The Greenville Swamp Rabbits have added veteran center Patrick Polino for the 2025–26 ECHL season, bringing in a proven scorer with experience across the league.
A Reliable Scoring Threat
Polino, 30, enters his sixth full professional season with a résumé that features consistency and offensive punch. Last season, he split time between Adirondack and Allen, tallying 24 points (5G, 19A) in 55 games. His best production came during back-to-back standout years with the Cincinnati Cyclones, where he recorded 58 points in 2023–24 and 54 points in 2022–23, cementing himself as one of the league’s most reliable offensive engines.
Professional Journey
Undrafted out of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Polino launched his pro career in 2020 and quickly earned AHL looks with Rochester and Providence. Across 36 AHL games, he notched five goals and two assists, showcasing the speed and two-way instincts that made him a trusted call-up option. In the ECHL, his track record speaks for itself: over 225 games, Polino has produced more than 170 points, highlighted by two 20-goal campaigns in Cincinnati.
Polino on Choosing Greenville
“As an older guy in the league now, my decision was fueled by my family, and Greenville is a place my wife, young son, and I will enjoy,” Polino said in the team’s release. “On the hockey side, Coach Costello stressed bringing in veteran leadership and I’ve known Coach Payne for a long time, so the comfort in their vision and plan for this season made it a no-brainer to become a Swamp Rabbit. On the ice, I give it my all every night. I like to be around the puck at all times. My speed and vision are keys to that… as a veteran, one of my main focuses is to lead by example and read off of the younger players to be an effective go-between with the room and the coaches, that way we all stay on the same page. That will allow us to live up to our expectations as a collective to win, go on a long playoff run, and try to win the whole thing. The fans deserve it here, and I look forward to winning a lot of hockey games and have a ton of fun doing it” (Greenville Swamp Rabbits, 2025).
Coach Costello’s Take
“Patrick Polino is a proven pro,” Head Coach and GM Chad Costello said. “Having played before for Payner in Cincinnati, we are very familiar with his game: he can play in all situations and can produce at a high level. Patrick is very trustworthy with the puck and a great playmaker on the powerplay. Despite being a smaller forward, he is willing to go to the hard areas to create scoring opportunities, which only compliments his high hockey IQ and playmaking ability. This is primed to be a big season for Patrick, and we’re excited with his veteran addition to our lineup” (Greenville Swamp Rabbits, 2025).
What He Brings to Greenville
At 5’9” and 181 pounds, Polino plays bigger than his frame, blending speed and grit with offensive creativity. He’s an experienced playmaker who can drive a line at center, help on special teams, and add leadership to a locker room aiming to stay among the South Division’s most competitive squads.
For a Swamp Rabbits team with championship aspirations, Polino’s signing adds another battle-tested forward capable of shifting momentum in tight games.
SOURCE: Greenville Swamp Rabbits. (2025, August 26). Patrick Polino joins the Swamp Rabbits. Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
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