(RAPID CITY, SD) – The Rapid City Rush, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, announced a flood of transactions, resulting in 6 players coming to the Rush roster. First, the Iowa Wild have assigned forwards Jack Walker, and Pavel Jenys to the Rush. Additionally, the Rush have added four newcomers to the professional ranks at forward: Willem Nong-Lambert, Mitch Nardi, Aaron Boyd, and Adam Marsh.
Walker comes back to the Rush after spending last weekend with the Wild, appearing in one game. The 5’10”, 180-pound forward only appeared in one game in this recent stint with Iowa, going -1 in a 7-2 loss to Milwaukee last Sunday. With Iowa this season, Walker has played in 3 total games. As a member of the Rush, the Edina, Minnesota native has 10 goals, 18 assists, and 28 points in 35 games with a +2 rating. Prior to turning pro, Walker played in the WHL with the Victoria Royals, and was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2016 NHL Draft (6th Rd-#152).
Jenys comes back to the Rush after spending the last two weeks with the Wild, appearing in 5 games with a -1 rating and 2 PIM. The 6’3”, 205-pound native of Brno, Czech Republic has played in a total of 9 games with the Wild this season, and has only one point in that time: his first career AHL goal scored in his season debut on January 17th against the Chicago Wolves. With the Rush, Jenys has shattered all of his career highs in an ECHL season, tallying 16 goals, 17 assists, and 33 points in 46 games. Before turning pro, Jenys played major-junior hockey with the OHL’s Niagara Ice Dogs and Sudbury Wolves, and was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the 2014 NHL Draft (7th Rd-#199).
Nong-Lambert begins his professional debut with the Rush after completing his NCAA III hockey career. The 6’3”, 210-pound forward spent the last two years with the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and came off of his best season yet, notching 11 goals, 23 assists, and 34 points in 27 games. In total with the Pointers, Nong-Lambert collected 58 points in 54 games, and preceded his time there with a pair of seasons with Western Michigan University in the NCAA, tabulating an additional 5 points in 54 games with the Broncos. Prior to going the collegiate route, the Urbandale, Iowa native spent two years in the USHL with the Des Moines Buccaneers and Green Bay Gamblers, earning 50 points in 94 games.
Nardi comes to the Rush to begin his professional career after the completion of his Canadian collegiate career at Brock University in USports. In his final season with Brock this year, 6’0”, 190-pound forward scored 3 goals with 4 assists for 7 points in 16 games, and added an additional 2 goals in 8 playoff games. In total, Nardi racked 36 points (19g-17ast) in 61 games with Brock University in two seasons, and played with current Rush forward Andrew Radjenovic. Additionally, Nardi spent time in the NCAA with Lake Superior State University, earning an additional 13 points in 60 games. Before beginning his college career, the Hamilton, Ontario native spent two quality seasons in the BCHL with the Coquitlam Express and West Kelowna Warriors with 76 total points in 110 games between the clubs.
Boyd also begins his professional career following the completion of his major-junior career. The 6’3”, 190-pound forward recently finished his WHL career, all spent with the Prince George Cougars, and is coming off of his best season yet: in 67 games in “PG” this last season, he smashed all of his career-highs with 14 goals, 24 assists, and 38 points. In his 251 games with the Cougars over parts of the last five seasons, Boyd produced 34 goals, 50 assists, and 84 points.
Marsh, the final addition, joins the Rush to begin his professional career as well, following a brief stint in USports with York University in Canada, and his QMJHL career as well. The 6’0”, 180-pound forward preceded 3 games with York University, in which he notched 2 goals, with the end of his stay with the Charlottetown Islanders in the QMJHL, earning 15 points (6g-9ast) in 19 games. His QMJHL career has taken him to the Saint John Sea Dogs, Val-d’Or Foreurs, and Islanders, with combined career totals of 66 goals, 69 assists, and 135 points in 168 games. Marsh was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2015 NHL Draft (7th Rd-#200).
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