Road Warriors Return a Pair of Familiar Names
June 29, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Greenville Swamp Rabbits News Release
Greenville, SC - The Greenville Road Warriors, proud ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers and the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack, today announced the signings of forward Paul Rodrigues and defenseman Andrew Himelson for the 2015-16 season. Both skaters appeared in at least 50 games with the Road Warriors last season.
"I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to continue my career in Greenville," Rodrigues said. "I've enjoyed my time with the organization, and the fans and booster club are spectacular. They do so much for us and I'm looking forward to seeing some familiar faces."
A third-year pro, Rodrigues spent the majority of last season with the Road Warriors and amassed 19 points (8g, 11a) in 53 games, including five points (1g, 4a) in the last five contests. The 26-year old also played seven games with the Pensacola Ice Flyers (Southern Professional Hockey League) last season, where he earned six points (4g, 2a) and a +3 rating.
A native of Etobicoke, Ontario, Rodrigues made 40 appearances with South Carolina in 2013-14 and produced 15 points (7g, 8a) and 11 penalty minutes. He also played 20 games with SPHL Pensacola during his rookie campaign and recorded an impressive 26 points (5g, 21a). He went on to make seven post-season appearances with the Ice Flyers and helped win the President's Cup Championship in 2014.
Prior to turning pro, the 5'9, 175-pound forward skated four seasons at State University of New York (SUNY) - Oswego from 2009-2013 and produced 133 points (50g, 83a) in 112 games. During his senior season in 2012-13, Rodrigues finished second in points (47) and tied for first in assists (30) among all NCAA Division III players.
Himelson, 25, notched 16 points (6g, 10a) in 50 games with the Road Warriors last season, including his first career three-point game on December 20th at Wheeling.
"I'm very excited to return to such an outstanding organization and community," Himelson said. "It's one of the best locations in the league and the team has such a great fan base. I can't wait to get started."
The third-year defenseman began his professional career in 2013-14 with the Tulsa Oilers (Central Hockey League), Knoxville Ice Bears (SPHL) and Greenville. In 35 games with the Road Warriors, he notched 10 points (1g, 9a) eight penalty minutes and a +6 rating. Himelson also appeared in 13 playoff contests for the Warriors notching two assists. The Monroe, New York native made his Road Warriors debut on January 3rd following four games with Tulsa and 17 contests with Knoxville.
Prior to turning pro, Himelson spent four seasons at Clarkson University and earned 32 points (7g, 25a) and 54 penalty minutes in 112 games. The 5'9, 183-pound defenseman also played one season in the United States Hockey League with the Des Moines Buccaneers. He was drafted in the seventh round (#82 overall) by Des Moines in the 2007 USHL Draft.
Follow: Keep up with the Road Warriors throughout the off-season and interact with other fans on the Official Road Warriors Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram pages.
Ticket plans for the Road Warriors' sixth season in the Upstate are available now and start as low as $81! Call an Account Executive today at 864-674-PUCK or CLICK HERE to secure your seats! The Road Warriors open their home portion of the 2015-16 season on Friday, October 23rd with a 7:00 p.m. puck drop against the South Carolina Stingrays.
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