Former Lindenwood men's hockey player Kyle Jeffers signed with the Savannah Ghost Pirates of the ECHL. Jeffers follows the path of former teammates Andy Willis and Ryan Finnegan who signed ECHL contracts at the conclusion of the 22-23 season.

The Ghost Pirates are an AA minor league hockey team and are affiliates of the Vegas Golden Knights of the NHL and the Henderson Silver Knights of the AHL. The Ghost Pirates participate in the South Division of the ECHL and currently sit in sixth place with 45 points. The Oviedo, Fla. native picked up an assist in his first game with the Ghost Pirates and scored his first career pro goal this past weekend.

"It means a ton to my family and I," stated Jeffers, "It has been a dream come true to be able to sign and play professionally now and I know there is a lot more work to be done."

Jeffers compiled 17 points on nine goals and eight assists during the 2023-24 campaign. During his two seasons at the NCAA level with the Lions, he accumulated 37 points, tallying 16 goals and adding 21 assists. Prior to the program's ascent to NCAA Division I, Jeffers helped the Lions to their fourth American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) National Championship in 2022.

When asked what advice he would give to a young ice hockey player, looking to follow in his footsteps, Jeffers, said, "Cherish every time you go on the ice and don't take it for granted because you're not guaranteed anything."

ABOUT THE ECHL
Began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 28 teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces for its 36th season in 2023-24. There have been more than 700 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL. The ECHL has affiliations with 28 of the 32 NHL teams in 2023-24, marking the 246th consecutive season that the league had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL.