11th year veteran was acquired last year in a season-ending trade
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 veteran forward Tyson Fawcett has signed with the Swamp Rabbits for the 2024-25 ECHL Season.
Fawcett is the first veteran player announced to the roster, with over 260 games of professional hockey recognized by the ECHL. Teams are permitted to carry four veterans on the active roster throughout the season.
With Fawcett’s signing, the team has twelve players announced for the 2024-25 campaign: goaltender Luke Richardson, defensemen Max Coyle, Joshua Karlsson, Jacob Modry, Logan Britt, and Bobby Russell, and forwards Austin Saint, Ben Freeman, Ben Poisson, Arvid Caderoth, and Colton Young, the latter of which signed an AHL deal with the Ontario Reign last week.
Fawcett was acquired at the conclusion of the season from the Reading Royals to complete a future considerations trade. The 5’7”, 180-pound forward skated all of last season with the Royals, his first season in the ECHL since the 2018-19 campaign. He was one of two “iron men” for Reading, playing in all 72 regular season games while compiling 11 goals, 15 assists, and 26 points.
“Being a veteran, I wanted to play somewhere I was wanted. After speaking with Coach Mountain, I felt extremely comfortable joining this organization, especially a team that is committing to playing the way I like to play. I am ecstatic for the opportunity to play for a first-class organization in the Swamp Rabbits,” Fawcett remarked of his signing in Greenville. “I bring a high energy, and through that, I am a tenacious player with a high compete level. Pace and physicality are keys for me, so I try to build an all-around game around that by going to the tough areas to put the puck in the net, playing defense, and standing up for my teammates. My ultimate goal is to win a championship, but along the way I want to contribute to what is a stellar culture and provide leadership for our team. It’s an exciting opportunity, and I look forward to getting back to the South Division and have a great year in Greenville!”
“As a coach it’s good to have players that understand the league and the grind of a season. Tyson’s experience and maturity bring a perspective that’s beneficial to our whole team, the younger core in particular, with how to manage the rigors of the year,” said Kyle Mountain, Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations on the signing of his first veteran. “Having watched Tyson play, he certainly doesn’t shy away from physicality or getting to the difficult areas, and guys like that are very difficult to play against no matter what size they are. He has a proven ability to contribute offensively, and I think he’ll bring that same tenacious play to the defensive side of the puck as well. Tyson has lots of hockey under his belt and will be able to provide the young guys with a poised and calming presence. We know he’s going to come in, compete, and lead by example by how he works and plays the game. We expect him to be disruptive and hard to play against while driving pace for our forward group.”
A native of Barrie, Ontario, Fawcett, 31, made his return to the ECHL last season following four years in England with the EIHL’s Manchester Storm, where he logged 154 games and earned 78 points (38g-40ast). He comes to the Upstate with a decade of professional hockey to his credit. The vast majority of his experience comes in the ECHL, where he’s played 368 games and earned 148 points with Brampton, Evansville, Tulsa, Jacksonville, Elmira, Fort Wayne, Atlanta, and Reading. In addition to two AHL games with Rochester and his time overseas, Fawcett has played a career total 524 games with 103 goals, 123 assists, and 226 points. Prior to turning professional, he played two seasons in the OHL with his hometown Barrie Colts (130gp, 35g-40ast-75pts), and three seasons in the OJHL with the Orangeville Crushers and Flyers, Huntsville Otters, and Georgetown Raiders (121gp, 46g-59ast-105pts).
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