2025 ECHL Trade Deadline Recap | South Division

With the ECHL trade deadline in the rearview mirror, South Division teams made varying moves to position themselves for the playoff push—or to build for the future. Some clubs were aggressive, others stood pat, but all now face the final stretch of the regular season with everything on the line. Here’s a breakdown of each South Division team’s trade and signing activity over the last week leading up to the deadline, with updated player stats, and what it all means for the standings.

Atlanta Gladiators

6th in South Division – 59 Points (.484 PCT)

Atlanta took an aggressive approach at the deadline, acquiring Ryan Francis and Alex Young from Adirondack. Francis has posted 15 goals and 28 assists for 43 points in 50 games, while Young brings 14 goals and 26 assists (40 points) in 49 appearances. The team traded away Blake Murray, who had 10 goals and 22 assists in 45 games for the Gladiators. Atlanta currently shares the same point total as Savannah but holds a slightly better point percentage. With just 11 games left, the Gladiators are clearly going all-in for a late playoff push, hoping the added firepower that Young and Francis provide will help them get over the line.

Florida Everblades

1st in South Division – 92 Points (.730 PCT)

Florida remains atop the South Division with a commanding 92 points. While they didn’t make any major trades at the deadline, they signed defenseman Hunter Sansbury to an SPC. Sansbury captained Sacred Heart University in 2024–25, tallying six goals and 15 assists for 21 points in 39 NCAA games. Since turning pro, he’s appeared in two games for Florida. A physical, right-shot blueliner with leadership experience, Sansbury adds depth to a defensive unit that leads the league in fewest goals allowed. With strong home and road records, the Everblades are well-positioned to lock up home-ice advantage throughout the division playoffs.

Greenville Swamp Rabbits

7th in South Division – 54 Points (.435 PCT)

Greenville was one of the busiest teams at the deadline, making multiple moves to strengthen the roster for a potential late-season surge. They acquired forward Stepan Timofeyev from Norfolk in exchange for forwards Bryce Brodzinski and Colton Young, who were recalled by Ontario (AHL) and reassigned to Norfolk as part of the transaction. Timofeyev had posted 14 goals and 25 assists for 39 points in 45 games with Norfolk before the move and brings proven scoring ability and playoff experience. Greenville will also receive additional future considerations at the end of the season.

The Swamp Rabbits also added Kyle Haskins from Orlando in exchange for future considerations. Haskins has tallied 12 goals and 20 assists for 32 points over 48 games split between Orlando and Greenville this season.

On the signing front, Greenville brought in two rookies on their first professional contracts: forward Ryan O’Hara, coming off a collegiate career at Miami University (OH), and goaltender Mattias Sholl, who recently completed his NCAA career at Bemidji State. In 2024–25, Sholl appeared in 37 games for the Beavers, posting a 14-17-5 record with a 2.81 GAA, .897 save percentage, and two shutouts. Over four seasons at Bemidji, he appeared in 117 games and was a reliable starter with consistent numbers throughout.

O’Hara, 23, joins the Swamp Rabbits following his final NCAA season with Bowling Green State University, where he captained the Falcons and recorded career highs across the board—11 goals, 22 assists, and 33 points in 36 games. Over his four-year collegiate career, the Oakville, Ontario native tallied 89 points (36G, 53A) in 131 games. Prior to college, O’Hara spent time in the USHL with the Waterloo Black Hawks and starred in the OJHL with the Oakville Blades, where he earned a 2019 OJHL Championship and the Dudley Hewitt Cup.

Additionally, the team completed a goaltending swap with AHL affiliate Ontario. Dryden McKay returned to Greenville after appearing in one AHL game during his recent call-up, while Jacob Ingham was recalled. McKay is 12-17-4-2 this season with a 2.93 GAA and .910 SV% through 35 games, while Ingham had posted a 10-9-0-1 record with a 3.06 GAA and .916 SV%, including a 50-save performance in his 100th career pro game.

