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ECHL

ECHL South Division Preview: Florida Everblades Seek Elusive Three-Peat

ECHL South Division Preview: Florida Everblades Seek Elusive Three-Peat

The South Division may be the strongest in the ECHL, especially with the two-time defending Kelly Cup champion Florida Everblades leading the way.

Oct 12, 2023 by Justin Cohn
ECHL South Division Preview: Florida Everblades Seek Elusive Three-Peat

The South Division has become the ECHL’s strongest division. That much was proved last season and signs are pointing to it continuing this season.

Sorry, Central Division fans.

It helps the South’s case to have the Florida Everblades, who won their second straight Kelly Cup championship despite being the fourth and final team in the division to clinch a playoff spot. But it’s more than that; the scales were tilted in the South’s favor in 2022-23 because of the top-to-bottom level of talent, the caliber of play and the rough-and-tumble hockey each team embraced.

ALSO READ: Central Division Preview | North Division Preview | Mountain Division Preview

Even the South Division teams that missed the postseason – the Atlanta Gladiators, Orlando Solar Bears and Savannah Ghost Pirates – could have been playoff factors had they played in, say, the North or Mountain Divisions.

As training camps open, there’s not much reason to expect regression in the South’s play. The Jacksonville Icemen, with a lineup stacked from top to bottom, could become the ECHL’s next power. There’s incredible coaching from the likes of Florida’s Brad Ralph, the South Carolina Stingrays’ Brenden Kotyk (who finished fourth in Coach of the Year voting last season), the Greenville Swamp Rabbits’ Andrew Lord and the Ghost Pirates’ Rick Bennett.

And seemingly every team is loading up with toughness, so there should be plenty of hits, plenty of fights and excitement galore when South Division teams take the ice this season.

Here’s a team-by-team look at the South Division:

Atlanta Gladiators

Last season: 35-30-7, 5th in division, missed playoffs

Coach: Derek Nesbitt, 1st season

NHL affiliation: Nashville Predators

AHL affiliate: Milwaukee Admirals

Of note: The affiliation with the Predators is new, after two seasons with the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes … Forward Cody Sylvester is back after a terrific 2022-23 season in which he had 38 goals (fourth in the ECHL) and 86 points (fifth) … Popular two-way defenseman Jacob Graves, who was dealt to the Fort Wayne Komets last season to complete an earlier trade, has re-signed with the Gladiators. He totaled two goals, 16 points and 137 penalty minutes in 47 ECHL games last season … Mitch Walinsky, a forward who had three goals and four points in 10 games late last season after a career at Salve Regina University, where he produced more than a point per game, participated in the Ottawa Senators’ rookie camp last month … Nesbitt, who retired in 2022, was an assistant coach last season under Jeff Pyle, who coached the second most regular-season games (1,209) and had the second most victories (615) in ECHL history. Pyle, who trailed only Jason Christie in both categories, is now the Gladiators’ director of hockey operations. Nesbitt played eight seasons with the Gladiators and captained them for five. He’s their all-time leader in games played (512), goals (166), assists (258) and points (424). 

Florida Everblades

Last season: 38-25-9, 4th in division, won Kelly Cup

Coach: Brad Ralph, 8th season

NHL affiliation: Florida Panthers

AHL affiliate: Charlotte Checkers

2023 Florida Everblades vs Orlando Solar Bears


Of note: The Everblades became the ECHL’s first back-to-back champions since the Colorado Eagles accomplished the feat in 2017 and 2018 … Ralph has 79 playoff victories, the most in ECHL history and 24 more than No. 2 on the list, John Brophy. Ralph also has coached the most ECHL playoff games, 130, which is 22 more than next on the list, Matt Thomas … Ralph’s top assistant coach the last two seasons, Jesse Kallechy, was hired by the Fort Wayne Komets to be their head coach … Goaltender Cam Johnson, who signed another AHL contract with the Checkers over the summer, could wind up back with the Everblades. He captured the last two Playoff MVP trophies. Evan Cormier, also on an AHL deal, could be another No. 1 option for the Everblades … Forward Oliver Chau had a breakout season – 13 goals and 37 points in 42 regular-season games, then seven goals and 17 points in 19 playoff games – and he’s back. So is forward Logan Lambdin, who was acquired from the Kalamazoo Wings last season and totaled eight goals and 16 point in 22 playoff games. … Zacary Tsekos stood out last season for the Utah Grizzlies, with 13 goals and 25 points in 30 games, and signed with the Everblades as a free agent. Once AHL camps shake out, Florida should have a strong returning nucleus from last season’s successful team.

Greenville Swamp Rabbits

Last season: 40-23-9, 3rd in division, lost in division semifinals

Coach: Andrew Lord, 4th season

NHL affiliation: Los Angeles Kings

AHL affiliate: Ontario Reign

Of note: After two seasons playing overseas, defenseman Sam Jardine is back with the Swamp Rabbits. In 2020-21, he had three goals, 44 points and 51 penalty minutes in 67 regular-season games, then added a goal in six playoff games … Offensively charged forward Tanner Eberle re-signed with Greenville after a season of 24 goals and 49 points in 61 games, and forward Brett Kemp is also back after totaling 24 goals and 45 points in just 46 games. … Lord has guided the Swamp Rabbits to the playoffs every season he’s been behind the bench, after he guided the Cardiff Devils to the finals in the United Kingdom’s Elite Ice Hockey League … One of his former players from Cardiff, 36-year-old defenseman Mark Louis signed with Greenville after seven seasons overseas. He was an AHL player from 2011 to 2015 and brings 6-foot-4, 225-pound size and toughness. 

