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New South Carolina Stingrays head coach and President of Hockey Operations Ryan Warsofsky announced the first player signing of the offseason: alternate captain Patrick Gaul.
Gaul played 49 games over the regular season last year, earning seven goals and 13 assists to go along with 12 penalty minutes. He briefly featured during the Stingrays’ playoff run, playing in three games and having two assists.
This is the fourth straight offseason where Patrick Gaul is the first player signed by the Stingrays. Ever since his promotion from the Mississippi RiverKings of the Southern Professional Hockey League, Gaul has played his entire 210 game ECHL career in the Lowcountry.
The Pittsburgh, PA native remains a fan favorite, making his signing a “no-brainer” to Warsofsky. “He was one of the first guys I wanted to get signed. He is a huge part of our organization both on the ice, and off the ice in the community. He is a fan-favorite, and does all the little things well. He is a huge part of our leadership group and we’re excited to have him back,” Warsofsky said.
Gaul’s ECHL career points (35-52–87) do not account for his efforts on the penalty kill. His tenacious play helped South Carolina to first place in penalty kill efficiency the previous two seasons.
After four seasons of inconsistent playing time at Notre Dame, Gaul is happy he found a place for his hockey career to restart. “When you love where you are playing or working, it’s easy to go out, be a part of the community, and help make people’s live’s better,” Gaul said. “Charleston gave my hockey career a second chance, and I feel grateful to go out in the community here and help make a difference.” Gaul’s community efforts earned him the Jerry Zucker Community Service Award in 2015.
