Everblades Bolster Blue Line; Add Two

ESTERO, FL -- Florida Everblades President and General Manager Craig Brush along with Head Coach Greg Poss announced Tuesday that the team has agreed to terms with defensemen Mike Cornell and Kevin Montgomery for the 2015-16 season.

Cornell, 27, returns to Southwest Florida after registering six points (2g, 4a) in 17 games played with the Everblades last season. The 5-11, 190-pound blueliner recorded four points (2g, 2a) in 12 playoff games with the ‘Blades last spring. In addition, Cornell added 11 points (3g, 8a) in 44 American Hockey League (AHL) appearances split between the Springfield Falcons, St. John’s IceCaps, and Charlotte Checkers last season.

”Mike continues to improve as a player each season,” said Everblades Head Coach Greg Poss. “He has a team-first mentality.  He has great play-making ability and is very difficult player to play against.”

Cornell has totaled 21 points in 55 career games with the Everblades from 2013-2015.  He posted ten points (4g, 6a) with 78 penalty minutes in 35 games played with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) in 2013-14.  The Frankilin Massachusetts native initially joined the Eveblades in the spring of 2013 after wrapping up a decorated four-year career at the University of Maine that saw the defender post six goals and 24 assists with a lifetime plus-7 rating.

Montgomery, 27 joins the Everblades after logging eight points in 22 appearances in Europe last season split between Valpellice (Italy), Caldaro SG (Italy), Banska Bystrica HC 05 (Slovakia).  The 6-3, 188-pound defenseman brings a wealth of American Hockey League experience to the Everblades, having totaled 43 points (6g, 37a) in 190 career AHL games split between the Lake Erie Monsters and Oklahoma City Barons.

“Kevin is a very experienced two-way defenseman who has played his entire career in the AHL and most recently in Europe,” said Everblades Head Coach Greg Poss. “He was initially in our training camp in 2011, but was called up to the AHL just before the start of the season.  We foresee him becoming one of our top defensemen.”

The Rochester, New York native pieced together three productive seasons with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League amassing 96 points (12g, 84a) during his junior career. He was a fourth-round selection of the Colorado Avalanche in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

The Everblades now have 11 players on the roster for the upcoming 2015-16 season.