(RAPID CITY, S.D.) – The Rapid City Rush, proud affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, announced Wednesday in conjunction with the ECHL, forward Alex Aleardi has been selected as the Rush representative at the 2024 Warrior ECHL All-Star Classic, presented by Gulfstream.
Aleardi is making his first all-star appearance in the ECHL and currently leads all Rush players in points with 30 (11g, 19a).
“It’s an honor and a privilege to represent the Rapid City Rush at this year’s All-Star Game,” said Aleardi.
Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Aleardi earned his stripes in the OHL with back-to-back 60-plus-point seasons in his final two years of juniors. He began his professional career in 2012-13, scoring two points in his first three games in the AHL with Springfield.
After an extended stint with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets the following preseason, Aleardi played in 41 AHL games with Springfield and got a brief taste of ECHL hockey with the Evansville Icemen. He would finish his first stint in North American hockey with 48 AHL games in Charlotte and 16 with the Florida Everblades.
The game took Aleardi overseas for the next six years of his career. He started with two seasons in Sweden before playing a short time in Austria and settling in France. He won the Ligue Magnus championship with Rouen in 2017-18 and was the league’s leading scorer the next season.
Success followed Aleardi across the Atlantic Ocean when he returned to the ECHL in the 2021-22 season, helping the Florida Everblades capture their first of back-to-back Kelly Cup titles.
The veteran came to Rapid City in a trade from the Allen Americans before the start of the 2022-23 season and proceeded to bag 30 goals and 35 assists in a year where he finished second on the team in points.
Aleardi is on pace for 72 points this season and the highest-scoring season of his distinguished career.
“We are very proud that he made the All-Star Game,” said Head Coach Scott Burt. “He’s played great from the start of the season and this is well-deserved.”
The 2024 Warrior ECHL All-Star Classic, presented by Gulfstream, will take place at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Ga., on Monday, January 15 at 7:00 p.m. ET. The game will air live exclusively on NHL Network and be streamed via FloHockey.
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