CALGARY ASSIGNS CHECHELEV, RHINEHART AND LAVIGNE TO RUSH

(RAPID CITY, S.D.) –The Rapid City Rush, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames announced on Monday via a Black Hills Chiropractic Roster Adjustment that the AHL Calgary Wranglers have assigned goaltender Daniil Chechelev and defensemen Rhett Rhinehart and Simon Lavigne to Rapid City’s roster. Additionally, the Rush have released defenseman Jay Powell and forwards Branden Makara and Leif Mattson from training camp.

Chechelev, a fourth round selection of the Flames in the 2020 NHL Draft, spent the majority of the 2021-22 season in the ECHL with the Kansas City Mavericks. He appeared in 30 games for Kansas City where he went 12-12-4-1 with a 3.64 goals against average and a .894 save percentage.

Rhinehart and Lavigne are each in their first seasons of professional hockey and signed AHL contracts with Calgary directly out of the junior ranks. During the 2021-22 season, Rhinehart was an alternate captain for the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL, where he had seven goals and 20 assists over 53 games played.

Lavigne played his entire junior career with Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the QMJHL. In 2021-22, he was the team’s captain and recorded six goals and 30 assists over 65 games played.

Rapid City opens its 2022-23 season on the road against the Utah Grizzlies on Friday night. Puck drop at Maverick Center is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. The Rush return to the Black Hills for Opening Weekend against the Kansas City Mavericks on October 28 and 29. On October 29, the Rush will retire the jersey of longtime defenseman Riley Weselowski before the game. Tickets for Opening Weekend are on sale now at rapidcityrush.com

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