Steelheads release Protected List

PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL on Wednesday announced the Protected Lists as submitted by each of its member teams. The ECHL announced in May that all players for the Charlotte Checkers have been declared unrestricted free agents. The Board of Governors has approved the Charlotte Checkers petition to withdraw from the ECHL to begin play in the American Hockey League in 2010-11. Therefore, the Checkers will not be operating in the ECHL next season. Teams are allowed to protect as many players as they wish provided the players protected meet the guidelines as defined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the ECHL and the Professional Hockey Players? Association which state that teams shall retain the rights to each player that: 1. Signed a Standard Players Contract in 2009-10 and has not been traded or released, OR 2. Signed a Standard Players Contract in 2009-10 and was recalled to the National Hockey League, the American Hockey League or an International Ice Hockey Federation team, and has not been traded or released, OR 3. Received a 2009-10 Qualifying Offer for the current season, and DID NOT sign a Standard Players Contract, and has not been traded or released, OR 4. Has been suspended by the team or League, and has not been traded or released, OR 5. Signed a Standard Players Contract on or after the first day of the 2009-10 regular season, then subsequently signed an NHL/AHL contract, and has not been traded or released, OR 6. Has executed the ECHL Retirement Form, and has not been traded or released Protected lists may exceed 20 players. The ECHL also announced that teams must complete all Future Consideration trades by 3 p.m. ET on June 13 and that teams must submit their Season-Ending Roster by 3 p.m. ET on June 15. Season-ending rosters may include up to 20 players and cannot include any players who did not sign an ECHL contract in 2009-10. Idaho Steelheads: Rejean Beauchemin Aaron Dawson Steve Oleksy Brett Blatchford Weston Tardy Cody Lampl Dustin Friesen Marty Flichel Mark Derlago John Swanson Evan Barlow Adam Huxley Matt McKnight Mark McCutcheon John-Scott Dickson Tyler Spurgeon Ashton Rome Brandan Kushniruk (Release courtesy of ECHL Media Relations. View the complete release, including every team's list, here.)