Greenville, S.C. — With the ECHL’s 2024–25 season approaching, teams across the league are signing new or returning players to their rosters. On July 18, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits signed Austin Saint, who played a few games during the 2023–24 season before being injured, as their first player for next season. Days later, the club returned to the player market again to sign their second. Today, July 23, the Swamp Rabbits extended Colton Young for next season.
Young, 24, 6’0, and 174 lb, will be entering his third pro season in the ECHL, all coming with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits. The Calgary, Alberta native had a solid performance last season, as he would play 39 games, tallying 16 points (6G/10A). Midseason, he would get his first AHL call-up to the Ontario Reign, where he played 19 games, earning four points (2G/2A). During the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs, Young played six games, putting up three goals and four assists for seven points, and was the top point-getter during the playoffs for his team. The young forward, who shoots left, started his pro career during the 2022-23 season after finishing his final season for Colgate University — he would play only four games but tallied a goal and three assists. Young played five games during the first-round exit playoff run for the Rabbits, earning just an assist. In his second professional season, he received his first AHL career call-up on January 26, 2024. His last game in a Swamp Rabbits sweater before the call-up was January 22, and he would return later on April 14 to play the final regular season game against the Savannah Ghost Pirates before the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Before turning pro in 2023, Young played four seasons for Colgate University (NCAA). His first season for Colgate was in the 2019–20 season when he played 35 games and tallied 18 points (7G/11A). For his last season in 2022–23, Young played 40 games, recording 11 goals and 17 assists for 28 points, and was an alternate captain. His best-performing season was during the 2021-22 season, where he accumulated 15 goals and 17 assists for 32 points after playing 38 games. In total, he played 134 games (34G/48A for 82PTS) for the University, and before playing at the collegiate level, Young had an excellent career in the juniors for the AJHL’s Canmore Eagles. He played 176 games, recording 157 points (57 goals and 100 assists). For his final season for the Eagles (2018-19), Young was their Captain.
