Return of McCarron, Sheppard highlights string of roster moves

RAPID CITY, S.D. — Florida Everblades forward John McCarron and defenseman Derek Sheppard have returned from stints in the American Hockey League with the Stockton Heat and Charlotte Checkers, respectively, ‘Blades head coach Brad Ralph announced on Tuesday.

In addition to the return of Florida’s captain and one of the top rookie defensemen in the ECHL, the ‘Blades also added forward Stathis Soumelidis to the roster in a separate transaction.

McCarron, 26, is third on the ‘Blades in scoring with 34 points (15g-19a) in 32 games and suited up in one game for the Heat in his first AHL stint this season. The Macomb, Michigan, native has 157 points (68g-89a) in 157 career games with the Everblades. A product of Cornell University, McCarron has tabbed eight multi-point games this year and 50 in his four-year ECHL career.

In his first full season with the Everblades, Sheppard, 24, is seventh in scoring among ECHL rookie defensemen with 18 points (9g, 9a) in 30 games. A native of Ajax, Ontario, Sheppard saw ice time in six games with the Checkers in his first career AHL call-up and notched one assist for his first career AHL point.

A native of Brno, Czech Republic, Soumelidis has been loaned to the ‘Blades by the Southern Professional Hockey League’s Macon Mayhem. Soumelidis, who is in his fourth season of professional hockey, currently has 21 points (9g-12a) in 29 games for the Mayhem this year. The 24-year-old is one of Macon’s alternate captains and has 83 points (36g-47a) in 144 career SPHL games. He has played in eight career ECHL games with one assist.

Florida preps for its only non-conference games of the season this weekend, a three-game set with the Rapid City Rush that starts on Wednesday with a 9:05 p.m. ET tilt.

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The Everblades are the proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes