SWAMP RABBITS SIGN JOSH ZINGER FOR FIRST FULL PROFESSIONAL SEASON
Rookie d-man turned pro with Utah last season, playing 11 games following his final year at St. Cloud St
By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
GREENVILLE, SC – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and AHL’s Ontario Reign, announced today via a Swamp Rabbit Moving Transaction that the team has signed rookie defenseman Josh Zinger for the 2026-27 ECHL Season.
Zinger joins fellow newcomers Cade McNelly, Blake Bennett, Trevor Janicke, Peter Tischke, Mike O’Leary, Colton Young, and Chaz Smedsrud. Alongside him are returners Jake Murray, Jack Brackett, Josh Zary, Neil Shea, Ryan O’Reilly, Jake Percival, Connor Milburn, Hudson Schandor, and Joe Prouty.
Zinger joins the Swamp Rabbits for his first full professional season following his initial exposure to the ECHL at the end of last year. The 6’0”, 185-pound blueliner made his professional debut in a 4-3 overtime defeat on March 14th against Tulsa, and finished his first stint in the ECHL with 11 games. Zinger turned pro following his fourth and final NCAA season, and second with St. Cloud State University. As a member of the Huskies, he registered seven points (1g-6ast) in 36 games.
“Talking with Coach Costello and feeling his authenticity was a major factor, in addition to hearing nothing but great things about how first-class an organization the Swamp Rabbits are respected as around the league. Additionally, my uncle calls Greenville his home, so having a family tie helped as well. Taking all of that in, my decision was very easy, and I’m excited to get started with the Swamp Rabbits next month,” Zinger said of signing with the team. “Turning professional last year, I wanted to get a feel for the professional game, and was able to feel it out over 11 games. I was excited, a little nervous, and didn’t have too many expectations, but it opened my eyes to so much about this level, like the ‘game-within-the-game ’, among other things.
“As a player, I’m going to bring heart. I think my best attribute is that I’m a great skater, and in addition to that, do my best to stay fit and in the best shape possible. Ultimately, I’m going to try to be the best teammate I can be and help us win some hockey games,” he continued. “I’m not going to put too much of an expectation on myself, but the most important thing I expect is to learn. I’m ready to learn, and look forward to learning from the older guys in the room and our coaching staff and being present and soak it all in.”
“I’m really excited to add Josh to our team. We’re getting a talented player with youth, energy, and great skating ability,” Chad Costello, Head Coach/GM of the Swamp Rabbits, said of his newest signing. “Josh’s skating makes him a threat defensively and in other areas of the game, and a lot of that comes down to how well conditioned he is, winning fitness and conditioning contests almost every year he was in college. That allows him to track opponents, contribute in all aspects of special teams, and be relied on in key moments. I’m excited to see what he learns this season and what he brings to our d-corps.”
From Red Deer, AB, Zinger, 25, split his NCAA career between St. Cloud State and Northern Michigan University, and finished his college career with 11 goals, 40 assists, and 51 points in 141 games. With the Wildcats, he twice garnered CCHA honors, earning an All-Rookie Team nod in 2023 and 2nd All-Star Team recognition in 2024. Before college, Zinger played junior hockey in the AJHL and BCHL, helping the Brooks Bandits win the 2022 AJHL championship while earning the Stewy Stewart Trophy for sportsmanship. Josh comes from an extensive hockey family: his sister, Presley, finished last season with the University of British Columbia, and his cousin, Keith McInnis, is set to begin his NCAA career at the University of Minnesota-Duluth this upcoming winter. His uncle, Dwayne, enjoyed a 10-year playing career that saw him reach the NHL with the Washington Capitals in the 2003-04 campaign, and additionally earn 535 games in the AHL, 37 more in the ECHL, and a Danish League championship in 2009. Dwayne lives in Greenville, served as an assistant coach of the Road Warriors from 2012-14, and has been a staple of youth hockey development and coaching in the area.
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, the premier ‘AA’ hockey league.
