‘Blades make series of transactions ahead of Friday home tilt

ESTERO, Fla. — The Florida Everblades on Friday signed forwards Matt Harrington and Nick Ford and added forward Gage Torrel in a trade with the Fort Wayne Komets.

In addition to those transactions, Everblades defenseman Patrick McCarron has been loaned to the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins, his first AHL call-up of the season.

Torrel, 25, has split this season between the Rapid City Rush and Komets and has seen action in 36 total games. The Monticello, Minnesota, native has accumulated five goals and 12 points in his first full pro season after debuting at the end of the 2018-19 season with Fort Wayne. Torrel played four seasons at Lake Superior State University from 2015-19 and notched 82 career points (34g, 48a) in 148 career games with the Lakers.

Harrington, 29, played a bulk of last season in the ECHL with Rapid City, posting three points (2g, 1a) in 33 games with the Rush. The North Port, Florida, native has appeared in 56 career ECHL games since turning pro in the 2011-12 season and has compiled eight career ECHL points (4g, 4a). Harrington played two games for the Everblades in the 2016-17 season and registered a goal and an assist in his first stint with the club. Measuring 5 feet 10 inches and weighing 192 pounds, Harrington has recorded 191 points (79g, 112a) in nearly 300 career SPHL contests.

Ford, 24, recently finished a four-year career at Elmira College, an NCAA Division III program, and averaged more than a point per game in 106 career contests. The Chicago, Illinois, native led the Soaring Eagles in scoring in his final three seasons from 2017-20 and averaged 43 points per season in that stretch. He ranks third in program history with 149 career points (63g, 86a). Ford was named UCHC First Team All-Conference as a sophomore in 2017-18 and earned UCHC Second Team All-Conference honors as a junior in 2018-19.

McCarron has been a key figure on the ‘Blades blue line over the last two seasons and has played in 123 of the team’s 128 games in that two-year stretch. The Toronto, Ontario, native has seen action in 53 games this season, totaling 20 points on three goals and 17 assists. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound right defenseman has tabbed 66 points (14g, 52a) in 177 career ECHL games. McCarron has also played in four career AHL contests — all of which have come with Grand Rapids — and most recently played in the AHL in the 2017-18 campaign. Prior to turning pro, he played four seasons at Cornell University from 2013-17 and racked up 50 points (12g, 38a) in 123 career games with the Big Red.

Florida starts a stretch of three games in three days with a Friday night matchup against the Newfoundland Growlers. Faceoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Hertz Arena.  

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The Florida Everblades are the proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Nashville Predators and AHL's Milwaukee Admirals