2023 Florida Everblades vs Jacksonville Icemen


Jacksonville Icemen

Last season: 44-23-5, 2nd in division, lost in division finals

Coach: Nick Luukko, 3rd season

NHL affiliation: Buffalo Sabres

AHL affiliate: Rochester Americans

Of note: The affiliation with the Sabres is new, after Buffalo was aligned for years with the Cincinnati Cyclones, loading them up with prospects such as Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Michael Houser. Oddly, the Icemen’s former NHL affiliate, the New York Rangers, is now with the Cyclones … The Icemen have a roster loaded with talent, including Easton Brodzinski, Matheson Iacopelli and Brendan Harris … Derek Lodermeier had 26 goals last season … The Icemen also brought in some gritty blue-collar players, such as forward Garret Van Wyhe and defensemen Jack Van Boekel and Chays Ruddy. … Keep an eye on the Cockerill brothers: Garret, a defenseman, entering his third season with the team; and Logan, a forward, who played last season in Sweden. He was captain of the Boston University team and also helped the US to the gold medal at the 2017 U18 Men’s World Championship … Charles Williams has moved into a position as goaltending coach, after manning the Icemen’s net for three seasons. 

Orlando Solar Bears

Last season: 30-33-9, 6th in division, missed playoffs

Coach: Matt Carkner, 2nd season

NHL affiliation: Tampa Bay Lightning

AHL affiliate: Syracuse Crunch

Of note: Alexandre Fortin, who played 24 games with the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks in 2018-19, was one of the Solar Bears’ big free agent signings. A left wing, Fortin had 14 goals and 33 points in 37 games last season with the division-rival South Carolina Stingrays, and he also played one AHL game … Forward Brayden Low was also a big signing; he had 17 goals, 38 points and 92 penalty minutes in 64 games last season with the Reading Royals …  Forward Aaron Luchuk returns to the Solar Bears after a season in Austria and Sweden; he had 47 goals and 115 points in 103 games for the Solar Bears between 2020 and 2022 … The Solar Bears also re-signed right wing Tyler Bird, who had 16 goals and 34 points in 70 games last season … Goaltender Drennen Atherton, who played two games last season for the Solar Bears, starred prior to that for Norwich University. He was 16-6-0 with a 1.49 goals-against average and a .966 save percentage his final season.

2023 Orlando Solar Bears vs South Carolina Stingrays


South Carolina Stingrays

Last season: 45-22-5, 1st in division, lost in division semifinals

Coach: Brenden Kotyk, 3rd season

NHL affiliation: Washington Capitals

AHL affiliate: Hershey Bears

Of note: Forward Josh Wilkins, who had 21 goals and a team-leading 62 points last season, is back. So is defenseman Connor Moore, who had six goals, 30 points and a team-leading plus-30 rating in 61 games … Jarid Lukosevicius, a right wing, had five goals and eight points in just five games last season with the Stingrays. In 52 games with the AHL’s Belleville Senators, he totaled seven goals and 13 points. … Forward Garret Hunt has played 12 seasons in the ECHL and totaled 114 goals, 272 points and a whopping 2,811 penalty minutes in 779 games … Cole Fraser, one of the league’s toughest defensemen, was acquired from the Toledo Walleye for the rights to defenseman Matt Anderson on Sept. 25. Fraser previously skated for the Stingrays in 2020-21, when he had two goals, four points and 70 penalty minutes in just 18 games … Andrew Cherniwchan, who spent 11 seasons with the Stingrays and captained them, retired Sept. 22 … Travis Ward, who had been the Stingrays’ head equipment manager, was hired by the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets to be an assistant equipment manager. He was voted the ECHL’s equipment manager of the year by his peers last season.

Savannah Ghost Pirates

Last season: 28-34-10, 7th in division, missed playoffs

Coach: Rick Bennett, 2nd season

NHL affiliation: Vegas Golden Knights

AHL affiliate: Henderson Silver Knights

2023 Norfolk Admirals vs Savannah Ghost Pirates


Of note: The Ghost Pirates ranked fifth in average announced attendance – 6,802 fans per game – in their inaugural season … Brent Pederson, a forward had a team-leading 27 goals and 47 points, which ranked third, in 57 games last season … Logan Drevitch, a forward, totaled 13 goals and 37 points in 69 games last season … Defenseman Darian Skeoch racked up 110 penalty minutes in 35 games last season, also potting two goals with eight points. … He’ll have help policing the Savannah ice from right wing Anthony Collins, who last season had four goals, seven points and 57 penalty minutes in 69 games with the Kalamazoo Wings. Savannah will be the ninth ECHL team for which Collins has played … Goaltender Michael Bullion was 9-5-0 with a 3.31 goals against average, a .904 save percentage and one shutout last season for the Ghost Pirates, who have re-signed him.