Stingrays Announce Multiple Transactions

The South Carolina Stingrays, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Washington Capitals and AHL’s Hershey Bears, announced multiple roster transactions Tuesday. Forward Caleb Herbert has been re-assigned to SC and defender Zach Malatesta has been released from his professional tryout agreement with Hershey and will return to the Stingrays.

In addition, South Carolina has agreed to terms with defenseman Ryan Cook, who has signed a standard ECHL player contract and released forward Anthony Collins from his standard player contract.

Herbert, 29, has seen action in 11 ECHL contests this year with the Rays, registering nine points on four goals and five assists. The seventh-year pro returned to the organization this season after spending parts of three years with Hershey and South Carolina from 2014-16.

Malatesta, 24, played in four games with the Bears during his first career AHL call-up posting one assist and a +2 rating. The fourth-year blueliner totaled 11 points in 12 games for South Carolina prior to his opportunity at the next level, including points in each of his last five ECHL games.

Cook, 26, has spent the first 17 games of his rookie professional season with the Huntsville Havoc of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL), scoring four points on two goals and two assists. The native of Lancaster, N.Y. had a four-year collegiate career from 2016-20. He spent his first three seasons with Merrimack College in the Hockey East before transferring to Niagara University as a senior.

In 99 NCAA contests, Cook totaled 13 points on six goals and seven assists. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound defender played junior hockey from 2013-16, appearing in 24 games with the United States Hockey League’s (USHL) Lincoln Stars and 131 games in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) with the Aberdeen Wings.

Collins appeared in six games with South Carolina after signing with the team last month on Feb. 6.

South Carolina returns to action on Tuesday night in Orlando at 7 p.m. against the Solar Bears at the Amway Center.

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