Rapid City Rush (ECHL) 2025-26 season

[Reggie Dunlop]

(RAPID CITY, S.D.)—The Rapid City Rush, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, announced on Friday that the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers have assigned six players to the Rapid City Rush.

Blake Bennett, Ryan Chyzowski, Brett Davis, Chase Pauls, Briley Wood, and Connor Murphy are set to join Rapid City for 2025 Rush Training Camp, presented by Shipwrecks Bar & Grill.


The following seven players who attended Wranglers camp on a tryout have been released and will all be reporting to the Rapid City Rush:

Parker Bowman (F)

Rasmus Ekstrom (F)

Chaz Smedsrud (F)

Alexander Stensson (D)

Arvils Bergmanis (D)

Billy Constantinou (D)

Noah Giesbrecht (G)

Training Camp opens Oct. 4

[Reggie Dunlop]

Rapid City opened their season with a 3-2 road loss to the Kansas City Mavericks. Connor Murphy played in net.

The Rush have 10 Wranglers-contracted players this season, with Ansenii Sergeev the only drafted prospect on a 3-way ELC.

[Roof-Daddy]

Sergeev didn't even get the opening start in the ECHL?

Lol

Yikes

[Reggie Dunlop]

Sergeev in goal tonight. Second game of a back-to-back.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Sergeev looked up to the task, stopping 36 in a 5-2 victory over the Mavericks.

[Reggie Dunlop]

The Rush scored 5 goals on 14 shots against the Mavericks' goalie. As much as it indicates the abilities of that player, the stats show most of the game was in the Rapid City end. Sergeev was kept busy.

If he gets on a roll, he'll wreck that league.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Carter Wilkie with the Hat Trick in a 5-4 OT win over the Wichita Thunder. Arsenii Sergeev stops 40 shots and is third star.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Early on in the ECHL season with the Rush having played 7 games to date. Goaltender Arsenii Sergeev is the only player on a NHL contract.

Sergeev had played 3 games, winning two and sporting a 3.01 GAA and a 0.919 SV%

In comparison, veteran farmhand Connor Murphy has played 4 games with 1 win, a 2.28 GAA and a 0.940 SV%.

[Reggie Dunlop]

The Rush currently have played 15 games a 5-8 record and a 33% win percentage. They currently sit in 7th place in the ECHL's 8 team Mountain Division.

Flames prospect Arsenii Sergeev sports a 3.40 GAA in 6 games with two wins, a 0.904 SVP compared to Wrangler contract Connor Murphy's 9 GP 3W 2.89 GAA and 0.918 SVP.

So not much team improvement over-all and somewhat disappointing for Sergeev in particular.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Etienne Morin picks up a goal plus an assist (firsts as a pro) as the Rush clobber Idaho 6-2. Murphy in net.

They play the Steelheads again tomorrow, so expect Sergeev to get the start.

[sureLoss]

ECHL players have served notice to start to strike on Dec 26.

https://twitter.com/user/status/2003273194707513458

I believe Connor Murphy is the only player on Rapid City's roster that has an AHL deal. Looks like there is nobody with a NHL deal currently with the Rush.

[Freeway]

Ryan Chyzowski, Blake Bennett, Quinn Olson, Brett Davis, Briley Wood, Xavier Bernard, Chase Pauls and Connor Murphy all have AHL deals.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Could it affect the Wranglers if they need injury callups? If these guys are on strike, how does that work? Aren’t they the same union?

Makes sense to keep the two prospect goalies up now.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Could it affect the Wranglers if they need injury callups? If these guys are on strike, how does that work? Aren’t they the same union?

Makes sense to keep the two prospect goalies up now.

While it is the same union, according to Friedman and other insiders, the AHL is closing in a five year CBA.

So I assume all the players Freeway has listed on AHL deals, will be okay to call up.

Also if the AHL team decides they need an ECHL player without an AHL contract as an injury fill in they typically sign them to an AHL try out contract.

Problem is depending on how long this strike goes, where will these guys play? Also wonder about how players on 2 way AHL deals will get paid.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Deleted .

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

The PHPA also represents AHL players, who have playing without an agreement that expired in August. Potentially job action could spread.

Nope.

https://twitter.com/user/status/2003165764413530515

[Reggie Dunlop]

These guys' issues include the use of used equipment, in particular helmets. While many of us have had to wear an older brother's stinky old gloves or shin pads, there's a point about helmets. I think that's a legitimate grievance. It can be difficult to determine a helmet's structural integrity just by looking at it. It's the most critical piece of equipment you can wear.

I think the other issue was teams count those regular 9-hr bus trips being a "day off." That's BS. That's company time.

[3thirty]

When do the out of shape plugs like me sign up to cross the line?

[Gugstanley]

They play a brutal schedule often 3 games in three nights then some travel and more games. The echl charges a premium for their product they should take care of the players