Dawgs Acquire Noah Finstrom, Send Roche's Rights to Knoxville
SPHL Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs

Dawgs Acquire Noah Finstrom, Send Roche's Rights to Knoxville

Published on November 13, 2025 under SPHL (SPHL)
Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs News Release


ROANOKE, VA - The Rail Yard Dawgs announced a trade with the Knoxville Ice Bears on Thursday. Roanoke will acquire forward Noah Finstrom from the Ice Bears, while Knoxville will acquire the SPHL rights to defenseman Billy Roche.

Finstrom joins the Dawgs early on in his second season in the SPHL, having played for both Huntsville and Knoxville as a rookie in the 2024-25 campaign. The five-foot-ten forward had one assist through his first six games for Knoxville this year, and combined for nine goals, 16 assists, 13 penalty minutes, and a plus-seven rating in 49 games between the Ice Bears and Havoc last season. Before starting his professional career, the New Baltimore, Michigan native played three years at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (NCAA-DIII) after playing his freshman season at the University of Alabama-Huntsville (NCAA-DI). After scoring one goal in 18 games as a freshman at UA-Huntsville, Finstrom found his stride for the Pointers in his last three seasons of college hockey. In three seasons at UW-Stevens Point, the 26-year-old notched 25 goals, 27 assists, 20 penalty minutes, and a plus-nine rating in 69 career games, helping the team to two WIAC conference titles. Before his collegiate career, Finstrom played junior hockey primarily in the NAHL, tallying 78 points and a plus-13 rating in 139 games with the Philadelphia/Jamestown Rebels.

Roche played two full seasons for Roanoke after initially joining the team for three games late in the 2022-23 regular season, even scoring the game-winning goal in his pro debut against Fayetteville. After his rights were protected by Roanoke at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, Roche signed with the ECHL's Greensboro Gargoyles this offseason, appearing in one preseason game before he was placed on waivers on October 29. Roche is currently an ECHL free agent and had not signed back with Roanoke prior to this trade. Last season for the Dawgs, the Braintree, Massachusetts native recorded eight goals, seven assists, 25 penalty minutes, and a plus-four rating in 54 regular season games. In his first full rookie season in 2023-24, Roche notched seven goals, 10 assists, 14 penalty minutes, and a plus-nine rating in 53 regular season games. The six-foot-two defenseman also added one goal and one assist in nine career appearances in the SPHL's President's Cup Playoffs. The 28-year-old played his first four years collegiately at Suffolk University, where he had eight goals, 22 assists, and 48 penalty minutes in 65 total games. He served as team captain in the 2021-2022 season and served as alternate captain during the prior season. After transferring to Curry College for his final year of college hockey, Roche recorded six goals, four assists, six penalty minutes, and a plus-seven rating in 29 games for the Colonels.

The Rail Yard Dawgs host the Peoria Rivermen for two home games this weekend, starting on Friday, November 14, at 7:05 P.M. EST at Berglund Center. Season ticket packages and group tickets are on sale by contacting the Rail Yard Dawgs' front office. Single game tickets for the season are on sale now online and at Berglund Center box office.

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