The ECHL has officially announced the roster for the 2024 All-Star Game in Savannah on January 15th. All 27 teams besides the host city Savannah, whose whole team will be participating, have one player who was named an All-Star. The ECHL Team at ITR breaks down each individual player and what he did to earn his trip to Savannah.
North
Adirondack Thunder, Patrick Grasso (1st All-Star Game)- Patrick Grasso is having yet another strong season for the Thunder as he has 14 goals and seven assists for 20 points in 29 games with Adirondack this year as their captain. His 14 goals on the season lead the Thunder. The 27-year-old forward had a career year last year, scoring 37 goals in 64 games, but was snubbed of the All-Star Game as Defenceman Jarrod Gourley got the nod for Adirondack. (Armand Klisivitch). Gra
Norfolk Admirals– Thomas Milic (1st All-Star Game)- The Winnipeg Jets’ fifth-round draft pick from the 2023 NHL Draft will be heading to Savannah in his first pro. Milic has played in 14 games this year with the Admirals, and he has the numbers to back up the fact that he’s an All-Star. In 14 appearances this season, Milic has gone 9-2-1 with 2.44 GAA, .910 GAA, and two shutouts and has been a vital part of the Admirals team that sat in the basement of the league last season, and this year looks like more serious competitors in the North. The 20-year-old goaltender won Goaltender of the Week in the opening week of the ECHL season. Milic has also seen time in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose, where he’s gone 1-1 with a 3.74 GAA and a sub-900 SV%. (Armand Klisivitch)
Trois-Rivieres Lions– Anthony Beauregard (2nd All-Star Game)- The 28-year-old was first selected to make an All-Star appearance during the 2020-21 season, though that ASG event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This season, Beauregard will get a chance to take part in the festivities. Dressing in 26 games for Trois-Rivieres so far this season, Beauregard’s posted 21 points (11g, 10a) for the Lions. He currently leads the team in scoring, making the most significant impact when on the powerplay. Ten of Beauregard’s 21 points come while on the man advantage, with the forward scoring an even five powerplay goals and five powerplay assists. (Drew Willis)
Newfoundland Growlers– Johnny Tychonick (1st All-Star Game)- Tychonick has had a strong year for the Growlers, a team who is having an interesting year as they sit in the fourth spot in the North Division just one point ahead of the fifth-place Worcester Railers. In 30 games this season, Tychonick has put up four goals and 24 assists for 28 points in 30 games. He is third among defencemen in points, second in PP assists(13), and second in PP points (16). Tychonick is one of the few Growlers who decided to sign with the team this off-season as a lot of their bigger names, like Zach O’Brien, began the season overseas, but a lot of those familiar faces are starting to return to Newfoundland.
Worcester Railers- Trevor Cosgrove (1st All-Star Game)- Defenseman Trevor Cosgrove has been chosen to represent the Worcester Railers at the 2024 ECHL All-Star Classic. The New Hampshire native leads all defensemen on his team in both assists (14) and overall points (17) this season. He is currently fourth on the team in points and is tied for second in assists. This is Cosgrove’s second pro season. Last year, he tallied 21 points (5 goals, 16 assists) in 40 games with Worcester; he also appeared in nine games with the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders. The 26-year-old is on an AHL contract with Bridgeport and is currently with that club, where he has seen action in two games so far this season. (Carrie Roberts)
Maine Mariners-Gabriel Chicoine (1st All-Star Game) Making his debut appearance in an ECHL All-Star Game, Gabriel Chicoine of the Maine Mariners will be this year’s representative for the team. Proving his skill with the Mariners since the 2021-2022 season, the defenseman is currently standing at a combined total of 20 points in 26 games. In comparison, the next highest-point scoring defenseman on the team is Billy Constantinou, coming in at 10 points in 23 games. Finishing out last year’s season with 34 points in 63 games, Chicoine is proving that he can live up to his past numbers again, if not exceed them. This promising trajectory has earned #3 his spot on this year’s All-Star roster. (Scarlett McLaughlin)
Reading Royals–Matt Brown (1st All-Star Game)- In his rookie season, after being sent down from the AHL on October 31st, the Woodbridge, NJ native, Brown has been tearing the points for the Royals. In 21 games played, he has accumulated 11 goals with 15 assists. Brown is currently leading the team in points, just ahead of Ryan Chyzowski. Brown comes from Boston University, where he accumulated 23 goals and 41 assists in the span of 63 games. Brown is an intelligent player that can read and make plays. (Sam Wismar)
South
