Modry returns for year two, Britt for his first full professional 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 that defensemen Jacob Modry and Logan Britt have re-signed with the Swamp Rabbits for the 2024-25 ECHL Season.
The young defensemen join Max Coyle and Joshua Karlsson on the back end, in addition to Austin Saint, Colton Young, Ben Poisson, Arvid Caderoth, and captain Ben Freeman up front.
Modry began the 2023-24 campaign with the Newfoundland Growlers, registering his first two professional goals and four points in 20 games. He was then acquired by the Swamp Rabbits in a trade with the Newfoundland Growlers and appeared in 22 games in the Upstate, making his debut on January 20th against Jacksonville.
“I really believe in the culture that we’re building here. I believe in the process, and coming in late December when I did, I saw how important hockey and winning are to our fans. It’s an exciting time to be back in Greenville,” Modry said of his return. “One of my biggest personal takeaways from last season was utilizing my ability to look at a team and find the best way to fit in. You have to understand that a team and season are a puzzle, and you need to be a moldable and adaptable piece. When I came to Greenville, I transitioned from using skill to being a shutdown defender. We have the big picture of winning a championship planned out, but we need to accomplish the small steps along the way. If we can continue the path of winning the division, buy into stalwart defense, and being really hard to play against, we’re going to do some serious damage. We need to continue to focus on the details of the game, build our culture, and do whatever it takes to win hockey games.”
“It was huge to get Modes back. Since his arrival, he’s only gotten better as a player and that’s a testament to his work ethic and drive. Beyond that he’s a true team-first type of player. He has always showcased a selfless attitude, and while striving for more as a player, he’s always put his personal agenda to the side to help the team,” said Kyle Mountain, Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations, regarding Modry’s return. “He has put in a ton of extra time and work to develop, and I think he has been on a great trajectory since he arrived with us. It’s great to see him devote more time on the ice, but he has also complemented that with work in the gym and video room. He’s a true pro, takes great care of himself, and is willing to do whatever it takes to grow as a player and person. Given his growth over the past eight-plus months and his desire to improve, I hope to see him take on more minutes and responsibility as a player. I look forward to watching him continuing to grow as a player and earn more and more opportunity.”
From El Segundo, California, Modry, 25, made his professional debut at the end of the 2022-23 season with the Savannah Ghost Pirates, notching his first point, an assist, in three contests. Before turning professional, he played four years of collegiate hockey: his first two with the NCAA’s Merrimack College and his final two with SUNY-Plattsburgh in NCAA-III. With Plattsburgh, he was a two-time All-Conference Team selection (2022 Third Team, 2023 First Team) and also garnered 2023 AHCA Third-Team All-American honors and the 2023 SUNYAC Championship. Before college, Modry played three seasons with the BCHL’s Wenatchee Wild, winning the 2018 BCHL Championship. He is the son of Jaroslav Modry, current Assistant Coach with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds, who won the 1995 Calder Cup Championship and played 725 NHL games over 13 seasons, the vast majority of which came with the Los Angeles Kings.
Britt returns to the Swamp Rabbits fresh off his first foray into professional hockey. The 6’2”, 190-pound defenseman debuted on April 5th at Orlando and finished the regular season with his first professional point, an assist on April 12th against Atlanta. After finishing the regular season with four games to his credit, he appeared in five more during the Kelly Cup Playoffs, adding another assist to his ledger. Britt first came to the Swamp Rabbits after his NCAA college hockey career with the University of North Dakota. He recorded 14 points, evenly split between 7 goals and 7 assists, finishing with an appearance in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
“I felt really connected to Coach Mountain and the team when I first joined the Swamp Rabbits in April. They say if you love something, you should go back, and that’s honestly how I feel about this city and organization,” Britt explained when returning for his first full professional season. “My expectations of the professional game were exceeded. It’s a hard game but rewarding. My goals this year are simple, mainly wanting to win for our community and Coach Mountain. I have personal goals as well focused on development. It’s going to be a challenging year in all the right ways. The professional season is longer than college, so it’s about weathering adversity and challenges that come my way as I continue to develop in the professional game. I’m excited for the team we have and the year that lies ahead, and can’t wait to get back to Greenville this October.”
“Logan brings a really well-rounded skillset to the lineup, and it’s going to be exciting to see him grow as a player even more in his first full year as a pro. He can play in a lot of situations and is sound defensively, but can also add offense. Ideally, he’s a player that can take on more responsibility and log more minutes as time goes on,” Mountain expanded on Britt. “Our work with him will focus on being effective and consistent in all three zones and begin to take on more minutes and situations throughout the season. He showed us a lot last spring when he arrived, so I think coming in for a full training camp will just allow him to really settle in, find his game and his role within our lineup, and become a guy that can contribute on a nightly basis for us.”
A native of Crystal Lake, Illinois, Britt also played in the NCAA with Sacred Heart University and Quinnipiac University. In five collegiate seasons, he scored 15 goals, 39 assists, and 54 points, along with a +31 rating in 171 games. Before going to college, he captured the 2019 Clark Cup Championship with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede and also skated in the junior ranks with the USHL’s Lincoln Stars and NAHL’s Aberdeen Wings.
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.
Leave a Reply