In our weekly ECHL Roundup, Kansas City continues to win, Savannah adds a Captain, the Dogs have a new face behind the bench and much more!

Mavericks Winning Streak Reaches Six

The Kansas City Mavericks continued their league-leading winning streak last night with their sixth straight following a 3-2 win over the Rapid City Rush.

For context, the longest winning streak to start the season is nine straight games from the Worcester Railers in 2022. They'd go on to finish fifth in their division. 

League Names Player and Goaltender of the Week

The ECHL has named its Player and Goaltender of the Week for October 23-29, 2023.

Cincinnati Cyclones’ defenseman Jalen Smereck is the Inglasco ECHL Player of the Week and Thomas Milic of the Norfolk Admirals is the Warrior Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week for Oct. 23-29.

For more on their outstanding performance click here. 

Boudens Named First Captain in Ghost Pirates History

The Savannah Ghost Pirates announced Friday the captains for the 2023-24 season. Matt Boudens has been named the first captain in Ghost Pirates history. Brent Pedersen and Darian Skeoch have been selected as the team’s alternate captains. 

“How Matt has fit in here coming from the outside has really stood out,” Ghost Pirates head coach Rick Bennett said. “He’s been very involved; he’s doing the right things on the ice and is extremely detailed. You want all of those qualities in a captain.”

Boudens, 30, is in his fifth professional season and first with Savannah, signing a one-year deal with the Henderson Silver Knights on July 7, 2023. The Pembroke, ON native, has previously served as a captain in the QMJHL (Drummondville) and in the ECHL (Fort Wayne). He helped the Komets secure the Kelly Cup in 2020-21, recording eight points in 13 playoff games.

“With the leadership we had established here, we have older guys and guys that have worn letters at other organizations,” Boudens said. “It’s something I’m thrilled about; I take a lot of pride in it. It’s not a one-man job, so I’m looking forward to working with the guys we have here. I’m excited with this team, and we want to build a winning tradition in Savannah.”

Pedersen, 28, scored a team-high 27 goals last year with the Ghost Pirates, posting 47 points in 57 games. He was named an alternate captain during the 2022-23 season in Savannah and has worn an “A” in the OHL (Kitchener) and USports (Laurentian University).

Skeoch, 26, played 35 games in 2022-23 with Savannah, recording eight points and a team-high 110 penalty minutes. Along with Pedersen, Skeoch was named an alternate captain during the Ghost Pirates’ inaugural season in 2022-23. In the WHL, he held an alternate captaincy with the Vancouver Giants.

Growlers Name New Associate Coach

The Newfoundland Growlers announced last week that Gene Reilly has been named Associate Coach for the hockey club ahead during the 2023-24 season.

Reilly, 61, brings over 30 years of coaching experience to the Newfoundland bench including 10 years in the professional ranks. The Springfield, Massachusetts native most recently served as a Team Consultant for Avangard Omsk in the KHL.

An NCAA champion as an Assistant Coach with the University of Maine in 1998-99 and a two-time Austrian title winner with EC Salzburg as their Assistant Coach between 2008-2010, Reilly also served as a Pro Scout for two seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes from 2012 to 2014.

ECHL Linesman Hits NHL 

Former ECHL linesman Brandon Grillo worked his first National Hockey League regular-season game this past Thursday when the Detroit Red Wings host the Winnipeg Jets. The Canton, Michigan native was joined on the ice by Gord Dwyer, Peter MacDougall, and David Brisebois.

After a four-year collegiate career on the Western Michigan University ACHA team, Grillo played one season of professional hockey for Sudrets HC of the Swedish Second Division. 

The following season, he served as a graduate assistant for the Clarkson University men's ice hockey team. Grillo became involved in officiating during Covid, working local games to gain experience. The following summer, he attended the NHL Exposure Combine and was hired by the United States Hockey League. 

In 2023, Grillo worked the Gold Medal Game at the World Junior Hockey Championships, the Kelly Cup Finals, and the Calder Cup Conference Finals.

ECHL Announces Host Hotel for All-Star Classic

The ECHL, in conjunction with the Savannah Ghost Pirates, announced yesterday that Perry Lane Hotel will serve as the official host hotel and The DeSoto Hotel will serve as fan block hotel for the 2024 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic presented by Gulfstream.

Serving as the ECHL Headquarters during All-Star festivities, Perry Lane Hotel will host the ECHL All-Stars as well as team representatives and League VIPs. Voted as the #1 Best Hotel in Savannah in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards, Perry Lane Hotel offers guests a refreshed take on luxury and a genuine taste of Southern warmth.

Welcoming fans from across the ECHL who will be attending the All-Star festivities, The DeSoto Hotel reigns as “Savannah’s Favorite Hotel”, and will be offering a special Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic room rate for ECHL fans of $176 per night, which can be redeemed by clicking this link: DeSoto ECHL Fan Block.

The 2024 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic presented by Gulfstream will take place on Monday, January 15, 2024, at Enmarket Arena. 

The following players have been signed, re-signed, or traded to the listed club in the past week. *Signing list may be incomplete as of press time

Allen Americans

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Adirondack Thunder 

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Idaho Steelheads

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Iowa Heartlanders

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Maine Mariners

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Newfoundland Growlers

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Reading Royals

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Trois-Rivieres Lions

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Tulsa Oilers

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