Every year, to win in the USPHL, you have to be really good at finding a lot of new players. Why? Players head to college, the next level of junior hockey, and move to their next phase in life. Last year’s Rush did many great things. This year’s group will have its own chapter to write in the storied history of this proud franchise. These aspiring college hockey players will be a big part of it. Hear from Elite Head Coach and Premier Assistant Coach Trevor Kleckner on some high impact signings for the Rush’s 23-24 campaign.

“Zach Nicholls – Zach comes to the Rush after splitting last season between the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes and the Northern Colorado Eagles in the USPHL Premier Division. He has extensive experience in this league and is a proven goal scorer. He is a smooth skating forward with the ability to create scoring opportunities in almost any situation. We expect him to take his goal scoring abilities to a whole new level in his last year of junior hockey.

Nick Metelkin – Nick arrives in Charlotte after an extremely successful year with the Mount St. Charles U18AAA team. He will be a huge scoring addition for us as he has a very deceptive shot and a ton of poise with the puck. He’s put his faith in us to develop him and get him to the next level of junior hockey. He has an incredibly high ceiling and we are excited to be a stepping stone in his development. 

Carson Beattie – Carson was a force on the backend for the Ogden Mustangs last season, a team that defeated us at the USPHL Nationals last season. He is a very strong defensemen who compliments his aggressiveness with the ability to make plays from the point in the offensive zone. We expect him to be a force on the backend for the Rush while also contributing in points. We are very excited that he has chosen us to advance him to the collegiate level in his last season of junior hockey.

Jack Day – Jack joins Carson as another Ogden Mustang to join the Rush this season. He was also a huge piece of the Ogden team that beat us at nationals. His ability to produce in a very competitive mountain division made us very interested in adding him for this season. We received great support from Kenny Orlando, the GM/Head Coach of the Ogden Mustangs in bringing him to Charlotte. We expect him to grow and develop as he looks to make his commitment to play collegiate hockey following this season.

Easton Stafford – Easton was a dominant force for the South Shore Kings Premier team last season. Using his lethal shot with a quick release, he was a point per game average and looks to build on that point total this year. He has already gained a ton of attention at the NCAA DIII level with coaches reaching out and inquiring about his plans after this season. We are honored that he has chosen the Rush as his best option to develop and earn an NCAA commitment this season.”

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