ECHL Sunday Notebook: Panetta, Harris Returning to Jacksonville Icemen

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - July 23, 2023 - PRLog -- (http://www.sportsdayjax.com) The ECHL's Jacksonville Icemen have agreed to terms with forward Brendan Harris and defenseman Jacob Panetta.

Harris, 27, returns for his third season with the Icemen where he recorded career highs in points (49), goals (15) and assists (34) in 56 games played last season.

The 5-9, 175-pound forward was acquired by the Icemen from the Wheeling Nailers during the 2021-22 season and went on to post 30 points (12g, 18a) in 39 regular games, and led the Icemen in playoff scoring that spring posting eight points in eight appearances.

Panetta, 27, returns for a fourth season in Jacksonville where he posted 22 points with a career-high nine goals last season.  The 6-0, 192-pound blue liner has totaled 46 points (14g, 32a) in 107 career Icemen and ECHL contests.

Harris and Panetta join forwards Matheson Iacopelli and Chris Grando along with defenseman Julian Kislin who have agreed to terms with the Icemen.

Around the South: The Greenville Swamp Rabbits have re-signed defensemen Bobby Russell and Ethan Cap, forward Tanner Eberle and returning forward Ben Freeman to an ECHL contract ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.

The Orlando Solar Bears and forward Aaron Luchuk agreed to terms for the 2023-24 season on an ECHL standard player contact. Luchuk, 26, returns to the Solar Bears for his third season with the team after appearing in 103 regular season games from 2020-2022.

The South Carolina Stingrays have agreed to terms with forward Jack Adams. Adams, 26, was the Stingrays' first acquisition of the offseason.

Florida Everblades have agreed to terms with forward Andrew Fyten and forward Tommy Apap. The Atlanta Gladiators haves re-signed defensemen Dylan Carabia and Brayden Crowder, forward Mitch Walinski and goaltender Tyler Harmon.

GUND NEW STINGRAYS' DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND BROADCASTING

The South Carolina Stingrays have named Owen Gund as the team's Director of Communications and Broadcasting. Gund, 23, is a recent graduate of Boston University, where he served as sports co-director for the student radio station WTBU.

Around the league: The League's Board of Governors has approved the expansion application of Lake Tahoe for admittance into the League. The team, which will be named later, will be owned by 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, and former National Football League quarterback, Tim Tebow, along with David Hodges, CEO of Hodges Management Group, LLC. The team will be managed and operated by Zawyer Sports & Entertainment.

(SportsDay's Mike Bonts covers the NHL and ECHL for Florida Sports Wire @ http://www.sportsdayjax.com)