(RAPID CITY, SD) – The Rapid City Rush announced today the signing of Zach Cohen to the Rush roster for the 2015-16 ECHL season. Cohen becomes the fourth forward signed in this offseason, joining Scott Brannon, Daniel Barczuk, and most recently, Spencer Pommells.

Cohen, 28, spent last season playing with Miskolci Jegesmedve JSE in the MOL Liga, a league featuring teams located in Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia. While across the pond, the 6’3”, 192-pound forward shattered his career highs in every offensive statistical category, scoring 20 goals with 29 assists for 49 points, while posting a +21 rating. In the playoffs, Cohen notched his first professional postseason points with 8 (2 G, 6 Ast) in 7 games, finishing both the regular season and postseason with over point-per-game averages.

“I’ve been talking with Coach Ferras for a few days now and he sold me on a lot of the things not just around town, but also with how well the team has played since they came to Rapid City. Coming back from Europe to the States, this looks like a great opportunity and I’m excited to be coming,” Cohen explained on his venture to the Rush for next season. When asked about his contributions, Cohen added: “I’m one of the bigger guys out there on the ice, so I can definitely bring a little size, power, and a couple of big hits in the corners. This will also be my sixth year pro, so I feel I can bring experience and leadership into the locker room.”

“We’re excited to get a big forward in Zach, who had a great college career at Boston University that led to 100+ games of experience in the American Hockey League,” said Rush Head Coach and GM, Joe Ferras. “He had a tremendous year overseas last season, and we’re looking for him to build off of that offensive output and be an impact player here in Rapid City. Having played at the AHL level, while also going into his sixth season professionally, we will rely on Zach to be a leader in our locker room next season.”

A native of Schaumburg, Illinois, Cohen now enters his sixth year as a professional hockey player, and his second in the ECHL. He last played in the ECHL in the 2012-13 season with the Bakersfield Condors and the Greenville Road Warriors, amassing 18 points (8 G, 10 Ast) in a combined 52 games. The majority of Cohen’s professional experience comes from the American Hockey League with the Lake Erie Monsters, where he played the first 116 games of his career. Prior to jumping to the professional ranks, Cohen played four seasons with NCAA powerhouse Boston University, playing in 130 games while also winning the 2008-09 National Championship.

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