Today, the Rapid City Rush announced that Jimmy Soper will return with the Rush for the 2023-24 season.
Rush Career
Jimmy Soper joined the Rapid City Rush in the 2022-23 season in a trade with the Norfolk Admirals. February 2023, the Rush traded future considerations for Jimmy Soper. The future considerations given to Norfolk were completed, with Keegan Iverson being sent to the Admirals. Soper had a nice start with the Rush, as he had two goals on four shots in his first game with Rapid City.
Soper ended up playing 28 games with the Rush, where he had seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points. He had 29 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +9, which was tied with Ilya Nikolaev and Kenton Helgesen for the second-highest plus/minus on the Rush. Carter Robertson had the highest at +13.
2022-23 Season
At the start of the 2022-23 season, Soper was with the Tulsa Oilers. From there, he was traded to the Norfolk Admirals, but he did not play any games for the Norfolk Admirals. From there, he was sent to the Rapid City Rush, where he finished the 2022-23 season. Throughout the whole 2022-23 season, Soper played in 64 games where he had 23 goals and 24 assists for 47 points. He had 66 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +6.
ECHL Career
Soper has played in the ECHL for four seasons, splitting his time between the Newfoundland Growlers, Greenville Swamp Rabbits, Tulsa Oilers, and Rapid City Rush, with a very brief stop with the Norfolk Admirals. Through the four seasons, Soper has played in 164 ECHL games, where he has 39 goals and 57 assists for 96 points. He has 183 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +8.
Soper’s Impact
Soper is a very impactful returning player for the Rapid City Rush in the 2023-24 season. He is a player who knows how to score while also playing a physical game. Soper was a great addition to the Rush in the 2022-23 season, as he brought a physical style that the Rush were lacking at the time. Soper is not a player that fights for no reason. He is a player that is not scared to hit to give his team some energy, and he is not scared to stand up for his teammates when needed.
