When it comes to trying new, exciting cuisine, few foods hit the spot like a deliciously fresh Mediterranean meal. However, we know that it can be very difficult to find authentic Mediterranean grocery wholesalers in Tucson, AZ. Having lived in metro Atlanta for years, we realized that our customers needed an easy way to find quality wholesale Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food in bulk. That is why we created Nazareth Grocery Mediterranean Market - to give everyone a chance to enjoy tasty, healthy food, desserts, and authentic Mediterranean gifts at wholesale prices.
Founded in 2009, Nazareth Grocery has become one of Tucson's leading international wholesale grocery stores. We are very proud to serve our customers and do everything in our power to give them the largest selection of high-quality wholesale goods available.
If you're looking for the freshest, most delicious Middle Eastern wholesale products and ingredients, you will find them here at the best prices in the state. We encourage you to swing by our store in Marietta to see our selection for yourself. We think that you will be impressed!
At Nazareth Grocery Mediterranean Market, our mission is simple: bring you and your family the largest selection of wholesale Mediterranean products in Tucson. When coupled with our helpful, friendly staff and authentic Middle Eastern atmosphere, it's easy to see why we are the top Middle Eastern grocery wholesaler in Tucson, AZ. We're proud to carry just about every kind of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern product that you can think of, from prepared meals and hookahs to fine seasonings and sweets. We're here for our customers and want each one of them to have a unique, one-of-a-kind experience when they shop with us.
Our loyal customers love our selection of the following wholesale foods and gifts:
There is so much more to Mediterranean food than pizza and pasta. The perfect climate combined with delicious foods and amazing wine makes the Mediterranean incredibly irresistible. That's why our customers absolutely love to buy this kind of cuisine in bulk. Every country in this region has its own set of specialties and delicacies, each with its own flavors and styles of preparation.
Mediterranean countries include:
So, when it comes to the most popular wholesale Mediterranean products in Tucson,
what are we talking about?
Feta cheese is a classic Mediterranean dairy product that is often enjoyed on its own, in Greek salads, on bread, or mixed with zucchini. Depending on where the feta is sourced and produced, the cheese can be made from cow, sheep, or goat milk, or even a combination of the three. Regardless of the animal it comes from, this delicious cheese is a crowd favorite.
This Levantine dish is one of the most well-known Mediterranean dishes to eat in the United States. It typically comes in the form of a dip, served with pita or another kind of dipping bread. Commonly served before dinner as an appetizer of sorts, it usually features tahini, eggplant, garlic, spices, and sometimes yogurt. This tasty cuisine works great as a spread on a sandwich, or you can even eat it with a spoon, all on its own.
If you have never tried authentic baklava before, get ready to have your mind blown. This dessert is a traditional Mediterranean food that will have your taste buds craving more and more. Once you open a box of baklava from our Mediterranean grocery wholesaler in Tucson, AZ, you won't want to stop eating! Baklava is made with layers of thin filo dough, which is layered together, filled with chopped nuts (think pistachios), and sealed with honey or syrup. Baklava is so good that its origins are debated, leaving many wondering which country invented the dessert. Everyone from the Turks to the Greeks and even Middle Easterners hold unique takes on baklava. Try each one to discover your favorite!
Fresh, healthy, aromatic, rich: it's no wonder that the popularity of Middle Eastern cuisine and products has skyrocketed in the United States. This genre of cuisine features a large variety of foods, from Halvah to Labneh. If there were one common theme throughout all Middle Eastern food, it would be the bright, vibrant herbs and spices that are used. These flavorings help create rich, complex flavors that foodies fawn over. Typically, Middle Eastern food is piled high for all to eat, with enough food for an entire republic to put down.
This refreshing, healthy dish is chock-full of greens, herbs, tomatoes, and bulgur (or cracked wheat), creating a memorable, bold flavor. This dish may be eaten on its own or paired with a shawarma sandwich or helping of falafel. It's best to buy your ingredients in bulk to make this dish because it tastes best freshly made with family around to enjoy. Just be sure to bring a toothpick to the tabbouleh party - you're almost certain to have some leafy greens stuck in your teeth after eating.
We mentioned shawarma above, and for good reason - this dish is enjoyed by men and women around the world, and of course, right here in the U.S. Except for falafel, this might be the most popular Middle Eastern food item in history. Shawarma is kind of like a Greek gyro, with slow-roasted meat stuffed in laffa with veggies and sauce. The blend of spices and the smoky meat mix together to create a tangy, meaty flavor that you will want to keep eating for hours. For western-style shawarma, try using beef or chicken. For a more traditional meal, try using lamb from our Middle Eastern grocery distributor in Tucson, AZ.
Traditionally used as a dip meant for fresh pita, hummus is a combo of chickpeas, garlic, and tahini, blended together until silky, smooth, and creamy. You can find hummus in just about any appetizer section of a Middle Eastern restaurant menu. That's because it's considered a staple of Middle Eastern food that can be enjoyed by itself, as a spread, or with fresh-baked pita bread. Hummus is also very healthy, making it a no-brainer purchase from our grocery store.
If there's one diet that is most well-known for its health benefits, it has got to be the Mediterranean diet. In 2019, U.S. News & World Report listed the Mediterranean diet as No. 1 on its best over diet list. This incredible diet has been cited to help with weight loss, brain health, heart health, diabetes prevention, and cancer prevention.
Whether you already love Mediterranean food or you're looking to make some positive changes in your life, this "diet" is for you. Eating cuisine like Greek food, Persian food, Turkish food, and Italian food is healthy and tastes great. Even better than that? At Nazareth Wholesale Grocery, we have many staples of the Mediterranean diet for sale in bulk so that you can stock up on your favorites at the best prices around.
So, what exactly is the Mediterranean diet?
It is a way of eating that incorporates traditional Greek, Italian, and other Mediterranean cultures' foods. These foods are often plant-based and make up the foundation of the diet, along with olive oil. Fish, seafood, dairy, and poultry are also included in moderation. Red meat and sweets are only eaten in moderation, not in abundance. Mediterranean food includes many forms of nuts, fruits, vegetables, fish, seeds, and more. Of course, you can find at them all at our wholesale Mediterranean grocery store!
Here are just a few of the many benefits of eating a healthy Mediterranean diet:
Many studies have been conducted on this diet, many of which report that Mediterranean food is excellent for your heart. Some of the most promising evidence comes from a randomized clinical trial published in 2013. For about five years, researchers followed 7,000 men and women around the country of Spain. These people had type 2 diabetes or were at a high risk for cardiovascular disease. Participants in the study who ate an unrestricted Mediterranean diet with nuts and extra-virgin olive oil were shown to have a 30% lower risk of heart events.
In addition to the heart-healthy benefits of a Mediterranean diet, studies have shown that eating healthy Mediterranean and Middle Eastern foods can reduce the chances of stroke in women. The study was conducted in the U.K., which included women between the ages of 40 and 77. Women who stuck to the Mediterranean diet showed a lower risk of having a stroke - especially women who were at high risk of having one.
First and foremost, purchase your Mediterranean and Middle Eastern wholesale foods from Nazareth Grocery - we're always updating our inventory! Getting started on this healthy, delicious diet is easy.
1.
Instead of unhealthy sweets like candy and ice cream, try eating fresh fruit instead. It's refreshing, tasty, and often packed with great vitamins and nutrients.
2.
Try eating fish twice a week, in lieu of red meat. Fish is much healthier and doesn't have the unfortunate side effects of red meat, like inflammation.
3.
Try planning out your meals using beans, whole grains, and veggies. Don't start with meats and sweets.
4.
They're tasty, but try to avoid processed foods completely.
5.
Instead of using butter to flavor your food, use extra virgin olive oil instead. Olive oil contains healthy fats and tastes great too.
6.
Try to get more exercise and get out of the house. The Mediterranean lifestyle is an active one, best enjoyed in the beautiful sunshine when possible.
Buying wholesale and retail are quite different. When you buy products from a wholesaler, you're essentially buying from the middleman between a retail establishment and the manufacturer. Wholesale purchases are almost always made in bulk. Because of that, buyers pay a discounted price. That's great for normal buyers and great for business owners, who can sell those products to profit. This higher price is called the retail price, and it is what traditional customers pay when they enter a retail store.
Free EstimateWhen the 12th-ranked Arizona Wildcats opes up their season with an exhibition home game against Lewis-Clark State on Friday night they will be without some of their key pieces on the court.On Thursday, coach Tommy Lloyd said that wing Pelle Larsson is out with a sprained ankle, and he was seen wearing a boot at media day. Lloyd also said centers Oumar Ballo and Motiejus Krivas will probably sit due to being banged up and sore.How to watch...
When the 12th-ranked Arizona Wildcats opes up their season with an exhibition home game against Lewis-Clark State on Friday night they will be without some of their key pieces on the court.
On Thursday, coach Tommy Lloyd said that wing Pelle Larsson is out with a sprained ankle, and he was seen wearing a boot at media day. Lloyd also said centers Oumar Ballo and Motiejus Krivas will probably sit due to being banged up and sore.
How to watch
What: Arizona men’s basketball vs. Lewis-Clark State
Where: McKale Center; Tucson, Ariz.
When: Friday 7 p.m. MT
TV: None
Streaming: Arizona Live Stream
Radio: 1290 AM
The injuries will give more playing time to some of the younger guys, but Lloyd is going to let his rotation be free for right now.
“I’m gonna let it play out and I’m not even gonna set that on the first game,” Lloyd said. “I’m gonna let it play out. From my experience every time I set it it changes. So, I’m going to kind of let it play out for me and give different guys different opportunities because I think they deserve that.”
Ballo is the lone starter returning after Arizona’s first-round exit last year in the NCAA Tournament to Princeton, but the Wildcats added of a trio of high-profile transfers and a mix of freshmen who will look to replace the production that is gone.
“The balance and depth is going to be a strength of this team,” Lloyd said.
Caleb Love transferred to UA after spending the last three seasons at North Carolina. In his junior season Love averaged 16.7 points and 2.8 assists. The senior guard will bring a scoring threat to UA as long as he stays in the system.
The backcourt for UA is loaded with talent and potential with the return of sophomore Kylan Boswell while adding the transfers of Love and Jaden Bradley and 4-star freshman KJ Lewis.
“Me, Kylan, Jaden and KJ, it’s loaded I think, one of the best backcourts in the country, If not the best,” Love said.
The other senior transfer other than Love is forward Keshad Johnson, who came from San Diego State where he played in the NCAA title game. Johnson brings a veteran voice, good rebounding and is a versatile defender that will pair nicely with Ballo in the frontcourt.
“They’re great players,” Lloyd said. “I think they both are very comfortable here and settled into leadership type roles, and I feel comfortable that they know what we’re looking for,” Lloyd said.”
This is the first of two exhibitions for the Wildcats, who host New Mexico Highlands on Oct. 30, before the season opener Nov. 6 against Morgan State at McKale Center. Arizona is +2000 to win the NCAA title this season, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, tied for the ninth-best odds of any team.
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
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TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A community hub on the WestSide, the MSA Annex, is preparing to host multiple events over the weekend.
It all starts Saturday, Oct. 21, at 6 p.m.
“We have the flow for the soul dance party which is a monthly event Flam Chen puts on, but it’s also a fundraiser for the all souls procession," Carl Hanni said.
Then on Sunday, Oct. 21, the day starts with a half marathon.
“It starts at 6 a.m., we’re expecting a thousand people for that.”
But capping off the weekend, is the second annual Best 23 Miles of Mexican Food Festival featuring over 15 local Mexican restaurants in one place.
“We try to be representative, and get as much diversity," Organizer Jose Jimenez said. "I could eat Mexican 3 times a day, and different meals.”
Tickets for the event are $65, available for purchase at the door.
It includes all you can eat food from 3 - 7 p.m., and two drink tickets.
"We have great live entertainment, we have Zona Libre headlining the show and some of the students that won the mariachi contest.”
Part of the ticket price also goes to benefit the Tucson International Mariachi Concert.
Special events are happening all week long at the MSA Annex.
——Adam Klepp is a reporter for KGUN 9. At his previous station in Yuma, Adam focused on a range of local issues including the border, water rights and healthcare. He is originally from Detroit, Michigan, and attended both Loyola University Chicago and Syracuse University. Share your story ideas and important issues with Adam by emailing [email protected] or by connecting on Twitter.
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TUCSON, Ariz. — Here are this week's adoptable pets going on Jersey's Journeys to find their forever homes! They're all up for adoption at the Pima Animal Care Center.
- Olaf (#A823090) is a 9-month-old white wire-haired terrier mix. He's a friendly boy, who just wants to be loved. He's calm but playful, gentle and affectionate. He'll make a wonderful pet!
- Sandman (#A778199) is a young adult black pit mix. This sweet boy is a ball of energy, and he loves to give kisses! He came into PACC because he was hit by a car, and his front leg had to be amputated because of it. But now, he gets around beautifully, and he has no clue he's a tripod! He has been at PACC for more than a year, so it's time he found his forever home!
- Ghost Ryder, Griffen, Ghostbuster and Gremlin (#A823348-#A823351) are four gray or white and gray kittens. These four are purring machines, and they can't wait to be your best friend! They don't need to be adopted together, but PACC says it's never a bad idea to consider having two cats, so they can each have a friend!
Claire Graham is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. She grew up in Tucson and graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in musical theatre. Claire spent a decade in Washington state, where she worked in journalism, met her husband and welcomed their baby boy, before moving back home. Share your story ideas and important issues with Claire by emailing [email protected] or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The east-side eatery, at 5350 E. Broadway, closed its doors 2½ years ago — but now it’s back. Kind of.The Monkey Burger name is no longer and the menu has 10 less burgers than it once did. The changes come as part of a collaboration...
The east-side eatery, at 5350 E. Broadway, closed its doors 2½ years ago — but now it’s back. Kind of.
The Monkey Burger name is no longer and the menu has 10 less burgers than it once did. The changes come as part of a collaboration with Iron John’s Brewing Company — a marriage that began in early 2020, just months before the pandemic shut down the world.
“We got in the same room together and we all just felt like we had to do something — we all came to an agreement really quickly to partner up,” says Monkey Burger’s owner Stuart Lauer. He was the burger joint’s operational director in 2011, eventually purchasing the eatery in 2014. He’s now one of the co-owners behind Iron John’s. The former Monkey Burger space is now called Iron John’s and it officially opened on Oct. 16.
Admittedly, what they had in 2020 wasn’t much of a collaboration yet — mostly just Iron John’s beers served alongside the menu loved by Monkey Burger fans. A year and a half later, owners decided to change course.
“During COVID, we realized it wasn’t worth keeping open the way it was and we wanted to do a bigger remodel,” Lauer says.
When news of the Monkey Burger closure reached the community, customers were sad — but also confused. “I had a lot of people call me thinking I got bought out or that something happened,” he says.
But the merger was a mutual aspiration. The Monkey Burger taproom was small. Iron John’s wanted to offer food. The friendship made sense.
Monkey Burger fans will notice the namesake burger still on the menu, with its two cheeses, roasted poblano, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onion, bacon and tomatoes. The Great American is also still on the menu, just with a tweak to the sauce — it now has a green chile remoulade versus the bourbon version that was on the old menu.
There’s also an ode to Monkey Burger’s El Diablo and Madness burgers — the new burger at Iron John’s is basically a marriage of the two with a habanero aioli.
“The new chef we brought on has been putting a spin on some of the older menu items I had, which is making them better,” Lauer says.
There are talks of bringing other Monkey Burger menu items back, possibly as monthly rotations, like the South Shore burger — which had pineapple relish and a ginger barbecue glaze — in summer time.
The fourth, and final, burger at Iron John’s is a handheld with wagyu, complete with a truffle cuttlefish ink drizzle.
While burgers are no longer the frontrunner of the menu, there's a new star of the show: pizza. There are eight pies on the menu, from the classic Margherita to the Tinga pizza with chorizo and lime crema.
“We all sat down and talked about our favorite style of pizza and it was pretty unanimous that we were into the thinner Italian crust,” Lauer says. “When we did research, it was 100% — people were like, you have to get the right brick oven. If we wanted to do this, we wanted to do it right.”
“One of the big hold-ups on getting reopened was we had some pizza ovens shipped over from Italy and they got stuck in port for about six months and that delayed everything and it basically all snowballed,” Lauer says.
The Iron John’s team made the decision to add a pizza menu and slim the burger menu for a couple reasons. The price of burger meat can be unpredictable and sometimes high — and the kitchen is tight, making it hard to make as much as they wanted.
Since closing in 2021, the restaurant has also seen extensive renovations from the flooring to the booths to the patio outside — some of which was done by the Iron John’s owners themselves.
“It ties us into the space. I think it made us all closer as a partnership because the first maybe six months of it, when it was Monkey Burger just selling beer, it didn’t quite feel like we had merged yet,” Lauer says. “But once we had our hands in it, it felt like this was all of our business.”
“The waiting has been the hardest part — even more than the work,” Lauer says. “Being open and seeing people walk in the door for the first time — it felt really, really good to be back in the mix.”
Iron John’s was founded in 2014 and is now owned by four families — Lauer’s wife Elise is the head brewer. The brewery is also home to the Maracana Indoor Sports Arena at 555 E. 18th St., where the owners eventually hope to open a restaurant. Last month, the brewery’s downtown location, 222 E. Congress St., was transformed into a gin-focused bar called Juniper.
The new Broadway location is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
Question is: Can the Wildcats find a way to earn an official invite?The LA Bowl announced Saturday that Gronkowksi, the oft-cartoon-like, now-retired NFL legend who played his college ball in Tucson during the Mike Stoops era, has signed a multiyear agreement to partner with the college football postseason game.“LA Bowl hosted by Gronk” is set for Dec. 16 at SoFi Stadium and matches teams from the Mountain West and Pac-12 conferences.Gronkowski said his dream would be if Arizona could become bowl-eligible and...
Question is: Can the Wildcats find a way to earn an official invite?
The LA Bowl announced Saturday that Gronkowksi, the oft-cartoon-like, now-retired NFL legend who played his college ball in Tucson during the Mike Stoops era, has signed a multiyear agreement to partner with the college football postseason game.
“LA Bowl hosted by Gronk” is set for Dec. 16 at SoFi Stadium and matches teams from the Mountain West and Pac-12 conferences.
Gronkowski said his dream would be if Arizona could become bowl-eligible and be the Pac-12’s pick. The Wildcats (4-3 overall, 2-2 in Pac-12 play) would need two more wins to be postseason eligible for the first time since 2017.
“The whole goal is hopefully to land the University of Arizona,” he said. “And if we can’t, there’s a lot of good teams in the Pac-12 that would be a great matchup no matter who it is.”
The four-time Super Bowl champion tight end’s attachment to the bowl game at the now 3-year-old, $5 billion-plus Inglewood, California, stadium replaces that of late-night television personality Jimmy Kimmel.
“Jimmy was a fantastic host and brought a lot of elements to the game. But it’s my turn now and I’m going to turn it up, that’s for sure,” Gronkowski said.
Gronkowski said having this bowl game named after him is, in some ways, a full-circle moment. His Arizona squad defeated BYU 31-21 in the 2008 Las Vegas Bowl, which hosted the Mountain West-Pac-12 matchup before it was relocated to Los Angeles in 2021.
Rob’s brother and UA teammate Chris Gronkowski, caught a 24-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to give the Wildcats their first bowl victory and winning season in 10 years.
It also ended up being Rob Gronkowski’s final collegiate game for the Wildcats. He sat out the 2009 season due to back surgery before being drafted in the second round by the New England Patriots in 2010. His four Super Bowl titles during an 11-year career included three with the New England Patriots and one most recently with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021.
Kimmel, who hosted the first two editions of the LA Bowl, had a vomiting camel — “Jimmy Camel” — as a mascot and an official sandwich as ways to keep the fans entertained.
Gronkowski didn’t mention anything about a mascot, but he did say he was coming up with a special performance either at halftime or during the game along the lines of when he performed on “The Masked Singer” in 2020.
The winning team, along with the offensive and defensive MVPs, will continue to receive their own championship belts.
The game will feature the top selection from the Mountain West and the Pac-12’s No. 5 pick after the College Football Playoff and New Year’s Six matchups are set. The Mountain West has won the past two games, including Fresno State’s 29-6 victory over Washington State last year.
Arizona’s bowl scenario flipped square around a week ago after coach Jedd Fisch’s team dismantled then-ranked Washington State, 44-6 in Pullman, Washington. But now the Wildcats have multiple intriguing possibilities for fans should they continue those winning ways.
The Pac-12 has ties to a number of bowls, including the Las Vegas Bowl, the Sun Bowl in El Paso, and the LA Bowl.
The LA Bowl’s SoFi stadium is just minutes from LAX, which is a 90-minute direct flight from Tucson International Airport. Add in the “Gronk” factor, and that likely ups the attraction for the UA and fans alike.
The Sun Bowl on Dec. 29 may not seem as glamorous as Vegas or Southern California, but, door-to-door, it’s roughly a 4½-hour drive from the UA campus.
And the Las Vegas Bowl, in the also-nearly-new Allegiant Stadium, brings intrigue of its own. Should Arizona win enough to move up the Pac-12 standings and earn a Vegas invite, the Wildcats would take the field at 5:30 (Tucson time) on Dec. 23. Conveniently, that same day, just blocks away, the No. 12 UA men’s basketball team takes on No. 10 FAU — the Panthers fresh off a Final Four trip last spring — at 1 p.m.; that’s plenty of time for UA fans to indulge in a pre-Christmas, Vegas strip double-dip.
Arizona football joining its basketball brethren in Vegas may take some work, though, with El Paso or Inglewood seeming more likely for the Wildcats at this moment.
Jon Wilner's Pac-12 Hotline has Arizona trending toward the Sun Bowl as of this week, with No. 18 USC (6-1, 4-0) penciled for the Las Vegas Bowl. The Hotline has No. 25 UCLA (4-2, 1-2) in the LA Bowl entering this weekend’s matchups.
Arizona and UCLA square off in Tucson in two weeks — a week after the Wildcats host No. 12 Oregon State at Arizona Stadium.
With 10 schools leaving the Pac-12 at the end of the 2023-24 academic calendar, the lineup for the LA Bowl for 2024 and beyond will be determined some time next year.
— The Associated Press and the Star's Brett Fera contributed to this report.
The Texas Stars kicked off the 2023 – 2024 AHL campaign getting swept at home by the Tucson Roadrunners, dropping one-goal decisions both Friday and Saturday in a season-opening back-to-back set. They would come back with an impressive 7 – 3 victory on the road against the division-riv...
The Texas Stars kicked off the 2023 – 2024 AHL campaign getting swept at home by the Tucson Roadrunners, dropping one-goal decisions both Friday and Saturday in a season-opening back-to-back set. They would come back with an impressive 7 – 3 victory on the road against the division-rival Chicago Wolves.
Kyle McDonald recorded the team’s first goal of the new season, briefly knotting up the opening contest with Tucson at one. Logan Stankoven would later tally his first professional marker, once again drawing the contest even before Roadrunners LW and Arizona prospect Milos Kelemen scored what would end up being the game-winner halfway through the final frame.
Remi Poirier took the loss in goal for Texas, stopping 27 of 30 shots against. Former Kings third-round pick, Matt Villalta earned the win with 25 saves.
Villalta was the star Saturday night, holding Texas to just one goal despite facing 36 shots. Stankoven scored the long goal for the Stars, the talented young forward’s second of the young season. Matt Murray, not that Matt Murray, took the loss for Dallas.
After consecutive losses at home and falling behind early in both contests versus Tucson, it was imperative Texas get off to a better start on the road in Chicago. Curtis McKenzie would take care of that, opening the scoring just :39 into the game. LW Matej Blumel and Riley Damiani added goals of their own to give the Stars a three-goal lead in period one until Chicago got on the board late in the opening frame.
Mavrik Bourque, one of the organization’s top prospects, scored twice, netting his first two goals of the season. Fredrik Karlstrom and McDonald also had goals for the Stars. Poirier evened his record at 1 – 1, making 28 saves for Texas.
Through three games, the Stars presently reside in a tie for third place with the Iowa Wild in the Central, trailing Grand Rapids and Rockford in the division. Bourque and Stankoven pace the club in scoring, each with two goals and four points.
What’s Next
Texas is slated to wrap up their three-game road trip this weekend with games Saturday against the Milwaukee Admirals, before a Sunday rematch with the Wolves. Next weekend, the Stars return to the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, TX, hosting the Manitoba Moose for a two-game set Friday and Saturday.
Opening Night Roster
Courtesy of the Texas Stars Communication staff, the following is an excerpt from the press release announcing the club’s opening night roster:
Forwards (15):
Francesco Arcuri, Oskar Back, Ben Berard, Matej Blumel, Mavrik Bourque, Nick Caamano, Riley Damiani, Fredrik Karlstrom, Keaton Mastrodonato, Kyle McDonald, Curtis McKenzie, Scott Reedy, Matthew Seminoff, Logan Stankoven, Antonio Stranges
Defensemen (8):
Gavin Bayreuther, Lian Bichsel, Artem Grushnikov, Michael Karow, Christian Kyrou, Alexander Petrovic, Derrick Pouliot, Gavin White
Goaltenders (2):
BY COUNTRY
Canada: 15, USA: 5, Sweden: 2, Czech Republic: 1, Russia: 1, Switzerland: 1
EXPERIENCE
The Stars’ 2023-24 opening night roster has a combined 2,351 regular season games of AHL experience and 800 games of NHL experience. The 23 skaters have a combined 1,276 AHL points (441 -835=1,276).
The two goaltenders have a combined record of 32-16-7 in 56 career AHL games.
Captain Curtis McKenzie is the most experienced player on the team with 523 career regular season AHL games played. His 622 professional games (including 99 NHL games) is two more than Alexander Petrovic’s 620. Petrovic has appeared in 357 regular season AHL games and 263 NHL games. The Stars have two other veteran players, including defensemen Derrick Pouliot (276 AHL games and 221 NHL games) and Gavin Bayreuther (221 AHL games and 122 NHL games). Bayreuther returns to Texas, where he started his career from 2017-2020.
The Stars return 13 players from the 2022-23 team that won the Central Division and participated in the Calder Cup Playoffs, including forwards Oskar Back, Matej Blumel, Mavrik Bourque, Nick Caamano, Riley Damiani, Fredrik Karlstrom, Curtis McKenzie, Scott Reedy and Antonio Stranges, defensemen Michael Karow and Alexander Petrovic, and goaltenders Matt Murray and Remi Poirier.
Texas also carries 10 rookies on its opening day roster, including Dallas Stars 2021 second round pick Logan Stankoven and 2022 first round pick Lian Bichsel. Of the rookies, only three have played an AHL game, including Ben Berard (2), Keaton Mastrodonato (2) and Artem Grushnikov (1). Bichsel played the last two seasons professionally in Sweden, but the remaining six have yet to make their professional debuts, including Francesco Arcuri, Christian Kyrou, Kyle McDonald, Matthew Seminoff, Stankoven and Gavin White.
SIZE
Average Height: 73 inches – 6’1″, Tallest: Bichsel (77 inches – 6’5″), Shortest: Stankoven (67 inches – 5’7″)
Average Weight: 196 pounds, Heaviest: Bichsel (225 pounds); Lightest: Stranges (168 pounds)
Average Age: 23.32, Oldest: McKenzie (32), Youngest: Bichsel, Seminoff (19)
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