Perkovich joins Swamp Rabbits

GREENVILLE, S.C. — The Greenville Swamp Rabbits announced the team has signed 10-year proNathan Perkovich for the 2019-20 season.

The Swamp Rabbits are the ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes and the American Hockey League's Charlotte Checkers.

The veteran forward has played in the AHL and ECHL, as well as the KHL, Russia's top professional league, and the EBEL, the top professional league in Austria. Across each of those leagues, the 33-year-old has taken part in 440 pro contests scoring 161 points (80g-81a).

Last season, split between the Florida Everblades and Croatia's Medveščak Zagreb, Perkovich posted 34 points (22g-12a) along with a +14 rating. He showed a penchant for being clutch, finishing second on the Everblades with five game-winning goals. He ranked sixth in scoring (34 points), fifth in goals (22), second in power play goals (5) and tops in shootout goals (3). In 14 playoff games, he scored a goal and added seven assists.Prior to last season, Perkovich had spent the last seven seasons with Zagreb. He was named captain of the club during the 2017–18 season, and kept that role into 2018–19, but left for North America seven games into the season.Prior to turning pro, Perkovich played two seasons with the United States Hockey League's Chicago Steel, before moving to the college ranks with Lake Superior State University.At Lake State, he led the Lakers in goals as a freshman (15) and a sophomore (17). He shared possession of the Soo Blueliners Most Outstanding Freshman award with teammate Simon Gysbers, and his 25 points as a sophomore gave him sole possession of team MVP. Overall, he scored 71 points (44g-27a) in three seasons at Lake Superior State University.His first assignment in pro hockey following his junior year at Lake State was to the Lowell Devils. He spent 161 games at the AHL level before making the jump across the pond to play in Croatia.Perkovich has routinely represented Croatia in the World Championships. His latest time doing so, following the 2016–17 season, he served as alternate captain of the squad.