With the countdown to puck drop now in single digits and training camp under way in the low country, excitement is starting to build around the South Carolina Stingrays Roster.
As of today, here is our training camp roster:
Forwards:
Jack Adams, Jackson Leppard, Patrick Harper, Austin Magera, Ryan Steele, Ian Mackey, Ryan Leibold, Jonny Evans, Matt Tugnutt, Jaird Luckosevious, Josh Wilkins, Garet Hunt, Tyler Sandhu, Kevin O’Neil, Tyson Empey
Defense:
Jon McDonald, Connor Hall, Connor Moore, Bryce Montgomery, Cole Fraser, Spencer Meier, Michael Kim, Benton Maass, Peter DiLeberatore
Goalies: Reid Cooper, Mitchel Gibson, Garin Bjorklund
Kevin O’Neil, Benton Maass, Tyson Empey, and Michael Kim are all on AHL deals with Hershey this season. After an impressive camp stint this summer with the Washington Capitals and the Hershey Bears, Jon McDonald’s ECHL contract was upgraded to an AHL deal. Garin Bjorklund is still riding out his ELC with the Washington Capitals through 2024-2025.
Summertime Sadness and Signings
It took a while for the organization to start announcing signings, and Jack Adams was a surprise to say the least. The 6’6 rookie was not on anyone’s radar, but soon after the club announced the return of Jackson Leppard and Chase Stewart. This has quickly set the tone for the team that Kotyk wanted to build this season; push the puck but don’t get pushed around.
After being eliminated in the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs last season, many suggested that the Stingrays weren’t outplayed, but were roughed out of the playoffs. With the roster plagued with injuries, it was mainly Connor Hall holding down the blue line and Jackson Leppard on the front end trying to defend the blades scrappy efforts. With the late signing of Garet Hunt, the ECHL leader in penalty minutes, it further solidified the Stingrays protection on the frontline.
In addition to Hunt’s veteran leadership, Josh Wilkins, Connor Moore, Jarid Lucksevicious, and Jonny Evans are set to return to the lineup. These names make huge impacts and are noticed when called up or injured. Wilkins finished last season with 21 goals and the team leader in assists and points. Mid season, Evans led the team in assists and was on a hot streak before an injury took him out of the lineup until playoffs. Luckosevicious spent the majority of last season with the Bellevue Senators in the AHL, but made his name known when he returned within minutes. In his few games during the regular season, he tallied five goals and three assists.
Coach Kotyk has brought back high intensity veteran forwards that can perform well under pressure and battle every night on the ice. On the blueline, he has lines that can be more offensive on the powerplay, as the club was tied for the league best last year going into the post season. With the retirement of Andrew Chernichwan and Justin Florek, the main question remains, who will bear the C on the sweater this season?
Small World
The youngsters on the roster have tremendous potential to flourish in professional hockey here in the low country, as many of them have shared the ice together. Austin Magera, Ryan Steele, and Matt Tugnutt all played at Sacred Heart, and Tugnutt has also played with Jack Adams. The hockey world is small and many others have crossed paths at one point or another and shared the same ice as teammates or competitors.
With Steele having just had the captain patch on his jersey in addition to Magera already having laid some groundwork within the Stingrays organization, things are starting to shape up for Coach Brenden Kotyk’s young ones. On ice chemistry cannot be fabricated but to have that element already establishing as soon as they hit the ice at training camp could help set the tone for the season. For a lot of these players, it will be their first full professional season, meaning leadership on and off ice is going to play a huge role this season right out of the gate. It will be interesting to see line combinations when the puck drops.
A surprise for training camp was the addition of the Mecrones brothers, Derek and Brett. Both have already signed contracts with the Pensacola Ice Flyers in the SPHL and played together on the same team for the entirety of their careers. Brett put up 60 goals and 81 assists and Derek registered not far behind him with 52 goals and 70 assist over their past two seasons overseas in Germany. They have been released from camp as of October 15th.
Where’s Wall(do)?
Names like Ryan Scarfo, Martin Has, and Alexandre Fortin have all signed elsewhere within the league. Max Humitz, on the other hand, has elected to go overseas this season. Rookie Bear Hughes signed with the Henderson Silver Knights of the AHL and goalie Clay Stevenson has moved up to the Stingrays affiliate, the Hershey Bears.
Some notable names missing from the training camp roster from last season were Lawton Courtnall, Anthony Del Gaizo, and Tyler Wall. As of right now, there is no word on any plans for any of them to return to the low country but they have yet to sign elsewhere. With Hershey being so loaded with contracts and our roster being as full as it is for camp, it will be interesting to see the opening night roster and if the club picks up anyone else up along the way. Kotyk has a strong foundation going into
The Stingrays will open their season against the Orlando Solar Bears on October 21st at the North Charleston Coliseum.
