Each month for the rest of the season the GMHL will be highlighting a list of alumni from the league who have advanced to higher levels of hockey following playing in the GMHL. Advancement is a key factor in the development level of the GMHL and is put at the forefront of the leagues principles. This month we will be listing those alumni from the GMHL who are playing in the ECHL.

GMHL Alumni Rostered in ECHL this Season:

Atlanta Gladiators:

Michael Marchesan (St.George Ravens): Former GMHL MVP and Best Forward Award Runner-Up Michael Marchesan came to the GMHL following a lengthy junior career in the GOJHL with the opportunity to develop for one more season before turning pro. He scored 101 points in the lone season for the Ravens before the professional ranks came calling. In his first and only season in the FPHL he was more than a point per game forward for the Hat Tricks helping lead Danbury to a league championship while being named playoff MVP. Since that run he has spent the last two seasons in the ECHL with the Gladiators playing a steady role in their program.

Greenville Swamp Rabbits:

Joe Leahy (Halton Ravens): Joe Leahy got his first taste of junior hockey playing in the GMHL as a 16 year old for the then Halton (now St. George) Ravens where he was seen as a difference making defenceman with a bright future. He would go on to be an award winning defenseman in Junior B with Stratford and a Championship winning blue liner with both the Penticton Vees of the BCHL and the NCAA Division l Cornell University team that captured a regular season championship in 2019-2020. Following a two year stint at the University of Vermont Leahy turned pro and hasn’t turned back carving out a sizable role with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, last year appearing in the most games and scoring the most points amongst defenseman on the squad.

Indy Fuel:

Matus Spodniak (South Muskoka Shield): Another player who played his rookie season of junior hockey in the GMHL was Matus Spodniak, who joined the South Muskoka Shield for the majority of his first season of juniors in 2014-2015. He scored 41 points with 18 goals in his 32 regular season games and added another 8 points in the playoffs. He would then go on to put up just shy of 300 points for the Ogden Mustangs before committing to play NCAA Division l hockey at AIC and then Division lll at Adiran College. In those years one of the main describers of Spodniak would be the word champion, he won 2 Division l and 2 Division lll Conference Championships, and in his 2022-2023 season he was named the NCAA Division lll player of the year among many conference player of the year and All-American Team Awards. Since turning professional Spodniak has played in the ECHL for the Indy Fuel for two seasons while also signing an AHL contract with the Rockford Icehogs in the American Hockey League (making his AHL debut just a week ago on December 31^st against the Iowa Wild.

Norfolk Admirals:

Stepan Timofeyev (Tottenham Steam/Bradford Rattlers): The most prolific of these 5 in the GMHL has also turned out to be the most prolific in the ECHL. The Russian star forward initially joined the GMHL with the Tottenham Steam and had an instant impact leading the Steam to the GMHL Russell Cup Championship as the playoff MVP that year. He then went on to become the captain of the Bradford Rattlers in 2016-2017, a season in which he scored 107 points on route to becoming the GMHL MVP. Following that season Timofeyev started a climb through the ranks of pro hockey that has been incredible. In his debut season in the now FPHL he was named both the Rookie of the Year and the Forward of the Year for the Elmira Enforcers and was quickly called up to the SPHL where once again he was more than a point per game player for the Knoxville Ice Bears earning an advancement to the ECHL. In his time with the Norfolk Admirals Timofeyev has been an ECHL All-Star and was the leading scorer for the Admirals in 2023-2024.

Utah Grizzlies:

Nick Pastorious (Niagara Whalers): A former Niagara Whaler with a letter on his chest (Assistant Captain in 2017-2018) was Nick Pastorious. Nick joined the Whalers after playing parts of 5 years of Major Junior Hockey in the OHL for the Soo Greyhounds, Barrie Colts and Niagara IceDogs playing in 139 games. In his lone season in the GMHL he scored 74 points in 34 games. He then took a 3 year leave from hockey to focus on training and development before joining the ECHL first with the Iowa Heartlanders and Newfoundland Growlers and now with the Utah Grizzlies.

The ECHL is the third tier professional league in North America. It is affiliated with the AHL and the NHL, and has advance players through the ranks to those levels.