JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Icemen, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres and the AHL’s Rochester Americans announced that the club has agreed to terms with veteran forward Anthony Petruzzelli for the upcoming 2023-24 season.
Petruzzelli, 30, played the past five seasons with the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets where he totaled 211 points (100g, 111a) in 323 career ECHL contests from 2018-2023. The 5-10, 190-pound forward captained the Komets in each of the past two seasons, while winning a Kelly Cup Championship with Fort Wayne in 2021. Petruzzelli has recorded at least 25 goals in each of the past two seasons and posted a 57-point campaign during the 2021-22 season.
During the 2019-20 season, Petruzzelli made four appearances with the AHL’s Chicaho Wolves. Prior to his professional career, Petruzzelli played four seasons at the University of Vermont, where he spent time as a teammate of current Icemen Head Coach Nick Luukko (2014-2015) and forward Derek Lodermeier (2016-2018).
The Federal Way, Washington resident started this season overseas with the EIHL’s Guildford Flames collecting an assist in four games.
The Icemen open the 2023-24 season at home this weekend against the Florida Everblades on Saturday, October 21 at 7:00 p.m. Icemen full and partial ticket packages for the 2023-24 Season are currently on sale! Payment plans are also available. Contact the Icemen office at 904-602-7825, or visit www.jacksonvilleicemen.com.
Orlando Announces Transactions
The Orlando Solar Bears have announced the following transactions ahead of opening night on Thursday, October 19 when the Florida Everblades come to town. The puck drops on the 12th season of Solar Bears hockey at 7 p.m.
The Solar Bears have completed a trade with the Utah Grizzles, sending forward Nathan Burke to Utah in exchange for future considerations. They have acquired the playing rights to forward Steven Jandric from the Worcester Railers in exchange for future considerations. The Solar Bears have signed goaltender Brandon Halverson to a Standard Player Contract for the 2023-24 season.
South Carolina Makes Moves
The South Carolina Stingrays, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Washington Capitals and AHL’s Hershey Bears, announced that goaltender Garin Bjorklund has been re-assigned by Washington from Hershey to South Carolina, while goaltender Mitchell Gibson has been re-assigned by Washington from South Carolina to Hershey.
Bjorklund, 21, was sidelined for most of the 2022-23 season with an injury. He started one game for the Stingrays last season, a 5-4 shootout victory over the Jacksonville Icemen. 2023-24 will be Bjorklund’s second season of professional hockey. He was selected #179 overall by the Capitals in the 2020 NHL Draft.
Before turning pro, Bjorklund skated with the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers, playing 96 career games, with a 40-48-4 record, a 3.50 goals-against average, and a .892 save percentage.
Gibson, 24, recently completed a four-year NCAA career at Harvard University, where he went 45-25-6 in 80 NCAA games. Gibson led the Crimson to NCAA tournament appearances in his junior and senior seasons.
The Stingrays open the 2023-24 season on October 21 at the North Charleston Coliseum against the Orlando Solar Bears at 6:05 p.m.
