NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – The South Carolina Stingrays, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Washington Capitals and AHL’s Hershey Bears, announced today that the team has signed forward Dean Loukus to an ECHL contract for the upcoming 2025-26 season.
Entering his second professional season, Loukus, 22, looks to continue his development after a strong rookie campaign with the Stingrays. The hard-nosed forward had a big impact on the Stingrays penalty kill which was the best in the ECHL.
“Dean Loukus had a really good season for us last year,” Stingrays Head Coach David Warsofsky said. “He showed growth, consistency, and a strong commitment to our team culture. He competes every day and makes the players around him better, both on and off the ice. We’re excited about him taking the next steps in his development and playing a bigger role for us this season.”
Loukus skated in 53 games for South Carolina in the 2024-25 season. He totaled 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists) with a +7 rating in his first year of professional hockey. In the 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs, the winger tallied four points (one goal, three assists) in the South Division Semifinals against the Orlando Solar Bears.
“I’m just really excited to go down there and get back to work,” Loukus said. “It will be interesting to see the year-to-year changes in this league first hand but, I’m really looking forward to getting going again with a core group from this past year.”
A native of Calumet, Michigan, Loukus spent three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) playing for the Saginaw Spirit and Mississauga Steelheads. He logged 155 points (56 goals, 99 assists) in 194 games in the OHL.
Loukus becomes the fourth Stingray to re-sign with the team for the 2025-26 season, joining Josh Wilkins, Romain Rodzinski and Connor Moore.
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The Stingrays' 2025-2026 season begins on Saturday, October 18th, with the Home Opener against the Norfolk Admirals at 6:05 p.m. The full schedule can be viewed on our website here.
2025-26 Season ticket plans are on sale now! For more information or to purchase, contact the Stingrays by phone at 843-744-7418 or submit this form.
Save money with group tickets! For more information or to purchase, contact the Stingrays by phone at 843-744-7418 or submit this form.
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