IDAHO STEELHEADS 2024-25 SEASON PREVIEW

BOISE, ID – Tomorrow night The Idaho Steelheads hit the ice for their 27^th season, 21^st in the ECHL, and look to capture their third Kelly Cup Championship. Idaho finished last season second place in the Mountain Division with a (48-20-2-2) record, their fourth season finishing with 100 or more points in their ECHL era and sixth overall. After defeating the Allen Americans in round one of the Kelly Cup Playoffs in five games the Steelheads were bounced by the Kansas City Mavericks in five games in the Mountain Division Finals. The Utah Grizzlies take the ice for their 20^th season after missing out on playoffs last season for the first time since 2017-18 finishing the regular season with a (31-36-0-5) record. In their ECHL era Idaho is (12-6-1-1) but have lost back-to-back home openers after winning six straight. In their WCHL era Idaho was (4-2) for a combined all-time record of (16-8-1-1). Idaho has face-offed in home-openers vs. Utah five time in franchise history having won three of them, most recently a 7-3 win back on Oct. 22, 2022. All together the Steelheads have faced the Grizzlies in the first game of the season nine times with a record of (5-3-1) having won two straight (2019-20, 2021-22). 

ALL-TIME SERIES 
Tomorrow's contest is the 234^th all-time regular season meeting between the Idaho Steelheads and the Utah Grizzlies. Historically, Idaho is 135-67-27 vs. Utah and 80-32-15 in Boise, ID at the Idaho Central Arena.

HEAD-TO-HEAD LAST SEASON
Idaho was (10-3-1) vs. Utah last season including (5-1-1-0) at home winning in the final game of the regular 2-0 on Apr. 13 at Idaho Central Arena. The Steelheads outscored the Grizzlies 56-40 in the series while going (12-for-37, 32.4%) on the power-play and (36-for-45, 80%) on the penalty kill.    

ROSTER BREAKDOWN 
Idaho: The roster consists of 24 players, including 14 forwards, seven defensemen, and three goaltenders. 15 players are from Canada and nine from the USA. There are three players on NHL contracts from the Dallas Stars including (F) Justin Ertel, (D) Connor Punnett, and (G) Ben Kraws. (G) Bryan Thomson is the lone player on an AHL contracts from the Texas Stars. For a detailed list of players click HERE.  

The Steelheads 2024-25 opening night roster has a combined 2,495 regular season games of ECHL experience and 441 games of AHL experience. The 24 players have a combined 1,471 ECHL points (452G, 1019A).

Idaho returns 11 players from the 2023-24 team including six forwards; Ty Pelton-Byce, A.J. White, Lynden McCallum, Sam Sternschein, Jade Miller, Nick Canade, four defensemen Trevor Zins, Romain Rodzinski, Reece Harsch, Matt Register, Patrick Kudla and one goalie, Bryan Thomson. 

There are rookies six rookies on the opening night roster including four forwards C.J. Walker, Justin Ertel, Connor MacEachern, Blake Swetlikoff, one defenseman Connor Punnett, and one goalie. 

A.J. White returns for his ninth professional season, seventh with Idaho and sixth as Captain. The 32-year-old ranks second in team history including the WCHL/ECHL era in games played (416) and third in points (310), goals (113), and assists (197). He set a career-high in goals (27) and power-play goals (13) while tying for first amongst Steelheads skaters in points (66) appearing in 71 games. 

Matt Register returns for his 14^th professional season, third with Idaho, after being named to the ECHL Second All-Star Team for the third time in his career after finishing second amongst league defensemen with 64 points (10G, 54). In parts of 12 ECHL seasons he has captured three ECHL Kelly Cups, the only defenseman in league history to be named MVP of the playoffs, a six-time All-ECHL First All-Star Team selection, and three ECHL Defenseman of the Year awards. In addition, last season he became the ECHL’s all-time post-season points leader with 118 (29G, 89A) and ranks first all-time in playoff games (156). He skated in his 600^th career ECHL game last year becoming just one of 14 players in league history to hit that mark.

Patrick Kudla returns for his seventh professional season, third with Idaho, after being named ECHL Defenseman of the Year and an All-ECHL First Team selection ranking fourth amongst league defenders in points (60) skating in 60 games. He has totaled 110 points (18G, 92A) from the blue line in 119 games as a Steelhead.

