Staff Reporter

ROCKFORD – The Rockford IceHogs on Monday announced they have assigned defenseman Josh McArdle and forward Brett Welychka to their ECHL affiliate, the Indy Fuel.

McArdle, 24, recently completed his senior season at Brown University, where he served as the team’s captain and logged two goals, four assists and 28 penalty minutes. The defenseman was one of only two Brown blueliners to skate in each of the team’s 31 games in 2017-18, and he led all Bears defenseman in penalty minutes during the regular season.

The Roscoe, Illinois native skated with Brown for four seasons during his collegiate career from 2014-18. He also served as an alternate captain during his junior year in 2016-17 and earned Honorable Mention All-Ivy honors after tallying five assists with a career-high 32 penalty minutes in 29 contests. Overall, McArdle combined for 25 points (4g, 21a) with 96 penalty minutes in 120 NCAA games during his collegiate career.

Following the conclusion of his senior year, McArlde made his professional debut with the ECHL’s Worcester Railers and notched two assists in 10 ECHL games.

Welychka, 24, completed his junior season at Carleton University in Ontario in 2017-18 where he served as captain and led the team in scoring with 31 points (12g, 19a) in 28 games. The forward logged at least 20 points and scored double-digit goals in each of his three seasons with the Ravens from 2015-18, completing his collegiate tenure ranked sixth all-time at Carleton in career scoring with 98 points (36g, 62a) in 72 games.

The London, Ontario native signed an Amateur Tryout Contract (ATO) with the Manitoba Moose following the conclusion of his junior campaign on March 3, 2018. He skated in eight games with Manitoba, scoring his first professional goal on March 14 at Texas and tallying his first AHL assist on March 26 vs. the IceHogs.

The IceHogs roster now sits at 25 players (14 forwards, eight defensemen and three goaltenders).

NEXT HOME GAME
Saturday, Oct. 13 vs. Texas Stars | 6 p.m.
The Rockford IceHogs will host their home opener for the 2018-19 season on Saturday, Oct. 13 against the Texas Stars at 6 p.m. at the BMO Harris Bank Center. The first 4,000 fans in attendance to Rockford’s first home game of the campaign will receive a free IceHogs calendar, courtesy of Impact Networking. Call the IceHogs front office at (815) 968-5222 or visit icehogs.com to purchase tickets. R.