The South Carolina Stingrays, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Washington Capitals and AHL’s Hershey Bears, have announced multiple transactions Tuesday. Defenseman Joey Leach has signed a professional tryout contract with Hershey, while the club has also completed a trade to send forward Bo Brauer to the Atlanta Gladiators in exchange for future considerations.
Leach, 26, is having another excellent season with the Stingrays. Serving in his first year as team captain, the defender has recorded 20 points on two goals and 18 assists while playing in all 28 of South Carolina’s games. Leach has also amassed a +8 rating. The Wadena, Sask. native is currently fourth among all ECHL blueliners in scoring and his 18 assists are third-most in the league.
Leach is in his sixth professional season and his fourth year in the Stingrays organization. During 2017-18, he scored a career-high 26 points (five goals, 21 assists) in 61 contests while racking up a +18 rating. Leach also saw action in five games with the AHL’s Hartford Wolfpack during late February and early March. The defender is no stranger to Hershey, having played six games with the Chocolate and White during 2015-16 as well as 18 contests the following year in 2016-17.
The 6-foot-3, 203-pound skater has suited up for a total of 45 AHL games in his career for Harford, Hershey, the Lake Erie Monsters and the Oklahoma City Barons, contributed a total of seven assists. Previously a third-round selection of the Calgary Flames in the 2010 NHL Draft, Leach played four years of junior hockey in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Kootenay Ice where he totaled 134 points in 274 total games.Brauer, 23, began his professional career with South Carolina this season, playing in five regular season games. The Edina, Minn. native also played four seasons of NCAA hockey at Notre Dame from 2014-18 before turning pro.South Carolina continues their week on the road Wednesday night in Jacksonville against the Icemen at 7 p.m. The Stingrays are back at home to take on Norfolk for ‘What You Didn’t Get For Christmas Night’ on Friday, Dec. 28 at 7:05!
Tickets are on sale now! To bring your group to the game and save, call the Stingrays Front Office at 843-744-2248! For single game tickets, visit ticketmaster.com.
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