NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - The South Carolina Stingrays, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Washington Capitals and AHL's Hershey Bears, have signed defenseman Bryce Montgomery to an ECHL contract for the 2023-24 season.
Montgomery, 20, was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the sixth round of the 2021 NHL Draft. In 2022-23, Montgomery played for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the USHL and tallied 18 points (7 goals, 11 assists). The 6'5", 220 lb defenseman is known for his physical presence on the ice, accumulating 72 penalty minutes in 53 games with the RoughRiders. 2023-24 will be Montgomery's first season of professional hockey.
"Bryce is going to be a really good pro player," said Stingrays Head Coach Brenden Kotyk. "He moves extremely well, not just for a player of his size but in general. He understands how to defend and has good instincts in the defensive zone. He wants to learn and improve his game, and he fits the mold and culture of what we have here in South Carolina."
The Carolina Hurricanes have Montgomery's NHL rights but currently do not have an AHL or ECHL affiliate. Montgomery feels that South Carolina is the best place for him to develop his game. He relates to Kotyk, who is also 6'5" and played 182 professional hockey games as a defenseman.
"I'm really thankful for this opportunity," said Montgomery. "The systems in South Carolina definitely suit my game. Coach Kotyk was also a big defenseman like me, and it will be great to learn from him. The Stingrays organization is super special, and I'm looking forward to getting things started."
Montgomery was born in Washington, DC, and grew up a diehard Capitals fan. He played youth hockey for the Washington Little Caps. Current Stingrays forward Ryan Leibold also played for the Little Caps growing up.
The Stingrays will open the 2023-24 season on October 21 at the North Charleston Coliseum against the Orlando Solar Bears at 6:05 p.m.
2023-24 Single Game tickets are on sale now! Purchase tickets to Opening Night by clicking the following link.
Save money with group tickets! For more information or to purchase, contact the Stingrays by phone at 843-744-2248.
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