Ty Pelton-Byce returns for his fourth professional season, third with Idaho, after producing 106 points (36G, 70A) in 100 career games as a Steelhead. He finished fourth on the club last season in points (60) and third in assists (43) appearing in 57 games. He was named ECHL Plus Performer of the Month last November finishing with a (+14) rating. 

Tomas Sholl signed with the Steelheads in the summer after spending the last four seasons playing overseas. He has played parts of three seasons in Idaho and ranks third all-time in Idaho’s WCHL/ECHL era in wins (63), minutes played (5,467), third in goals against average (2.07), first in shutouts (12), and fourth in save percentage (.929). Sholl was named ECHL Goaltender of the Year in 2019-20 and has been ECHL Goaltender of the Month twice, Goaltender of the Week eight times. In addition, he was named to the ECHL First All-Star Team in 2019-20 and Second All-Star Team in 2018-19. 

Hank Crone gears up for his first season with the Steelheads after spending the last two years with the Allen Americans. He was named ECHL MVP during the 2022-23 season leading the league in points (105) and goals (49) in 69 games, becoming the first rookie to lead the ECHL in scoring since 2011-12. Last season he was under an AHL contract with the Chicago Wolves where he appeared in three games. He collected 55 points (17G, 38A) in 40 games with Allen. 

KEY DEPARTURES  

(F) Mark Rassell – 43GP, 32-16-48 (Signed with HC Innsbruck – ICEHL)

• Led Idaho in goals and multi-goal games (8). His 32 goals were tied for seventh in the ECHL.
• Tied for third in power-play goals (5), finished sixth in points on Idaho.
• Named to the ECHL All-Star Game.

(F) Wade Murphy – 52GP, 25-41-66 (Signed with HC Slovan Bratislava – Slovakia) 

• Tied for first on the team in points (66), tied for third in goals (25), fourth in assists (41).
• Led Idaho with 21 multi-point games.
• Second on the team with five multi-goal games.

(F) Jordan Kawaguchi – 29GP, 8-23-31 (Signed with Belfast Giants – EIHL)

• Joined Idaho on Jan. 17.
• Finished third on the club averaging 1.07 points per game.

UPCOMING MILESTONES
#35 Tomas Sholl is one game shy of 100 career ECHL games… He is six wins shy of becoming the winningest goaltender in Idaho’s ECHL era… He is 19 wins shy of becoming the winningest goaltender in franchise history including the WCHL/ECHL era.

#18 A.J. White is 21 games shy of becoming the all-time games played leader in franchise history including the WCHL/ECHL era… He is 36 goals shy of becoming Idaho’s ECHL era all-time goal leader… He is 10 assists shy of moving into second all-time in assists including Idaho’s ECHL/WCHL era while he is three assists shy of 200 as a Steelhead… He is eight games shy of 550 professional games.

#19 Lynden McCallum is three games shy of 100 professional games.

#43 Matt Register is 10 points shy of 500 career ECHL points looking to become jus the 33^rd player in league history to hit that mark… He is 11 assists shy of moving into fourth-place all-time in ECHL history… He is 50 games shy of becoming the all-time games played leader in amongst defensemen in league history… He is 34 points shy from moving into second all-time in points amongst defenders in ECHL history… He is nine goals shy from moving into fourth all-time in goals scored by a defender in league history… He is two games shy of 800 professional games… He is 23 points shy of moving into third place all-time in franchise in career points by a defenseman in Idaho’s WCHL/ECHL era.

#47 Patrick Kudla is eight assists shy of 100 career ECHL assists.

#67 Hank Crone is six assists shy of 100 career ECHL assists.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

October 15: Ben Kraws, Connor Punnett, and Justin Ertel assigned on loan by Dallas Stars (NHL) from Texas Stars. C.J. Walker signed to an ECHL contract. 

2024-25 SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
14X – Rapid City (9 home, 5 away)
12X – Tahoe (5 home, 7 away)
9X – Tulsa (5 home, 4 away)
9X – Utah (3 home, 6 away)
6X – Allen (3 home, 3 away)
6X – Kansas City (3 home, 3 away)
4X – Wichita (2 home, 2 away)
3X – Toledo (3 home)
3X – Savannah (3 away)
3X – Trois-Rivières (3 away)
3X – Florida (3 home) 

For a recap of the 2023-24 season Click HERE.

Call the Steelheads Front Office at 208-383-0080 for ticket packages for the upcoming season. Stay up to date with all things Steelheads on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.