Teams announced their protected list on Tuesday, marking the first stage of the offseason. The protected list identifies the players for whom the team retains the ECHL rights. Teams can place as many players as they want on their protected list. Still, the player must meet one of six criteria outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the ECHL and the Professional Hockey Players Association.
1. The player signed a standard player contract (SPC) with the team in 2023-24 and has not been traded or released.
2. The player signed an SPC in 2023-24, was recalled to the NHL/AHL or IIHF team, and has not been traded or released.
3. The player received a qualifying offer last summer for the current season, did not sign an SPC, and has not been traded or released.
4. The team or the ECHL suspended the player and has not been traded or released.
5. The player signed on or after the first day of the 2023-24 regular season, then subsequently signed an NHL/AHL contract, and has not been traded or released.
6. The player executed the ECHL Retirement Form and has not been traded or released.
The Kelly Cup Champion Florida Everblades identified 24 players on their protected list.
Forwards
Andrew Fyten was injured and missed the second half of the season and the playoffs. He scored nine points in 21 games.
Ben Brar joined the Everblades late after completing his college season. He played five games in the regular season and scored two assists; he played seven games in the playoffs and recorded one assist.
Cam Darcy was injured in the third round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. He scored eleven points in 31 games during the season and four points in eleven games in the playoffs.
Chris Ordoobadi played in 28 games, recording three points and 65 penalties.
Craig Needham played in eleven games during the regular season.
Isaac Nurse joined the Everblades late in the season and played in five regular season games.
Jesse Lansdell was an integral part of the Everblades’ championship run. He aggravated the opposing teams, helping them to deviate from their game plan. He played six games in the regular season, scoring two goals and 23 games in the playoffs, recording four assists and 41 penalties.
Joe Pendenza is the Captain of the Everblades. He played in 70 of 72 games, scoring 58 points, and in 23 playoff games, scoring 13 points.
Josh Ho-Sang played in eleven games, scoring 15 points and 23 games in the playoffs, scoring 18 points, 17 of which were assists.
Kyle Neuber, a fan favorite, played in 45 games, recording ten assists and 145 penalties in the regular season. He played in two playoff games, recording 14 penalties.
Logan Lambdin played in 53 games, scoring 33 points and 30 penalty minutes. He was a key player for the Everblades in the playoffs, playing in all 23 games, scoring 14 points and 18 penalties.
Matthew Wedman joined the Everblades late in the season from a trade. He played in all 23 playoff games, scoring 15 points and 30 penalties.
Oliver Chau was named the MVP of the Kelly Cup Playoffs and was a vital member of the Everblades in both the regular season and playoffs. He played in 70 games, scoring 60 points, and all 23 playoff games, scoring 23 points, including a critical hat trick in game four of the Finals.
Reed Lebster joined the Everblades late in the season. He played in five playoff games.
Robert “Bobo” Carpenter battled injuries in the regular season but scored 46 points in 60 games. He recorded twelve goals and 23 points in 23 playoff games.
Tommy Apap was injured early in the season and played in 15 games with seven points.
Zach Tsekos played in 27 games, recording eleven points. He was injured in the first half of the season and could not return.
Defensemen
Adrien Bisson was signed late in the season after his college season ended. He played in nine regular season games, recording one point. He played in two playoff games.
Cole Moberg was on the top defensive pair for the playoffs and provided key scoring from the blue line. He played in 60 games, scoring 14 points, and 22 games in the playoffs, scoring six goals and 14 points.
Dustyn McFaul signed with the Everblades after graduating from college. He played in three regular-season games and recorded one point.
Jordan Sambrook played in 41 games and scored six points. He was a workhorse in the playoffs for the Everblades, scoring seven points in all 23 games.
Patrick Holway signed with HC Slovan Bratislava in Slovakia after playing 31 games for the Everblades. He has signed with Villacher SV in Austria for the 2024-25 season.
Riese Zmolek played in 53 regular-season games, scoring 14 points. He also played in all 23 playoff games, recording six points and 42 penalties.
Goaltenders
David Tendeck joined the team after a trade. He won the three games he started in the regular season, posting a 0.972 save percentage.
Key Players not Protected
Cam Johnson is a three-time Kelly Cup and two-time MVP winning goaltender. He recorded his best season, both in the regular season and the playoffs, in his career.
Forwards Mark Senden, Sean Josling, and Todd Skirving were all left off the protected list. All three were instrumental in the Everblades’ Kelly Cup Championship.
Defensemen Will Reilly, Zach Berzolla, and Zach Uens. Reilly and Uens played in most of the Everblades’ regular season games, and all three were instrumental in the defensive zone during the playoffs.
The players on the protected list give head coach Brad Ralph key components to build a team that will compete for a fourth consecutive Kelly Cup Championship run
