GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced today that the team has acquired the rights to forward Brent Pedersen in a three-team trade. The transaction is as follows:
- The Reading Royals trade forward Devon Paliani to the Savannah Ghost Pirates in exchange for Brent Pedersen
- The Greenville Swamp Rabbits acquire Brent Pedersen in exchange for defenseman Logan Britt and future considerations
Pedersen skated the past two seasons with the division rival Savannah Ghost Pirates. Last year, the 6’3”, 215-pound forward finished third on the Ghost Pirates in scoring with 43 points (22g-21ast) in 65 games and added another contest with the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights. During his time in Savannah, Pedersen enjoyed the best two-year stretch of his career with a blistering 49 goals, 41 assists, and 90 points in 122 contests.
“This is a great place to be and an exceptional organization to be a part of. I’m really excited to have been acquired by the Swamp Rabbits for this season,” Pedersen said of the transaction. “It’s exciting to stay in the South Division, where the quality of hockey is truly some of the best in the entire ECHL. I’ve always considered myself a goal scorer, but I also take pride in being responsible defensively and being physically tough to play against in the corners and high percentage scoring areas. What really stood out to me of the team is the culture that’s been built here, so I hope to come in and be a leader, helping the younger players adjust with my experience. I look forward to a great season as we chase a Kelly Cup this year.”
“This is an immense addition to our team for the upcoming season. Brent will make an immediate impact in multiple areas, and improve us tremendously,” Kyle Mountain, Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations stated of Pedersen’s acquisition. “Brent is a dynamic offensive threat and can score and produce in a variety of ways: he has a heavy shot, can create off the rush with his skating ability, is a significant power play threat, and uses his big frame well to get the puck in tough areas and score in front of the net. He brings a wealth of experience and has been a part of winning cultures, so he brings a valuable perspective on what it takes to succeed. Brent will make everyone else around him better, and is a welcome addition to our culture and organization.”
From Arthur, Ontario, Pedersen, 29, enters his seventh season of professional hockey, spanning the ECHL with Savannah, Toledo, and Orlando, and the American Hockey League with Henderson, Colorado, and Manitoba. Between both leagues, Pedersen has 69 goals, 73 assists, and 142 points over 231 career games. Before becoming a professional, he played three seasons of Canadian college hockey with Laurentian University in USports (76gp, 27g-32ast-59pts) and four seasons in the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers and Oshawa Generals (268gp, 58g-54ast-112pts). After being traded to Oshawa in his final junior season, Pedersen helped lead the Generals to the 2015 OHL and Memorial Cup Championships. He was drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2013 NHL Draft (5th Rd/#126).
###
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.