Bleackley inks deal with Rush

RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Rapid City Rush, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Calgary Flames, announced that veteran forward Conner Bleackley has agreed to terms with the team for the 2023-24 season.

Bleackley has spent each of the past two seasons with the Maine Mariners. Last year, he had 12 points (4g-8a) in 32 games after recording 26 points (11g-15a) in 66 contests during the 2021-22 season.

Since beginning his pro career, Bleackley has split time between the American Hockey League and ECHL. During the 2019-20 season, he suited up for four different teams (Idaho and Maine in the ECHL, Texas and Hartford in the AHL) totaling 28 points. In 2018-19, he enjoyed a full AHL season with San Antonio after having played between the AHL’s Chicago Wolves and the ECHL’s Missouri Mavericks and Tulsa Oilers. In his ECHL career, Bleackley has scored 125 points (54g-71a) in 217 games.

Prior to turning pro, Bleackley spent five seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Red Deer Rebels where he was twice named team captain while posting 183 points (80g-103a). He played 259 games in Red Deer, good for 18th all-time in franchise history. He was selected to represent Team Canada in the 2014 U18 World Junior Classic and that same season, he was selected in the first round (23rd overall) in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche.