Wisconsin goaltender Kyle McClellan watches the action during the second period in a Big Ten quarterfinal against Ohio State at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday March 9, 2024. © Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Cincinnati Cyclones announced that goaltender Kyle McClellan has signed a contract ahead of the 2025-26 season. The signing marks the first goaltender signed by the Cyclones this off-season.
The 26-year-old McClellan joins the team after spending the 2024-25 season with the Iowa Heartlanders.
In 35 games played with Iowa last season, McClellan recorded a .898 save percentage and a goals against average of 2.62. McClellan had 15 victories between the pipes in his first full professional season.
Along with his 35 regular-season appearances, McClellan started in three playoff games for Iowa as well.
“Having stability in the goal crease is a critical part of piecing together a team that can compete in the ECHL over the course of a 72-game season,” Cyclones Head Coach Riley Weselowski stated. “Kyle is one of the top young goalies in the league and he will give our team a chance to win every time he takes the ice.
“Our goalie coach, Rob Couturier, has been a very big fan of his game since his time at Mercyhurst through his award-winning seasons in Wisconsin. Working with Rob on a daily basis will only accelerate his development and we feel that this signing, along with the affiliate goalies from Toronto, makes us as strong as any other team in the league at the goaltender position.”
Prior to his professional career, McClellan was a star netminder at the NCAA Division I level. In his four seasons with Mercyhurst University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, McClellan recorded a 41-35-3 record in 82 appearances.
As a member of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, McClellan had an impressive 2023-24 campaign with 37 games played, a .931 save percentage, 1.94 goals against average, and 24 victories. His impressive season led to a Mike Richter Award, given the most outstanding regular season goaltender at the NCAA DI level.