SWAMP RABBITS SWAP WITH ONTARIO ON FINAL DAY OF SEASON

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced a flurry of Swamp Rabbit Moving Transactions prior to their “Fan Appreciation Night”, presented by Fluor, to close out the 2023-24 ECHL Regular Season:

• Defenseman Tyler Inamoto has been re-assigned to the Swamp Rabbits by the Ontario Reign
• Colton Young has been released from his AHL PTO with the Ontario Reign and rejoins the Swamp Rabbits
• Forward Ryan Francis has been recalled by the AHL’s Ontario Reign
• Goaltender Ryan Bednard has been recalled by the AHL’s Ontario Reign

Inamoto returns to the Swamp Rabbits and will see action in the Upstate for the first time since November 22^nd. The 6’2”, 195-pound blue-liner played in six AHL games, all with the Ontario Reign, and notched two assists. Before his recall, the second-year pro was off to a hot start with the Swamp Rabbits, notching a pair of goals and assists in nine games. Hailing from Barrington, Illinois, Inamoto has appeared in 60 career contests: 15 in the AHL with the Reign, holding three assists, and 45 with the Swamp Rabbits, claiming five goals and 17 points. Before turning professional, he skated five NCAA seasons with the University of Wisconsin, winning the 2021 Big Ten Regular Season Championship, and also captured a World Junior Championship U-18 Gold Medal with Team USA in 2017. He was drafted by the Florida Panthers in the 2017 NHL Draft (5^th Rd/#133).

Young returns to the Swamp Rabbits and enters the lineup for the first time since January 21^st. The 6’0”, 180-pound forward signed a PTO with the Ontario Reign and competed in 19 contests, scoring two goals with two helpers over the last three months. He left the Swamp Rabbits as their leading rookie scorer, posting 16 points (6g-10ast) in 38 games. Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, Young turned professional with the Swamp Rabbits last season following his NCAA career with Colgate University, earning 82 points in 134 games, and the 2023 ECAC Championship.

Francis returns to the Reign after playing six more games with the Swamp Rabbits, earning a point in his assignment to the Upstate that began on March 30^th. In total, Francis has 31 games, 9 goals, and 21 points to his credit with Greenville. He goes back to the Inland Empire for his fourth stint, earning a goal and an assist in 18 previous games this season.

Bednard heads up to the Reign on his first call-up of the 2023-24 campaign. The 6’5”, 210-pound net-minder is 20-12-0-0 with a shutout, a 2.91 GAA, and a .911 SV%. Bednard’s lone clean sheet set a new franchise record with 7 shutouts in Swamp Rabbits history and helped propel him to a nod on the 2024 ECHL All-Star Team that defeated the host Savannah Ghost Pirates back in January. In his Swamp Rabbits career, Bednard is 61-39-7-3 with 7 shutouts in 112 games.

The Swamp Rabbits weekend continues with a home-and-home series against the Savannah Ghost Pirates, starting tomorrow, April 13th, with puck drop set for 7:00 p.m. EST at Enmarket Arena. Both Savannah and Greenville return to Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Sunday, April 14th, for a 3:05 p.m. puck drop and “Fan Appreciation Night”, presented by Fluor, featuring the team’s special warmup jerseys worn this season.

###

About the Greenville Swamp Rabbits …

Acquired by Spire Sports + Entertainment (SS+E) in 2020, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits hockey team have 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, Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League.