(Scott Payonk – Caps Outsider)
After getting a taste of the AHL with the Bears, Hershey released defenseman Colton Saucerman on Friday. He will return to to his ECHL club, the South Carolina Stingrays.
For fairweather minor league hockey fans, Saucerman is not just notable for his awesome name, but his beard. The 24-year old has a look that is sure to make him a fan favorite no matter where he plays.
Here are more photos, via Sarah Hobday, of him with the Stingrays, and a couple with his stint with the Bears, via Caps Outsider’s Bears correspondent Scott Payonk.
Via the Stingrays:
Defenseman Returns To South Carolina After Taste Of AHL
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Hershey Bears, the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the South Carolina Stingrays, announced Friday the release of defenseman Colton Saucerman. The rookie defenseman will return to the Rays and is expected to be in the lineup Friday night as South Carolina takes on Greenville.
Saucerman, a native of Colorado Springs, Colo. appeared in one AHL game with Hershey during his stint with the Bears. Before signing a professional tryout contract on Dec. 31, Saucerman had five assists in 15 games with the Rays during 2016-17.
The blueliner joined South Carolina late last season after finishing his collegiate career with Northeastern University and had four points (one goal, three assists) in four ECHL regular season games before appearing in 15 Kelly Cup Playoff contests and tallying two goals and six assists.
The defenseman ended his NCAA career with the Huskies in March after helping to lead the team to its first Hockey East title since 1988 and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The 5-foot-9, 191 pound skater finished his career with Northeastern after 140 games with 64 points (20 goals, 44 assists).
Prior to his time in the NCAA, Saucerman played three seasons of junior hockey with the Corpus Christi Ice Rays of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). He also made his mark in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Des Moines Buccaneers, Dubuque Fighting Saints and Lincoln Stars. In 126 total junior games, Saucerman had 54 points.
South Carolina is back at home Friday night to battle the Greenville Swamp Rabbits at 7:05 p.m. before hitting the road for six consecutive contests away from the Lowcountry at Greenville, Atlanta and Florida.
