Defenseman played last season with EIHL Belfast; previously played in 2022-23 with Greenville
By: Mark Binetti, Grenville Swamp Rabbits
GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced today that defenseman Miles Gendron has returned to the ECHL with the Swamp Rabbits in advance of the 2024-25 ECHL Season.
Gendron is the thirteenth player and sixth defenseman who announced this offseason to the roster.
Gendron returns to the Swamp Rabbits and the ECHL after spending the 2023-24 season with the EIHL’s Belfast Giants. The 6’3”, 190-pound blue-liner registered seven assists in 28 games across all competitions. After starting the 2022-23 campaign with Storhamar in Norway, Gendron suited up with the Swamp Rabbits for 19 games in the second half of the season, earning 3 points (2g-1ast), followed by an additional pair of assists in four Kelly Cup Playoff games.
“I loved my time in Greenville. The facilities are great, the fans are top notch, and my wife and I love the city. The familiarity of the team and strong culture make me feel at home here at this stage of my career, so I’m excited to come back and continue to build with the Swamp Rabbits,” Gendron stated of his return to the Upstate. “Belfast is a storied program, winning 10 of the last 12 trophies heading into last year, so I was able to learn a lot about the game and what I can bring to a team as a leader and player. I’ve had great conversations with the coaching staff and my current teammates I’m returning to regarding the culture of our organization, so that’s exciting to look forward to. I expect more of the same from the last time I played here: four straight playoff appearances don’t happen by accident, so I expect us to continue striving for excellence and put ourselves in situations to win this season.”
“Miles had a strong interest to come back to our team. It’s always exciting when a player of his caliber wants to be here, so I can’t stress how ecstatic I am to have him back in Greenville,” Kyle Mountain, Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations, said of Gendron’s signing. “Miles has played a lot of pro hockey, and among his many attributes, his character and leadership are by far the most important. We have an expectation of how we want our whole d-corps to play, and he brings it all: he can skate, move the puck, score, and is more than capable defensively. Additionally, he’s vocal and can provide guidance, which is our main expectation of him this season. I look forward to working with him and can’t wait to see what he’ll bring in his return.”
A native of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, Gendron, 28, enters his sixth season as a professional, the vast majority of which has been spent in the ECHL. Of his 170 career games, 135 games have come through Newfoundland, Brampton, Reading, Utah, and Greenville (18g-28ast-46pts), with an additional 16 coming in the American Hockey League with Belleville and Colorado (2g-1ast-3pts). Before turning professional, Gendron played four years of NCAA college hockey with the University of Connecticut, earning 33 points in 126 games and serving as UConn’s captain in his senior year. Gendron also played junior hockey with the Penticton Vees for a season, winning the 2015 BCHL Championship. He was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the 2014 NHL Draft (3rd Rd/#70).
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 an ECHL Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League member.
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