ECHL: Utah Grizzlies Acquire Reed Lebster in Trade with Florida Everblades

The Florida Everblades and Utah Grizzlies struck a trade on Friday as the Grizzlies acquired forward Reed Lebster and the ECHL rights to Matthew Wedman in exchange for forward Kyle Betts.

What This Means For Utah

For the Grizzlies, they get Reed Lebster, who played in five Kelly Cup Playoff Games with the Everblades at the end of last season but didn’t find the scoresheet. Prior to joining the Everblades, the Grand Rapids, Michigan native played four seasons at UMass, where he put up 28 goals and 29 assists for 57 points in 112 games as the Minutemen won back-to-back Hockey East in 2021 and 2022. Lebster would spend his final year of eligibility at Michigan State University, where he put up six goals and 13 assists for 19 points in 35 games.

They also received the ECHL rights to Matthew Wedman, who is currently playing with HC Banka Bystrica and has put up seven goals and six assists for 13 points in 11 games. Wedman spent the first four years of his pro career playing in 136 games at the AHL level, putting up 16 goals and 12 assists for 28 points while playing in one Calder Cup Playoff Game. The 25-year-old forward would spend two seasons at the ECHL level, putting up five goals and ten assists for 25 points while playing for three different ECHL teams. The Calgary, Alberta native put up five goals and ten assists for 15 points in 23 games during the Kelly Cup Playoffs, with his most memorable goal being the Kelly Cup Winning goal in OT in Game 5 vs Kansas City Mavericks.

What This Means for Florida

Betts, 27, has spent the majority of his pro career in the AHL with the Belleville Senators, where he’s put up six goals and six assists for 12 points in 96 games and has played in one career Calder Cup Playoff Game. The Flesherton, Ontario native has put up two goals and 11 assists for 13 points in 15 games, but his best play has come in the Kelly Cup Playoffs, where he’s put up eight goals and eight assists for 16 points in 24 career Kelly Cup Playoff games. Betts could end up being a solid piece for the Everblades moving forward.