Heartlanders grab Kelly Cup champ Calverley + future considerations from Everblades

Coralville, Iowa – The Iowa Heartlanders have acquired forward Will Calverley and future considerations from the Florida Everblades in exchange for the ECHL rights to defenseman Riese Zmolek, the team announced Tuesday.Calverley won the 2023 Kelly Cup with Florida, contributing three postseason goals (5 points), including the game-winning goal for Florida in Game 3 of the Kelly Cup Finals (1-0 win). He played in the last 12 games of the Everblades’ championship run and signed a 2023-24 ECHL contract with Florida in July. Calverley was also a finalist for a 2022 Hobey Baker Award while playing for the Rochester Institute of Technology.Zmolek posted one goal and eight points in 33 games with Iowa last season. After being recalled by the Iowa Wild in January, Zmolek spent the final 3 months of the 2022-23 season in the AHL and scored two points (1g) in 10 games.   2023-24 Roster (players signed to ECHL contracts)Forwards (11): Yuki Miura, Tanner MacMaster, Jesse Jacques, Mike Knaub, Davis Koch, Nick Campoli, Alec Broetzman, Odeen Tufto, Jake Durflinger, Liam Coughlin, Will CalverleyDefensemen (7): Kevin McKernan, Chris Lipe, Nolan Orzeck, Ben Brinkman, Robbie Stucker, Hunter Lellig, Jules BoscqGoaltenders (2): Peyton Jones, Drew DeRidderCalverley enters his first full professional season in 2023-24. He scored 20 points last season at Merrimack (5g), then signed in April with Florida. He scored one goal and two points in six regular season games before helping lead the Everblades to their third Kelly Cup.The Scarborough, ON native graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology and played four seasons for the Tigers before heading to Merrimack for his fifth NCAA season. In his senior season, Calverley was named to the Atlantic Hockey First All-Star Team and led R.I.T. with 15 goals (27 points). He led the school in goals in his junior and senior seasons at R.I.T. and was also named the conference’s Player of the Year and Best Defensive Forward in 2020-21.At the junior level, the 5-foot-9, 180-lb. playmaker starred in the BCHL for Chilliwack for two seasons and won the 2017 RBC Cup with the Chiefs.   Iowa opens the 2023-24 season vs. the Rapid City Rush on Fri., Oct. 20 at 7:05 p.m. Season ticket memberships, mini-plans, partial plans and group tickets are available for the 2023-24 season by visiting iowaheartlanders.com/tickets and by calling 319-569-4625.