Rush bring back Carlson, add Ginnell

RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Rapid City Rush, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey Leagie’s Calgary Flames, announced that defenseman Alex Carlson and forward Riley Ginnell have signed with the team for the 2023-24 season. 

Carlson scored one goal in 12 games for the Rush last season while adding seven points (1g-6a) in 43 SPHL games with Quad City. He spent the 2021-22 with the Iowa Heartlanders. Prior to that, he had been a mainstay on the Knoxville Ice Bears defensive corps in the SPHL, leading all Ice Bears defensemen in penalty minutes in 2019-20 with 63.  

A native of Lakewood, New York, Carlson played four seasons at Mercyhurst University. He was named to the Atlantic Hockey All-Academic Team his senior season after maintaining a 3.0 GPA in every semester of competition while at Mercyhurst.  

Ginnell spent last season in the Western Hockey League with the Brandon Wheat Kings, Moose Jaw Warriors and Regina Pats. In 52 games with the three clubs he tallied 19 points (10g-9a). In his previous three seasons, Ginnell was a constant presence in the Wheat Kings lineup including his best-performing year in 2021-22 where he played in 62 games and registered 34 points (14g-20a).