Steelheads announce roster moves

Boise, ID (10/12/16) –Steelheads Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Neil Graham announced several transactions on Wednesday as the team makes final arrangements before Friday’s season-opener at Maverik Center. The Steelheads have added three players to the roster, while also releasing three players.

Forwards Travis Ewanyk and Caleb Herbert, as well as defenseman Brandon Anselmini, have all joined the Steelheads in Boise.

The Steelheads announced Ewanyk’s signing to an ECHL contract on Tuesday, and on Wednesday they added him to the roster. Ewanyk, 23, has played three professional seasons, all in the American Hockey League. In 203 career AHL games with Oklahoma City and Binghamton, the former third-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers (74th overall in 2011) has scored 15 goals and 29 points. Ewanyk won a Western Hockey League championship in juniors while serving as an assistant captain for the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2012.

Herbert and Anselmini were both loaned to Idaho by AHL Texas on Tuesday.

Herbert, 25, enters his third full pro season after splitting time between the AHL and ECHL over the last two years. Herbert was a fifth round pick of the Washington Capitals (142nd overall in 2010). Last season, Herbert tallied 10 goals and 14 points in 15 games with South Carolina, and added two assists in 26 games with AHL Hershey. Herbert has 29 goals and 42 points in 57 career ECHL games with South Carolina. He has totaled two goals and seven points in 45 AHL games.

Anselmini, 23, prepares for his first full pro season after four seasons of college hockey at Ferris State University. The rookie blue-liner racked up 13 goals and 56 points in 149 games at Ferris State. He won a WCHA Championship and was a Third-Team All-Star in the WCHA last season as a senior. Following college, Anselmini played in four games with the Orlando Solar Bears, earning an assist.

Forward Bryce Van Brabant, who attended training camp with AHL Texas while under ECHL contract with the Steelheads, will remain in Texas after signing a professional tryout agreement with the team.

The Steelheads released Ryan Keller and Carter Shinkaruk from their ECHL contracts. Forward Mike Moran was released from his amateur tryout agreement.

The Steelheads roster currently holds 22 players. Official regular season rosters will be announced this week, prior to Friday’s opener.