Andrew Fielder/InsideTheRink

The Tahoe Knight Monsters continue to bolster their defense by signing defenseman Elijah Vilio for the team’s inaugural season. Vilio, 27, joins the Knight Monsters after starting last season with the Savannah Ghost Pirates, playing in 10 games, scoring one goal and five assists before heading overseas. The Abbotsford, BC native played in 30 games with the EIHL’s Dundee Stars, where he scored one goal and 13 assists for 14 points. Vilio has three years of ECHL experience under his belt, playing in 129 games and scoring 17 goals and 28 assists for 45 points with the Atlanta Gladiators, Rapid City Rush, Norfolk Admirals and Savannah Ghost Pirates. Although Vilio has slipped in and out of other players throughout his career, he should be a staple on the Knight Monsters defense as he has shown he can be a force on offense. This is the second former Ghost Pirate that head coach Alex Loh has signed to join him in Tahoe after Anthony Collins was the first addition to the Knight Monsters.

Before turning pro, Vilio played for Trinity Western University for three seasons, where he scored 20 goals and 36 assists for 56 points in 66 games with the Spartans. The Spartans won two BCIHL championships while Vilio was a member of their team, and Vilo was the top-scoring defenseman (27) in 2019 and was named to the BCIHL Second All-Star Team. The left-handed defenseman was also named the PIJHL’s top defenseman in 2017 and won a PIJHL championship with the Aldergrove Kodiaks.

Armand Klisivitch

Inside The Rink ECHL Manager | Senior Editor and Accredited Reporter for the Adirondack Thunder & Worcester Railers.

ECHL: Greenville Swamp Rabbits sign Miles Gendron

Greenville, SC — The Greenville Swamp Rabbits today continued to build their 2024-25 roster with the return of Miles Gendron. About Gendron Gendron, 28, played for the Swamp Rabbits in the 2022-23 season after completing a short 19-game season in Norway (three goals, five assists). He will enter his sixth season (…)

Read more

ECHL: Wheeling Nailers sign Merrimack College graduates

The Wheeling Nailers announced today that they have signed Merrimack College graduate Filip Forsmark for the 2024-25 ECHL season. Forsmark played two games in the ECHL with the Allen Americans last season after completing his final year with Merrimack. The Skövde, Sweden native’s first season in North America was the 2017-18 season, when he played (…)

Read more

ECHL: South Carolina Stingrays bring back Jordan Klimek

The South Carolina Stingrays have announced that they have signed defenseman Jordan Klimek for the 2024-25 season. Klimek, 29, returns to North America after spending the past three seasons abroad. He spent the 2021-22 season in Hungary, scoring three goals and 11 assists for 14 points in 34 games with DEAC in the First League. The (…)

Read more