ECHL free agency opened on Sunday, and in less than a week, the Fort Wayne Komets have seven players on their roster. On Wednesday afternoon, they announced three re-signings and one new signing. Defensemen Noah Ganske, Martin Has, and Mitch Andres have all re-signed with the Komets, and forward Randy Hernandez signed his first ECHL contract as well. The Komets re-signed forwards Ethan Keppen and Nolan Volcan and signed Austen Swankler on Monday.
Ganske, 25, will be entering his second full season after putting up four goals and 15 assists for 19 points in 56 games last season with the Komets; he also played in 12 games with Fort Wayne during the 2022-23 season, where he put up one goal and two assists for three points, he would play in all four Kelly Cup Playoff games for the Komets but would fail to find the scoresheet. Prior to joining the Komets, he spent three seasons in the NCAA, where he would put up 11 goals and 21 assists for 32 points in 59 games at Northern Michigan University and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
Has, 23, will be entering his second year with the Komets and third in the ECHL after spending his rookie year in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays, where he would put up three goals and nine assists for 12 points in 50 games, Has was originally drafted by the Washington Capitals in the fifth round of the 2019 NHL Draft. The 6’4 defenceman would put up one goal and four assists for five points in 62 games last year with the Komets. He would win a QMJHL championship in 2022 with the Shawinigan Cataractes, where he had eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points in 57 games.
Andres, 25, will be heading into his rookie year in the ECHL after spending four seasons at Boston College and spent his final year of eligibility at Robert Morris University. In five years at the NCAA level, the Minnesota native would put up one goal and ten assists for 11 points in 116 games and would be a part of the Eagles team that would win Hockey East in 2020. Andres played in the Komets’ final game of the season.
Hernandez, 25, spent the first season of his collegiate career at Robert Morris University, where he would put up 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points in 24 games. He would win the AHA Rookie Of The Year (West Pod), be named the all Rookie Team, and would also be named to the Second All-Conference Team. The Miami native would spend the next three years at Canisius College, where he would put up 18 goals and 29 assists for 47 points in 87 games.
