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 following players have been loaned to South Carolina Stingrays:

Forwards, Kaden Bohlsen, Lynden Breen, Kyler Kupka, Patrick Guzzo, Simon Pinard 

Defensemen, John Fusco, Connor Mayer

Goaltender, Seth Eisele

In addition, forward Stanley Cooley and defensemen D.J. King and Nolan Krenzen have been released from their training camp tryouts with the Hershey Bears and will report to the South Carolina Stingrays.  

Bohlsen, 24, played in four games last season with the AHL Calgary Wranglers picking up an assist following his fifth year of collegiate hockey at Minnesota State University Mankato. The Willmar, Minn. native helped the Mavericks win the Central Collegiate Hockey Association conference title to advance to the NCAA tournament for the 10th time in program history. Across a five-year NCAA career between Minnesota State and Nebraska-Omaha, the forward totaled 42 points (25g, 17a) in 113 games. 

Breen, a native of Grand Bay-Westfield, New Brunswick, played in five regular season games last year with the Stingrays totaling four points (2g, 2a) and had two assists in the playoffs. The 24 year old played at the University of Maine where he was the captain his final two years. Breen was a Hobey Baker Award nominee during the 2023-24 season where he had 30 points (9g, 21a). 

Kupka played in 54 games last year with the Stingrays and was named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team after logging 53 points (27g, 26a) in his first full season of professional hockey. The Camrose, Alberta native also played in 12 games for the Calgary Wranglers on loan in the AHL adding two assists. 

Guzzo broke into professional hockey last season appearing in three games with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose following five seasons of collegiate hockey at Ohio State. During the 2024-25 season, Guzzo notched 16 points (9g, 7a) in 36 games and logged 62 points (34g, 28a) in 171 games in his college career. His 171 games played at Ohio State are the most in program history. 

Pinard is coming off a prolific season last year with the Tahoe Knight Monsters where he finished second in team scoring with 64 points (33g, 31a) in 63 appearances. His 33 goals led the Knight Monsters and was third most in the ECHL. The Drummondville, Quebec native also skated in four games for the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights last season. The 5’10, 190 pound forward has skated in 122 ECHL games, including spending the 2023-24 season with the Savannah Ghost Pirates, tallying 48 points (24g, 24a). 

Fusco spent the last three years at Dartmouth College after transferring from Harvard University in 2022. In 112 games collegiately, the blue liner totaled 51 points (22g, 29a), including 21 points (11g, 10a) last year. The Westwood, Mass. native was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Fusco’s father, Mark, played two seasons in the National Hockey League with the Hartford Whalers and was a member of the United States hockey team at the 1984 Winter Olympics. 

Mayer, 26, comes to South Carolina after playing in 22 games for the AHL’s Colorado Eagles last season, logging nine points (4g, 5a) and skating in four games with the Utah Grizzlies. A product of Colorado College, the defenseman had 32 points (7g, 25a) in 159 games at Colorado and was teammates with Stingrays forward, Stanley Cooley. 

Eisele appeared in 31 games last season for South Carolina and one with Hershey. The Lake Elmo, Minn. native went 19-10-1 with a 2.30 GAA and a .914 save percentage. In the Kelly Cup Playoffs, Eisele went 1-1-0 with a 2.35 GAA and a .929 save percentage. Last year was the netminders first year playing professionally after a five year collegiate career with the University of Nebraska-Omaha and Lake Superior State University.

The South Carolina Stingrays will begin their Training Camp, presented by Ethos Athletic Club, on Thursday, October 9, at the Carolina Ice Palace. The 2025 Training Camp roster will be announced at a later date. 

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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.

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