JOSH ATKINSON NAMED THE 8TH CAPTAIN IN SWAMP RABBITS HISTORY
Veteran defenseman earns recognition as he approaches 400 career games in professional hockey
By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
(GREENVILLE, S.C.) – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and AHL’s Ontario Reign, announced today that Josh Atkinson has been named the eighth captain in the history of the Swamp Rabbits.
Joining Atkinson on the leadership group as alternate captains are Tate Singleton and Cam Hausinger for home games, and Patrick Polino and Jake Murray for road contests.
Atkinson signed as a free agent with the Swamp Rabbits this summer after spending the last four seasons in Europe: one in the DEL with the Bietigheim Steelers and three in Hungary with Fehérvár AV19. The 6’0”, 200-pound blueliner has played in all seven games this season and has two points: an assist on October 18th at Savannah and his first goal as a Swamp Rabbit two games later on October 24th against Jacksonville.
“It’s pretty exciting to be the captain of the Swamp Rabbits. I’m very thankful to Coach Costello and my teammates for the honor and looking forward to continue to do my job and help lead this team in winning games,” Atkinson said of earning the captaincy. “If we want to be a great team, it’s not just one player leading the way. We have a team of leaders, from younger guys to veterans, so we need to come together as a team of leaders to get the job done. We’re starting to get rewarded for our play, and our team continues to grow as we string together success. Tomorrow’s game against Atlanta will be a challenge, but one we’re excited to step up for. I look forward to working with our leaders on the ice as we push forward in the early stages of the season.”
Atkinson will debut as the captain of the Swamp Rabbits tomorrow morning when the Swamp Rabbits take on the Atlanta Gladiators, the ECHL’s last undefeated team. The 10th-year professional is on pace to play his 400th career game between his time in Europe and North America when the Swamp Rabbits host the Florida Everblades on Friday, November 14th. Atkinson is also six points away from both 100 in his ECHL career and 200 in his entire career.
“I wanted this decision to be the right one, which is why I waited to name a captain as we started the season. Throughout the process, Josh’s name kept ringing and ringing in my head. The players voted and agreed with our staff, so to see us on the same page in naming Josh as our captain was really special,” Swamp Rabbits Head Coach/General Manager Chad Costello remarked on Atkinson’s appointment as captain. “It’s super important when you pick leadership that it doesn’t change who they are. They stay the same person the whole time and happen to do the right things naturally and organically. That’s Josh to a tee: he does the right things without needing to be told. The best way to be a captain is worrying about your own game first, and Josh does just that all the time because he wants his on-ice performance to speak volumes. Considering we’re playing the last undefeated team in the league on the road, it was the perfect time to name a captain, and I’m excited Josh is it.”
From St. Albert, Alberta, Atkinson, 33, earned 80 points (25g-55ast) in 136 games with Fehérvár AV19 and another seven points (1g-6ast) in 13 DEL games with Bietigheim over his last four European campaigns. He last played in North America in the 2020-21 season, and brings 243 games between the AHL with the Iowa Wild and Chicago Wolves (79gp, 13ast), and ECHL with the Swamp Rabbits, Atlanta Gladiators, and Allen Americans (164gp, 20g-74ast-94pts) over six seasons. Before turning pro, Atkinson skated four seasons of college hockey with the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, earning 2016 WCHA All-Academic Team honors while racking up 48 points (8g – 40a) in 144 contests. He also played two seasons with the AJHL’s Lloydminster Bobcats (112gp, 15g-38ast-53pts).
The Swamp Rabbits will travel to Georgia on Wednesday to play the Atlanta Gladiators in a morning game. Puck drop at Gas South Arena on November 5th is slated for 10:30 a.m. EST.
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 a member of the ECHL, Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League.
