The 2025 ECHL Trade Deadline has come and gone, as five of the seven teams in the North Division made at least one trade from Monday morning until the 3 pm EST Trade Deadline on Thursday afternoon. Let’s take an in-depth look at the four teams who decided to shake up their rosters.
Trois-Rivieres Lions (40-13-4-2, 86 Pts, 1st Place)
Additions: Andrew Coxhead F (Orlando Solar Bears)
It’s not a shock that the Lions didn’t do much at the deadline, as they made one trade, acquiring Andrew Coxhead from the Solar Bears. Coxhead, 24, will help provide some depth up the middle for the Lions, which could prove very useful with the injuries starting to rack up in Laval. I would expect the Bedford, Nova Scotia native to be a middle-six player for the Lions, but also a guy who can play up and down the lineup depending on injuries and call-ups.
Norfolk Admirals (34-22-4-0, 72 Pts, 3rd Place)
Additions: Hank Crone F (Idaho Steelheads), F Bryce Brodzinski and Colton Young (Greenville Swamp Rabbits)
Departures: Stepan Timofeyev F (Greenville Swamp Rabbits) and Keegan Iverson (Tulsa Oilers)
The Norfolk Admirals made a statement this week, as they had no problem making some big moves before the trade deadline, including getting Hank Crone, the 2023 MVP and Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately, Crone, 27, will just be a rental for the Admirals, as he has a deal in place to play with EHC Olten of the Swiss League next season. I wouldn’t be shocked if Crone finds himself in the top six with the Admirals moving forward. On Thursday, the Admirals continued loading up, adding forwards Bryce Brodzinski and Colton Young. Brodzinski has had a great rookie year with the Swamp Rabbits, putting up 21 goals and 29 assists for 50 points in 60 games, and should find his way onto the Admirals top line. Young will likely find his way into the middle six for Norfolk, as he had 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points in 44 games with Greenville.
Despite acquiring a lot of key pieces, the Admirals would also lose two key pieces in, Stephan Timofeyev and Keegan Iverson. Timofeyev had been a big part of the Admirals over the last three seasons, putting up 51 goals and 78 assists for 129 points in 150 games. Iverson, 28, brought physicality to a Norfolk team, which they seem to be straying away from just a bit as they also traded Spencer Kennedy away earlier this season. The 28-year-old winger played 79 games with Norfolk, putting up eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points in 79 games, along with 239 PIMs. Tulsa will be the fifth ECHL team for the Minnesota native.
Reading Royals (26-23-9-1, 62pts, 5th Place)
Additions: Patrick Bajkov (F) (Bloomington Bison)
Departures: Brock Caufield (F) (Cincinnati Cyclones)
The Reading Royals would make two moves before the deadline as they sent Brock Caufield to Cincinnati in exchange for future considerations and acquired Patrick Bajkov, which completed the trade that sent Lou-Felix Denis to Bloomington. It’s been a rough year for Caufield in Reading, putting up just six goals and four assists for 10 points in just 38 games after dealing with some injuries. There’s no doubt that the Cyclones were looking to add a scorer and decided to go the Caufield route after the Patrick Polino trade ended up being voided.
Bajkov, 27, returns to the Royals after he spent the 2021-22 season with the team, putting up 26 goals and 43 assists for 69 points in 71 games. He would lead the team in goals and assists. He would add three goals and eight assists for 11 points in 11 games during the 2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs. The Royals could certainly use a big scorer like Bajkov as they fight to get into the fourth and final playoff spot in the Division. I expect the Nanaimo, British Columbia native to slot in on the top six for the Royals moving forward.
Maine Mariners (24-31-4-0, 52 Pts, 6th Place)
Departures: Ayden MacDonald (Allen Americans)
The Maine Mariners took care of all their business earlier this month and made just one trade during deadline week, sending Ayden MacDonald to the Allen Americans for future considerations to complete the trade that sent Robbie Baillargeon to Maine. The Mariners have been attempting to sure up their blueline over the last few weeks. It’s not a shock that the Mariners stayed quiet as they are on the outside looking in with 13 games left in the season and 12 points back of the Worcester Railers. However, the Mariners do have two games in hand on Worcester.
Adirondack Thunder (21-35-3-1, 46pts, 7th Place)
Subtractions: Adrien Bisson D (Tahoe Knight Monsters), Alex Young and Ryan Francis F (Atlanta Gladiators), Blake Murray (Fort Wayne Komets)
The Adirondack Thunder, who sit in the basement of the North Division, used the trade deadline to acquire some assets for next season as they would acquire future considerations from the Atlanta Gladiators, Fort Wayne Komets, and Tahoe Knight Monsters. This doesn’t come as a shock as their recent college signings have played very well, and the team continued to stack the roster up with more college kids to evaluate who could be on next year’s roster. Adirondack Thunder fans have no reason to be disappointed in what Pete MacArthur and Mike Bergin did at the deadline as they prepare this team for the future.
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