Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs Make Roster Moves
October 18, 2024 - SPHL (SPHL)
Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs News Release
The puck drops tonight at 7:05 p.m. EST at Berglund Center. You can watch the game on the Haley Toyota Rail Yard Dawgs Hockey Network on Flo or listen via Mixlr.
Additionally, the Dawgs announced three transactions on Friday. Defenseman Aidan Girduckis has returned from his ECHL camp invite, and rookie forward Curtis Abbott has signed with Roanoke. Also, defenseman C.J. Valerian has been placed on the 14-day injured reserve.
Girduckis joined the Dawgs last season from Chatham University (NCAA-DIII), where he played for four seasons after transferring from Robert Morris University (NCAA-DI). The six-foot-four defenseman had five goals, 27 assists, and 79 penalty minutes in 77 games while at Chatham. Before his college career, the Ontario native played three seasons of junior hockey in the OJHL (Wellington Dukes) and CCHL (Carleton Place Canadians). In his 12 regular season games with Roanoke in 2023-2024, he registered four assists and notched a +11 plus/minus rating. He added two points in five postseason games. Girduckis had started training camp this fall with the ECHL's Indy Fuel before being released on October 16.
Abbott enters his rookie season after playing three seasons over four years at Morrisville State College (NCAA-DIII). In 70 career collegiate games played from 2021-2024, the six-foot-two forward notched 21 goals, 30 assists, and 22 penalty minutes after his freshman season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. A native of Belmont, Ontario, Abbott played his junior hockey throughout the OJHL, CCHL, and GOJHL. Over the span of 210 junior games between the three leagues, Abbott recorded 62 goals, 89 assists, and 86 penalty minutes. Abbott becomes the eighth former Morrisville State player to sign with the Dawgs, joining the likes of CJ Stubbs, Nick DeVito, Chris Vella, Jordan Carvalho, Matt Beer, Jesse Anderson, and Henry Hearon.
Valerian is in his fourth season with the Dawgs, and returns after starting this fall in training camp with the ECHL's Reading Royals. Valerian missed extended time last season after a long stint on the injured reserve, but appeared in 15 combined regular season and postseason games for Roanoke. In those 15 games played, Valerian tallied one goal, six assists, and a plus-three rating from the blue line. The 29-year-old initially joined the Dawgs in February 2022, starting his pro career by netting his first goal less than three minutes into his debut game against Knoxville. In the 2022-2023 season, the six-foot-two defenseman put up one of the stronger campaigns among all SPHL blue-liners, with six goals, 16 assists, a team-best plus-22 plus/minus (fourth among all SPHL defensemen), and 88 penalty minutes. Valerian went on to record one assist and a plus-five plus/minus during the 2023 President's Cup Playoffs. As a rookie, the Gates Mills, Ohio native notched two goals and three assists in 17 regular season games and appeared in all nine of Roanoke's games during the 2022 President's Cup Playoffs. Prior to signing with Roanoke, Valerian played four seasons at New England College (NCAA-DIII) after transferring from Hobart College (NCAA-DIII) after one season.
Valerian will be eligible to be activated by the Dawgs at the beginning of November.
The Rail Yard Dawgs will hit the road on Saturday, October 19 against the Fayetteville Marksmen at Crown Coliseum. Puck drop is scheduled for 6 P.M. EST in North Carolina. Opening Night is sponsored by Haley Toyota with K92.3. Single game tickets for the season are on sale now online and at Berglund Center box office. If you have any questions regarding this email or wish to make a media inquiry, please email me separately from this message or contact me at 540-525-8316.
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