ECHL: Rapid City Rush Trade Simon Boyko to the Atlanta Gladiators

Simon Boyko, a 26-year-old forward from Mississauga, Ontario, has been traded from the Rapid City Rush to the Atlanta Gladiators for cash considerations. This season, he has played in 22 games with the Rapid City Rush, scoring four goals and providing five assists, totaling nine points. Notably, three of those goals were scored in the last seven games.

Last season, Boyko made a significant impact during his six-week tenure with the Rush. He joined the team on January 23 and quickly established himself by scoring eight goals and delivering three assists, totaling 11 points over 19 games. In the second half of the season, Boyko emerged as one of Rapid City’s key players. Following his impressive performance in Rapid City, he returned to Fayetteville to complete the season as the team made a playoff run. He re-signed with the Rush this past summer and began his first full year in the ECHL.

Reflecting on his time with the Marksmen last season, Boyko had an impressive tenure in Fayetteville, where he earned the league’s Rookie of the Year award. He led all first-year players with 27 goals, including eight on the power play, and contributed 11 power-play assists. Boyko finished second among rookies in total points with 56 and had a plus/minus rating of +20, while also tying for third place in assists with 29. Additionally, he achieved a remarkable 20-game point streak, the longest in the SPHL last season, spanning from November 17 to January 20.

In December 2023, Boyko was named the Warrior/SPHL Player of the Month, scoring 16 points (8G, 8A) and achieving a +3 rating over ten games for the Marksmen. He had recorded at least one point in each of his 14 appearances since November 17, contributing to every December game. Notably, he had four multi-point games, including a standout four-point performance (2G, 2A) against the Knoxville Ice Bears. He ranked second in standings, with 102 shots and 26 points, including 14 goals and 10 power-play points.

Boyko was recognized as the Warrior/SPHL Player of the Week for the period of March 11-17, 2024. During that week, he scored seven goals, contributed two assists, and maintained a +4 rating, helping Fayetteville achieve a perfect 3-0-0 record with victories against both Roanoke and Knoxville.

Before turning professional, Boyko competed at the collegiate level, starting at the University of Vermont and later transferring to Aurora University in Illinois. During his time at the University of Vermont, Simon Boyko participated in 28 games over two seasons. In the 2019-20 season, he scored one goal and provided two assists, accumulating a total of three points in 23 games. In the 2020-21 season, he played in five games and scored one goal. Boyko also had an impressive stint at Aurora University, where he played 40 games, scoring 22 goals and adding 21 assists for a total of 43 points. He scored nine power-play goals and two game-winning goals.