Greenville, S.C. — It’s been a busy week for the Greenville Swamp Rabbits as the club is approaching the 2024-25 season in the next few weeks while they continue to sign new and returning players. Today, Sept. 5, the team announced that they have signed rookie forward from the Ontario Hockey League, Stuart Rolofs.
About Rolofs
Rolofs, 21, stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 201 pounds. He is entering his first-ever season in professional hockey after completing his fifth and final season in the OHL. His most recent campaign in the Juniors was last season when he was captain of the Oshawa Generals. During that season as captain, Rolofs played in 64 games and accumulated 58 points from 32 goals and 26 assists. Additionally, the 21-year-old from Kitchener, Ontario, led his team to 21 playoff games where he posted five goals and six assists. Last season’s campaign was his most memorable for both the regular season and the playoffs.
Best OHL Regular Season
During the 2022-23 season, however, Rolofs recorded his best season for points in the juniors, as after 62 games, he accumulated 61 points from 32 goals and 29 assists. Furthermore, during that season’s playoff campaign, Rolofs participated in just five games as he contributed three assists.
Getting Traded
Marking his third season in the OHL, the young forward started the 2021-22 season with the London Knights before being traded to Oshawa. For his 15-game campaign during that season with the Knights, Rolofs recorded three goals and three assists. Setting a new personal best in his first season with the Generals, he finished the regular season by participating in 47 games, tallying 13 goals and 26 assists — and then accumulating four points in six playoff games.
Rolofs actually started his OHL campaign with the Knight’s during the 2019-20 season. For his inaugural season, he played in just 31 games and earned only three assists. In the following season, the then 17-year-old would miss the entire 2020-21 season due to injury.
His OHL Career Totality
After setting personal records for himself in a long junior career in the OHL, Rolofs participated in 219 games and accumulated 167 points. From those 167 points, the forward recorded 80 goals and 87 assists
Swamp Rabbits’ Official Statement
The Swamp Rabbits’ head coach and director of hockey operations, Kyle Mountain, said that “Stuart is another young talent that I’m excited to bring on board. He’s dynamic, uses his size well, and has tremendous leadership and maturity for his age, showcased by captaining Oshawa to the OHL Final last season” (Greenville Swamp Rabbits, ECHL. 5, Sept. 2024).
So far, the Rabbits have added nine forwards to their next season’s roster of Rolofs, Ben Freeman, Austin Saint, Arvid Caderoth, Ben Poisson, Tyson Fawcett, Brent Pedersen, Patrick Moynihan. The team also has American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate Ontario Reign’s contracted forward Colton Young, but it’s unclear if he’ll join the Rabbits’ roster for next season after training camp concludes.
