By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Third-year Swamp Rabbit named sixth Captain of Greenville Hockey since 2010; headlines leadership group featuring Beauchamp, Martin, Eberle, Louis
GREENVILLE, SC – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced today that Ben Freeman has been named the Captain of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
Head Coach/General Manager Andrew Lord also announced that second-year forward Anthony Beauchamp and fourth-year defenseman Max Martin will be alternate captains at home. In contrast, veteran forward Tanner Eberle and veteran defenseman Mark Louis will wear the “A’s” on the road.
Freeman earned the captaincy during his third season in the Upstate and his fourth of professional hockey. The 6’5″-205-pound forward currently has 7 goals and 16 points, along with a +4 rating in 35 games this campaign. He joins Joey Haddad (2020-21) as the second Captain in the tenure of Head Coach/General Manager Andrew Lord and the sixth named to Greenville’s team since 2010 alongside T.J. Reynolds (2010-13), Sean Berkstresser (2013-14), Bretton Cameron (2014-18), and Mike Pelech (2018-19). Of that distinguished group, Cameron is the only player in franchise history to have his number 11 retired.
THOUGHTS
“We are extremely excited to have Ben Freeman as our Captain this season. He is a great person, teammate, and consummate professional,” Lord said of Freeman. Ben is great in the community and with our fan base and leads by example at the rink, doing things the right way with a ‘get better’ mindset.
“Helping grow the game in our community is a focus from our ownership and throughout our organization, and Ben is constantly getting out and giving back,” Lord continued. “At the rink, he has great leadership skills and helps drive our culture. He has been instrumental in moving our organization forward the last three seasons and I can’t wait to see him lead us down the stretch this year. Ben truly sets a great example of what it means to be a Greenville Swamp Rabbit.”
ABOUT FREEMAN
A native of Falmouth, Mass., Freeman, 28, has played in 162 games since joining the Swamp Rabbits in 2021, racking up 30 goals, 50 assists, and 80 points, along with a +15 rating. Before coming to Greenville, Freeman briefly skated with the Wheeling Nailers before winning the 2021 SPHL Championship with the Pensacola Ice Flyers. Before turning professional, he played four years of college hockey with the NCAA’s UConn Huskies, tabulating 77 points in 135 games. While skating in Storrs, Conn., he served as Captain in his senior season in 2019-20. He earned the 2020 Len Celgarski Award, presented to a Hockey East player “who has consistently demonstrated superior conduct and sportsmanship on the ice.”
The Swamp Rabbits will play the in-state rival South Carolina Stingrays tonight. Puck drop is at 7:05 p.m. at North Charleston Coliseum.
About the Greenville Swamp Rabbits …
Acquired by Spire Sports + Entertainment (SS+E) in 2020, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits hockey team has been providing family-friendly, live entertainment at Bon Secours Wellness Arena since 2010. Formerly the Greenville Road Warriors, the Swamp Rabbits are the highest-level professional minor league franchise in South Carolina. The Swamp Rabbits are the proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s LA Kings and the AHL’s Ontario Reign. Greenville is an ECHL Premier’ AA’ Hockey League member.
