RUSH RECEIVE PERLINI AND TOLKINEN IN FLURRY OF TRADES

(RAPID CITY, SD) – The Rapid City Rush, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, announced today that the team completed future considerations trades from last season, and as a result, received stand-out forward Brett Perlini from the Fort Wayne Komets and shut-down defenseman Zach Tolkinen from the Missouri Mavericks.

“For the last 13 days, we had a number of trades to fulfil from last season,” said Rush Head Coach Mark DeSantis. “All in all, our roster just got that much better.”

Perlini comes to the Rush to complete a previous future considerations trade with the Fort Wayne Komets in exchange for forward Daniel Barczuk. The 6’2”, 201-pound forward completed his fourth season of professional hockey, and his second as a member with the Komets. In 52 contests last season in Indiana, the Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario native registered a career-high 34 points with 15 goals and 19 assists, the latter of which was also a career high. Additionally, Perlini scored 3 goals with 6 assists for 9 points in 13 playoff games with Komets, as they fell to the eventual back-to-back Kelly Cup Champion Allen Americans in the Western Conference Finals. Prior to the beginning of his pro career, the 25 year-old forward recorded 76 points in 123 NCAA games with the Michigan State Spartans over the course of four seasons, and was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2010 NHL Draft (7th Rd-#192). He is the older brother of Arizona Coyotes prospect Brendan Perlini, who was drafted 12th overall in the 2014 NHL Draft.

“We are, and will be very excited to have Brett in our lineup. He fulfils the center position, a position where I believe we lacked last season,” DeSantis added on Perlini. “Brett will enter his fifth season as a pro, and he has gotten better each and every year he has played. This game is about puck possession, and now we have a centerman that can win a lot of faceoffs.”

Tolkinen comes to the Rush to complete a previous future considerations trade with the Missouri Mavericks in exchange for forward Zach Cohen. The 6’3”, 190-pound blue-liner finished his second season as a professional, which was split between the Elmira Jackals (44 GP), and the Missouri Mavericks (30 GP). In the 74 total games he played, Tolkinen racked up 18 total points on the strength of 3 goals and 15 assists, finishing just one point shy of his career-high in a single campaign. Before his ascension to the professional ranks, the 26 year-old native of Lino Lakes, Minnesota played in 135 contests with the Quinnipiac Bobcats of the NCAA, and finished as a runner-up in 2013 for the NCAA National Championship.

“It is very hard to find top-caliber defensemen in our league. Our defense got that much better with Zach,” DeSantis remarked on Tolkinen’s addition. “He is considered an “iron man” defenseman when it comes to playing, as he almost rarely misses a game. Zach will be counted on to go against other teams top lines, and should be a big part of our penalty kill.”

In additional trades, Mikhail Stefanovich was sent to the Indy Fuel to complete the future considerations trade for Garett Bembridge, Spencer Pommells was sent to the Orlando Solar Bears to complete the trade for Lindsay Sparks, Scott Brannon was sent to the Wichita Thunder to complete the trade for Danick Gauthier, and Dylan Gilbert came to the Rush to fulfill the trade of Danick Gauthier to the Norfolk Admirals.

On June 15th, teams are required to submit their season-ending rosters to the ECHL. Additionally, on July 1st, ECHL teams must submit qualifying offers for eight players.

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