Greenville Swamp Rabbits– Ryan Bednard (First All-Star Game) The Swamp Rabbits have had a solid season so far, as they continue to lead the Eastern Conference and South Division with 43 points and a 21-9-1 record. With a good start to the season, approaching the mid-way point, the success goes to the players and coaches. There are many players to mention who have made a significant contribution and impact to the Swamp Rabbits, but one of whom is going to the ECHL All-Star classic in Savannah: goalie Ryan Bednard. Bednard is somewhat of a veteran goalie in the ECHL. At 26, he’s played five seasons in the league for three different teams. He played six games during the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs last year, posting a 2.87 GAA record. With the current 2023-24 season, Bednard has played fifteen games and won eight of them for the Swamp Rabbits, as he’s posted a 3.27 GAA and 0.903 SV%. Although he’s been sluggish lately with his performance, Bednard has incredible talent as a netminder and has definitely earned a spot in the All-Star Classic. (Jake Farmer)
South Carolina Stingrays– Connor Moore (1st All-Star Game)- The 26-year-old associate captain is making his first appearance as an All-Star only a short drive away from his hometown of Cumming, Ga. Moore leads the defensemen in points with 22 in 29 games and has the best plus-minus on the team with (+13). Moore is also the only defenseman to skate in every contest this season for the club. (Grace Gendron)
Jacksonville Icemen-Brendan Harris (1st All-Star Game)- 27-year-old Brendan Harris is the lone representative for the Jacksonville Icemen. This is Harris’ first All-Star game selection, and it comes at a very deserving time for the forward. Now, amid his third full season in the league, Harris has been producing at a high level straight from the start of the year. Scoring at a point-per-game pace, Harris has netted 11 goals and racked up 18 assists in 29 games for Jacksonville. Currently the reigning leader in points production for the Icemen, he also leads the team in assists. (Drew Willis)
Orlando Solar Bear– Mitchell Hoelscher (First All-Star Game)- Hoelscher is having an outstanding year so far, playing 28 games, and he has 24 points (11g,13a). He leads the Solar Bears in points and just second in goals, trailing Brayden Low who had a four-goal game on Sunday to bring his goal tally to 12. After playing 56 games last year with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds only having 16 points, this is shaping up to be a much better season. Hoelscher has been a sense of energy with the Bears, who now have won seven straight games after defeating the Icemen 6-3 on Wednesday Night. (Elijah Webb)
Florida Everblades– Nathan Staios (1st All-Star Game)- In only his second full season in the league, 22-year-old Nathan Staios has emerged as a vital member of the Everblades’ defense. He is eighth on the team in scoring with four goals and seven assists for eleven points and should easily surpass his career-high 18 points from last season. Not only a rising star for the Everblades but now an All-Star, Staios has become a fixture on the blue line, playing in 23 of the 27 games for the Everblades, and his continued two-way play will be needed if the team has hopes of making the playoffs. (James Slemp)
Atlanta Gladiators– Michael Fossier (1st All-Star Appearance)- Michael Fossier, a native of Alpharetta, Georgia, has made a name for himself in professional hockey. During his first year in the ECHL, he achieved an impressive total of 57 points (21G, 36A) in only 47 appearances with the Maine Mariners, and this season, he’s already earned 28 total points (10G, 18A) with the Atlanta Gladiators while also holding a +10 plus/minus. He also serves the team as an Alternate Captain.
Before his professional career began, Fossier played for the University of Maine, where he recorded 128 points (38g-90a) in 134 games played. In 2019-20, Fossier served as the club’s captain and earned a Hockey East Second All-Star Team selection that same year. After that, he played for the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs in 2020-21, where he tallied eight points (5g-3a) in 19 games. Later, he went on to play for the Banska Bystrica in Slovakia for the 2021-22 season, where he produced 27 points (15g-12a) in 38 regular season games and accumulated four points (2g-2a) during the playoffs. (Karen Zehner)
Central
Toledo Walleye– Brandon Hawkins (1st All-Star Game)- Representing the Toledo Walleye at the 2024 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic is fan-favorite forward Brandon Hawkins. This will be Hawkins’ first All-Star nod. Currently, he is leading Toledo with 40 points made up of 17 goals and 23 assists and is second among all ECHL players. Hawkins is also leading all players in the ECHL with 133 shots on goal and tied for the most powerplay points with 18. The Macomb Township, Michigan native is on a ten-game point streak with 16 points (six goals, ten assists).
