ECHL: Norfolk Admirals Beef Up With Another Blue Liner

The Norfolk Admirals have announced they. Have re-signed defenseman Andrew McLean for the 2024-25 ECHL season. McLean will play his second full season with the Admirals and sixth year as a professional.

“I’m beyond excited to come back to Norfolk and be able to play at the Scope in-front of our amazing fans,” said McLean. “We have unfinished business from last year and I’m pumped to get back and get to work with the guys. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

McLean via the Norfolk Admirals press release

McLean was pivotal along the blue line for the Admirals this past season, playing 65 games, notching eight goals and 25 assists for 33 points, and had a +19 goal differential rating during the regular season. His goals, assists, points, and plus/minus were all pro career highs for him. In the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs, McLean tacked on three assists to his campaign in 10 games played but struggled a bit in the plus/minus category, going -2. McLean has time in the ECHL between the Admirals and Orlando Solar Bears while having also played time in the SPHL and EIHL with the Knoxville Ice Bears and Glasgow Clan, respectively. Throughout his time in their ECHL, McLean has played 120 games, tallying 10 goals and 36 assists with an impressive +22 rating. His one year in Glasgow, Scotland, helped McLean build the confidence he was looking for. He played 38 games in his only season in the EIHL, notching five goals, 14 assists, and a +9 rating.

McLean played his junior hockey with the Odessa Jackalopes in the North American Hockey League for three seasons (2013-2016). He played 169 games with the Jackalopes, notching 13 goals and 48 assists, and struggled in the plus/minus department, going -14. While a majority of guys that go pro had NCAA DI offers and played DI college hockey, McLean took the DIII route and attended the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The Waterford, MI native played 108 games in four years at the University, tallying 13 goals and 48 assists with 124 penalty minutes. After his senior season was over, McLean earned a tryout with the Admirals in the 2019-20 season, but he only played one game, notching no points but a +1 rating before COVID shut down the rest of the season.

With the ability to accelerate quickly and use his speed to create space for himself, McLean is a well-skated defenseman. He smartly jumps up in the play and plays big minutes when needed. Going into his sixth season as a pro, McLean will be relied on to be a veteran presence along the blue line.