Forward set to reprise role as Swamp Rabbits captain in 2024-25 Season
By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced today that Swamp Rabbits captain Ben Freeman is set to return for his fourth campaign in Greenville for the 2024-25 ECHL Season, his fifth as a professional.
Freeman joins Austin Saint, Colton Young, Ben Poisson, and Arvid Caderoth at the forward position. He additionally joins Max Coyle and Joshua Karlsson on the blue line for the 2024-25 roster.
Freeman heads back to the Swamp Rabbits following the best statistical output of his career. The 6’5”, 205-pound center played in all but two games in 2023-24 and set career highs with 14 goals and 34 points in his 70 contests. Freeman chipped in an additional goal and assist in six Kelly Cup Playoff games and was named the seventh captain of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on January 19th. He played his 200th ECHL game on April 5th at Orlando.
“I love Greenville as a city and am really excited about playing for Coach Mountain. From what I’ve seen and heard about returners and newcomers, we have a great core of players that will make this season both fun and competitive in pursuit of a Kelly Cup championship,” Freeman said of his return to the Upstate. “One thing I take pride in every year I’ve been here is the improvement in our regular season record. We’re super focused on building a playoff style of hockey so we can get out of the first round and make a deep run to the title, which is the goal from day one of training camp: create a culture in this team that focuses on player development and winning, above all else.
“My expectation as captain is to emphasize that, while we’re all trying to get to the next level, we need to focus on being present,” he continued. “Winning is fun, but it can’t be done if everyone isn’t bought in. Winning creates opportunities, both short and long term, for all of us. Another expectation is to continue building personally. I’m always trying to get better, and I’m grateful I’ve seen that growth proportional with my output statistically. I can’t wait to get back to Greenville and look forward to another special year.”
“Ben has become a major part of the fabric of this organization during his time here. It’s our goal to establish a core foundation of leadership going into the year and bringing Ben back was a major key in accomplishing that. Once that foundation is set, you have something you can build around, so Ben coming back in a major leadership role puts us in a great position to continue to grow an already great culture,” said Kyle Mountain, Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations. “True leaders don’t need a letter to do things the right way, and we saw not only Ben, but the rest of our captains, lead and demonstrate our core values day in and day out. Ben is respected throughout the room, and I think over time his confidence and conviction as a leader grew.
“It’s a never-ending process, but Ben has taken great steps to grow as both a player and a leader, and we know that trend will continue as long as he’s in Greenville,” Mountain continued. “Ben’s consistency is one of his best attributes, and he tends to play better hockey as the year goes on. Offensively, he’s got the vision and skill needed to make plays, but he also has a willingness to get to the difficult areas to produce. Just as importantly, his defensive abilities allow him to be disruptive, create turnovers, and get pucks back in our possession. His well-rounded approach to the game, combined with his consistency, have made him a key component to our lineup. We expect more of the same moving forward and can’t wait to have him back in the Upstate.”
A native of Falmouth, Maine, Freeman, 28, enters his fifth season of professional hockey and his fourth with the Swamp Rabbits. He begins 2024-25 three games shy of 200 with the Swamp Rabbits and two points shy of 100 with the team, amassing 37 goals, 61 assists, and 98 points in 197 contests. Freeman joined the Swamp Rabbits following the 2020-21 season, in which he made his professional debut with the Wheeling Nailers and later captured the 2021 SPHL President’s Trophy Championship with the Pensacola Ice Flyers. Before turning pro, he skated four years with the University of Connecticut in the NCAA, compiling 77 points in 135 games. As a senior, he captained the Huskies and claimed the 2020 Len Ceglarski Award, presented to the player most exemplifying the qualities of sportsmanship on the ice in the Hockey East conference.
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 and 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.
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