Hawkins had career-bests with the Walleye last year. He scored 39 goals, had 42 assists, and 81 points. His 39 goals set a new single-season record for the Toledo Walleye. His 81 points put him at the second most in a year for the Walleye. Hawkins’ achievements landed him on the 2022-2023 ECHL First Team. Hawkins is an excellent addition to the All-Star Classic, as his elevated level of play is continuously impressive. (Jessica Howell)
Fort Wayne Komets– Jack Dugan (1st All-Star Game)- After spending the first three seasons of his career in the AHL playing 131 games while putting up 27 goals and 53 assists for 80 points, Dugan is in his first full season in the ECHL as he’s put up seven goals and 27 assists for 34 points in 30 games this season. Twelve of his 34 points have come with the man advantage as he leads the Komets in points, PP assists(10), and penalty minutes(85) this season. There’s no question that having started his career in the A has helped him adapt easier to the ECHL style of play, and despite his numbers not exactly being “All-Star” worthy, it’s easy to understand on how he got named as the Komets representative. (Armand Klisivitch)
Wheeling Nailers– Dillon Hamaliuk (1st All-Star Game)- The former fifth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins is having a comeback year after playing in only six games last season with the Wichita Thunder, where he put up four goals and three assists in just six games, this season, however, he’s put up 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points and is currently on a stint in the AHL, his first since being with San Jose Barracuda during the 2021-22 season. Hamaliuk leads all Nailers in goals and points this season and is tied with Cedric Desruisseaux with 15 assists. (Armand Klisivitch)
Kalamazoo Wings– Tyler Glover (1st All-Star Game)- Vancouver Canucks depth centerman Ty Glover is the Kalamazoo Wings’ All-Star representative. Glover made quite the impression for the K-Wings in his first 15 games with the team after getting sent down from the AHL club in Abbotsford. Posting 12 goals and 11 assists, his 23 points in 15 games lands him second to only forward Erik Bradford in team scoring. Glover has one of the top shooting percentages in the league, clocking in at 28.6%. With 12 goals coming amongst 42 shots, it’s no wonder why the Wings’ forward isn’t far off from registering two points a game. It’s a well-earned All-Star game appearance for the forward, coming during his first season in the league. (Drew Willis)
Cincinnati Cyclones-Jalen Smereck (2nd All-Star Game): It’ll be the second trip to the ECHL All-Star game for Cincinnati Cyclones defenseman Jalen Smereck. His first ASG selection came during the 2018-19 season. Smereck’s performance this season has been nothing less than All-Star caliber. With six goals and 29 assists, Smereck is the league leader in points amongst all defensemen. His 29 assists also lead the league. His numbers lead the pack for Cincinnati, as he’s currently the team’s overall points leader. Suiting up for all 29 Cyclones contests this season, the blueliner’s 35 points in 29 games is a 1.21-points per-game pace. It’s a work ethic that’s already been awarded one set of honors, with the Cincy d-man being named the ECHL’s Player of The Week for the week of Oct. 23-29. (Drew Willis)
Indy Fuel– Cam Hillis (First All-Star Game)- 23-year-old Oshawa, Ontario native Cameron Hillis, is headed to the ECHL All-Star game for the first time to represent the Indy Fuel. The centerman has had a bumpy road after being drafted 66th overall (Round #3) by the Montreal Canadiens in 2018. After a very successful three-year junior career with the Guelph Storm, including having won an OHL Championship during the 2018-19 season, he turned pro when he signed a three-season entry-level contract with the Habs on May 13th, 2020. In his first pro season with the AHL Laval Rocket, he was limited to just 18 games in the wonky COVID-19-shortened season.
Hillis started the 2021-22 season with the ECHL’s Trois-Rivieres Lions (14 GP – 3 G, 6 A) before being recalled once again to AHL Laval. With Montreal dealing with plenty of COVID absences and injuries, he was added to the teams’ taxi squad on December 27th and made his NHL debut on the fourth line on January 1st, 2022, in a 5-2 loss to Florida. He then returned to Laval, where he spent the remainder of the season. Upon starting his final entry-level season with the 2022-23 campaign, he again started the year with the Lions. After starting the year with two goals in three games, he was traded to the Blackhawks organization on October 26th, 2022, for Nicholas Beaudin. Hillis played 18 games with AHL Rockford, registering two assists and four penalty minutes. The team later assigned him to the Indy Fuel, where he broke out with 14 goals and 36 assists in just 45 games the rest of the way.
