As the ECHL approaches the halfway point of the regular season, players from many teams are getting suspended to protect their playing rights in order to play overseas. Just recently, the league announced that defender Joe Leahy was placed under suspension by the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, marking an immense blow to the Rabbits’ struggling defensive core.
As to where Leahy will play, the defender is set to play for HC Vítkovice in Czechia for the remainder of the season. His team plays at Ostravar Aréna, a barn that has a seating capacity of over 9,500 which is located in Ostrava, and hosted the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship.
About Leahy
Leahy, 27, from Waterloo, Ontario, first appeared in the Premier Double-A Hockey League during the 2022-23 season after finishing his fifth season at the University of Vermont. He skated in ten regular-season games for the Rabbits, racking up just four assists; he also participated in six postseason games against the Jacksonville Icemen, where he recorded a goal.
The 6-foot-4, 192-pound blueliner was an exceptional power-play contributor last season for the Rabbits and was often called “Laser” for his powerful shots from the blueline, many of which became goals. As a result, he was the top point making defender on the team, notching 27 points in 69 games, and becoming a plus-18 prior to the start of the playoffs.
Due to sustaining an injury, however, he appeared in only a single game during last season’s Kelly Cup Playoffs against the Orlando Solar Bears.
Going into this season, Leahy entered his third career season in the ECHL for the Swamp Rabbits. For his 2024-25 tenure, he skated in only 21 games and notched two goals and six assists.
Unfortunately for him, he missed several games due to an undisclosed injury. But when he returned to the lineup last week, the defenseman witnessed a collapsing Swamp Rabbits team—something he hadn’t seen much of during previous seasons.
Furthermore, for this season, he was named alternate captain alongside alternates Miles Gendron and Brent Pedersen and behind captain Ben Freeman.
After three seasons in the ECHL, Leahy accumulated 39 points from 11 goals and 28 assists in 100 contests, becoming a plus-28 in performance rating. Now he will advance his professional hockey career overseas in Czechia.
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