SWAMP RABBITS TRADE FOR WALLEYE’S SMIRNOV
SWAMP RABBITS TRADE FOR WALLEYE’S SMIRNOV
Forward comes in exchange for Cam Hausinger, bring 15 goals and 35 points in 54 games
GREENVILLE, SC – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and AHL’s Ontario Reign, announced via a Swamp Rabbit Moving Transaction that forward Denis Smirnov has been acquired in a trade with the Toledo Walleye in exchange for Cam Hausinger.
Smirnov joins the Swamp Rabbits in the midst of his fifth professional season. The 5’9”, 185-pound forward departs the Walleye in the top five in each offensive category, currently at 15 goals, 20 assists, and 35 points in 54 games. This is his third straight season with 35 points or more in the ECHL, and he played his 200th career professional game on January 23rd, earning an assist in a 2-1 win against Kalamazoo. Last season, Smirnov finished just shy of a point-per-game pace with 43 points in 50 games as a member of the Norfolk Admirals and added five more points in 11 Kelly Cup Playoff games, falling in the North Division Finals to the Trois-Rivieres Lions.
A native of Moscow, Russia, Smirnov, 28, has played 221 ECHL games across five seasons with the Walleye, Admirals, and Kalamazoo Wings, earning 59 goals, 91 assists, and 150 points. Prior to turning professional, he played four years of NCAA college hockey with Penn State University, earning 115 points (50g-65ast) in 137 games while garnering 2017 Big Ten Honorable Mention and All-Rookie recognition in addition to the Big Ten Championship. Smirnov also spent three seasons in the USHL with the Fargo Force and Indiana Ice, winning the 2014 Clark Cup Championship with the latter.
Hausinger came to the Swamp Rabbits in a trade for future considerations with the Indy Fuel this offseason. He leaves the team with 13 goals and 23 points in 50 games.
The Swamp Rabbits conclude their franchise record 11-game road trip with a “three-in-three”, beginning with a pair of matchups against the Savannah Ghost Pirates. Puck drop at Enmarket Arena is slated for 7:00 p.m. EST for both Friday, March 20th, and Saturday, March 21st. The trip concludes Sunday at 5:00 p.m. EST against the Jacksonville Icemen at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.
About the Greenville Swamp Rabbits …
Acquired by Spire Sports + Entertainment (SS+E) in 2020, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits hockey team have 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.