Hillis remained unsigned throughout the summer months but joined the Red Wings on a tryout for their training camp in September. Upon the camp’s conclusion, he was among the first round of player cuts at the end of the month as he ultimately opted to re-sign in Indy, hoping to find the scoring touch he had tapped last season. Through 28 games played, Hillis leads the Fuel in assists and points with a total line of 4 goals, 23 assists, and 27 points. His best stretch of the season came when he tacked together a 7-game point streak [11/19-12/2]. Despite not wearing a letter on his jersey, he has been a key cog of the Fuel leadership group, and it’s nice to see all his efforts get rewarded with a berth in the All-Star game. (Colby Smith)
Iowa Heartlanders– Peyton Jones (1st All-Star Game) Goaltender Peyton Jones has been invited to Savannah for his first professional All-Star Game of his career. Representing the Iowa Heartlanders, ECHL Affiliate of the Minnesota Wild, Jones, 27, has been the centerpiece of the strong Heartlander start, recording eight of the team’s 11 wins and helping the team record a seven-game win streak and nine-game point streak, where Jones earned a star of the game in eight of the nine-point streak. The 27-year-old has started 2024 by signing a PTO with the AHL’s Iowa Wild. Jones will likely travel to Savannah if he has been returned to the Heartlanders before January 15th. (Max Baum)
Mountain
Kansas City Mavericks– Max Andreev is a 25-year-old rookie playing his first year of professional hockey for the Mavericks and will be the team’s representative in Savannah. He is quickly becoming a local hero, being the leading points scorer for the Mavericks at the turn of the year with nine goals and 28 assists, totaling 37 points so far in 30 games. Andreev was awarded the Rookie of the Month award for the ECHL in November and is a potential frontrunner for Rookie of the Year. (Jordan Nicklaus)
Idaho Steelheads– Mark Rassel (1st All-Star Game)- In his second professional year, Rassel is leading the league with 22 goals and tied for 6th place for 35 points. Rassel was named player of the week on November 6th for scoring four goals and two assists during a series sweep against Wichita. During his 68-game stint with Fort Wayne in the 22-23 season, he had 21 goals and 29 assists for 50 points. (Sam Wismar)
Rapid City Rush– Alex Aleardi (1st All Star Game)- Alex Aleardi is having a very dominant season as he currently is registering an average of a point per game with 30 points in 30 games. Aleardi has 11 points, three goals, and eight assists in his last ten games, including a game where he registered four assists. Aleardi leads the Rapid City Rush in goals, assists, and points. The 31-year-old also leads the team in shorthanded goals with two, both of which came in the month of December. Last season, Aleardi played in all 72 games, where he had 30 goals and 35 assists for a total of 65 points. (Felicity Harding)
Tulsa Oilers– Luke Profaca (1st All-Star Game)- his is a surprising selection as Bates has played in only 19 games while putting up three goals and five assists for eight points, he has also played in two AHL games but failed to find the scoresheet. It’s Profaca’s first season in the ECHL after spending a year with the San Diego Gulls where he put a goal and five assists in 47 games. (Armand Klisivitch)
Allen Americans– Kris Myllari (1st All-Star Game)- Kris Myllari has had a hot start with the Allen Americans this season. The defenseman has 28 points, eight goals, and 20 assists, leading all defensemen on the Americans in goals, assists, and points. Myllari has a plus/minus of -6 on the season, but in his last five games, he has two goals and two assists for four points and a plus/minus of +5. In his last ten games, he has two goals and five assists for seven points and a plus/minus of +2. Myllari has found success on the Americans powerplay as four of his eight goals have been powerplay goals, which is first among Americans defensemen. Fifteen of his 20 assists have come from the powerplay, which is first among all of Allen’s players. (Felicity Harding)
Wichita Thunder- Peter Bates (1st All-Star Game)- In 30 games this season Bates is just two points shy of last years total of 40. This season he has put up 17 goals and 21 assists for 38 points and is currently tied for third in goals and points this season. Prior to joining Witchita he played five seasons at Norbert College and was named Player of the Year in Division III in 2022 when he put up 28 goals and 30 assists for 58 points in 31 games. (Armand Klisivitch)
Utah Grizzlies-Kyle Mayhew (1st All-Star Game)- Mayhew Has six goals, 11 assists, and a +3 rating in 28 games in this season. He is second on the team with five powerplay assists. Mayhew has had a solid first full season as a professional with the Grizzlies and Eagles of the AHL. He had a successful five-year college career at the University of Denver, highlighted by winning the 2022 Frozen Four National Championship, where he was a teammate with current Grizzlies forward Brett Stapley. (Richard Lambert)