While currently at the bottom of the South Division standings, the Swamp Rabbits have clearly opted to stay competitive, making key additions and bolstering both ends of the ice with hopes of sparking a final playoff push. With 10 games to go, the Swamp Rabbits are pushing for a late-season turnaround in hopes of sneaking into the postseason.

Jacksonville Icemen

3rd in South Division – 84 Points (.667 PCT)

Jacksonville stayed quiet at the deadline, choosing roster consistency over change. They sit third in the division with 84 points and a +45 goal differential. Their recent play has been strong, and they’ve shown the ability to win both at home and on the road. With nine games remaining and a cushion in the standings, the Icemen are comfortably in a playoff spot and could threaten to move up if the teams ahead slip.

Orlando Solar Bears

4th in South Division – 76 Points (.585 PCT)

Orlando was active at the deadline, reshaping its roster with two player signings and two trades. The team signed rookie defensemen Nick Anderson and Tony Follmer to standard player contracts, both bringing strong NCAA resumes and leadership experience.

Anderson, 26, recorded two goals and 12 assists for 14 points in 35 games this season with UMass-Lowell. He previously played four seasons at Colgate University, finishing his college career with 77 points in 132 games. Follmer, 24, completed his final season at Bemidji State with three goals and nine assists for 12 points and 56 penalty minutes across 37 games.

The Solar Bears also traded forwards Kyle Haskins to Greenville and Andrew Coxhead to Trois-Rivières, both for future considerations. Haskins had 23 points in his final NCAA season and played four games with Orlando, while Coxhead appeared in 39 games this season, recording five points after being acquired midseason from Kansas City.

With only seven games remaining and their playoff spot under pressure, the Solar Bears are betting on a restructured defense and internal depth to secure a postseason berth.

Savannah Ghost Pirates

5th in South Division – 59 Points (.476 PCT)

The Savannah Ghost Pirates were quiet at the trade deadline, making just one move by signing forward Matt Choupani to a standard player contract. Choupani joins the team as a depth addition, but with no other major trades or reinforcements, Savannah appears to be relying on its current core to make a late push.

Currently sitting just three points behind Orlando for the final playoff spot, Savannah has 10 games left to make their move. However, the team has struggled mightily down the stretch, going 1-4-4-1 in their last 10 and appearing in six games that went beyond regulation during that span. To keep postseason hopes alive, the Ghost Pirates will need to find offensive consistency and tighten up defensively, especially in late-game situations. Their margin for error is wicked small, but the playoff race remains within reach—if they can find another gear.

South Carolina Stingrays

2nd in South Division – 91 Points (.734 PCT)

South Carolina sits just one point behind Florida but holds the top point percentage in the division. The team made a pair of under-the-radar moves by signing Nolan Krenzen (D) and receiving Jackson van de Leest (D) on loan from Utica.

Krenzen recently wrapped up his NCAA career at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, where he served as captain and logged 11 assists in 36 games during the 2024–25 season. Known for his steady defensive play and leadership qualities, he brings valuable maturity to the Stingrays’ blue line.

Van de Leest, meanwhile, split time this season between Adirondack (ECHL) and Utica (AHL). In 40 games with Adirondack, he recorded two goals and 10 assists for 12 points along with 57 penalty minutes and a -21 rating. He also appeared in six AHL games with Utica. A towering presence at 6’7″, van de Leest adds physicality and experience to South Carolina’s defense corps.

With their strong defensive structure and dominant home record, these additions give the Stingrays even more blue-line stability as they prepare for what could be a deep playoff run.

Final Thoughts

With only a handful of games remaining, every point matters in the South Division playoff race. Whether it’s a bold trade, a quiet roster tweak, or a bet on team chemistry, the moves made (or not made) in March could very well define who moves on—and who heads home early. Buckle up, because the playoff battle in the South is just heating up.