Rapid City Rush forward Brett Gravelle has signed to play in Scotland for the 2024-25 season. He will be joining the Dundee Stars of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), whose teams are located in the United Kingdom.
Professional Career
After finishing his collegiate career at the University of St. Thomas, Brett Gravelle signed with the Elmira Enforcers of the FPHL where he played in 20 games and had 13 goals and ten assists for 23 points. He had four penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +16.
For the 2021-22 season he joined the Quad City Storm in the SPHL, playing in five games where he had two goals and five assists for seven points. He had zero penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +3. He was later called up by the Iowa Heartlanders in the ECHL before joining the Rush. With the Heartlanders, he played in one game where he had one goal and two assists for three points. He had zero penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +1.
Rapid City Rush Career
In November of 2021, the Iowa Heartlanders placed Gravelle on waivers, allowing for the Rush to pick him up off waivers and sign him. In the 2021-22 season with the Rush, Gravelle played in 67 games, where he had 27 goals and 27 assists for 54 points. He had 16 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +10. Gravelle also played in the playoffs with the Rush playing in 11 games, where he had three goals and ten assists for 13 points. He had two penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +1.
After an already crazy start to his professional career, playing on four different teams in three seasons, Gravelle had a rough start to the 2022-23 season as he suffered an upper-body injury prior to the season starting. But after getting back on the ice, Gravelle was able to play in 50 games registering 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points. He had four penalty minutes and a plus/minus of 0.
This past season, Gravelle played in all 72 games, where he had 23 goals and 29 assists for 42 points. He had 14 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +2.
Through three seasons played with the Rush, Gravelle played in 189 games where he had 63 goals and 75 assists for 138 points. He had 34 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +12. Through his three ECHL seasons, he has played in 190 games where he had 65 goals and 76 assists for 141 points. He had 34 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +13.
Effect on the 2024-25 Rapid City Rush (Opinion)
The loss of Brett Gravelle could be very noticeable for the Rush next season if they do not get the correct players to fill the hole left. Even when playing through injuries, Gravelle was still a threat on the ice and was able to find ways to score or set up a play for one of his teammates to score. In his first season with the Rush, Gravelle led the team in goals, was fifth in assists, and second in points. After missing 22 games due to injury, Gravelle was still ninth in goals, 11th in assists, and ninth in points in the 2022-23 season. This season, Gravelle was third in goals and assists and was fourth in points on the Rush. Losing a player who is this offensively powered and skilled can really hurt a team if they do not find a way to replace the player or play without the player. That being said, this could allow for some of the third/fourth-line guys to turn their play up a notch to earn more ice time.
