Traktor Chelyabinsk then was traded to Barys before playing for Traktor, prompting Barys to quickly add familiar Bears teammates to improve cohesion. Morelli arrives after two seasons in the Vegas Golden Knights organization, primarily with the Henderson Silver Knights, totaling 29 points and 19 points in the last two seasons. Morelli recorded four points in 10 NHL games and scored his first NHL goal on February 19, 2024 against the San Jose Sharks.
Thursday, Barys Astana announced they signed forward Mason Morelli to a one-year contract for the 2025-26 season. There, Morelli, a 2023 Calder Cup champion with the Hershey Bears, joins Mike Vecchione and Jake Massie, who were members of both the 2023 and 2024 championship teams. Vecchione was especially excited about the news, posting on Instagram Story, "That's our guy!!!!!! LFG."
The reunion among the three Bears players comes after Vecchione signed with Traktor Chelyabinsk as a free agent earlier this summer, but was then dealt to Barys Astana two weeks later before even taking the ice with the team. While Traktor had two other Bears veterans on their roster, Pierrick Dubé and Logan Day, Barys at the time had none.
The KHL's only team in Kazakhstan worked quickly to make Vecchione comfortable and improve the team, adding Massie shortly after and then inking Morelli, a grinding two-way forward from the Bears, this morning. Morelli joins Barys Astana after two seasons in the Vegas Golden Knights organization. He primarily spent his time with the Henderson Silver Knights, posting 29 points (13g, 16a) and 19 points (13g, 6a) the last two seasons respectively.
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