The Florida Everblades have signed defenseman Carl Neill to an amateur tryout (ATO) contract, Everblades head coach Brad Ralph announced on Wednesday.
In an additional transaction, Everblades forward Michael Huntebrinker has signed an AHL contract with the Milwaukee Admirals for the remainder of this season and the 2020-21 campaign.
Neill, 23, joins the Everblades after a decorated three-year career at Concordia University (USports), which is based in Montréal, Québec. A native of Boisbriand, Québec, Neill was recently named to the Ontario University Athletics Second Team All-Stars for the East Division after posting six goals and 20 points in 25 games for the Stingers this past season. Neill finished his collegiate career averaging more than a point per game from the blueline, totaling 15 goals and 84 points in 81 career games with Concordia. After earning OUA East First Team All-Star and USports All-Rookie Team honors in 2017-18, Neill racked up 33 points (4g, 29a) as a sophomore to win the OUA Defenseman of the Year award in 2018-19.
Before starting his collegiate career, Neill played five seasons in the QMJHL from 2013-17. The majority of Neill’s major junior career came with the Sherbrooke Phoenix, and he played with Everblades forward Hugo Roy for three seasons with Sherbrooke from 2014-17. Neill, who was selected in the fifth round, 144th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2015 NHL Draft, tallied 201 career points (42g, 159a) in 320 QMJHL games.
In his third full season as a pro, Huntebrinker is third on the Everblades in goals with 20 and ranks fifth on the team with 44 points. The Chesterfield, Missouri, native leads the league with eight shorthanded points and is tied for the league lead with five shorthanded goals. He has netted multiple goals in two games this year and has 10 total multi-point efforts. Huntebrinker has recorded 134 points (60g, 74a) in 174 career ECHL games since he made his debut at the end of the 2016-17 season.
Prior to turning pro, Huntebrinker played four seasons at Minnesota State University, Mankato from 2013-17. He potted 15 goals and registered 53 points in 124 career games with the Mavericks.
The Everblades start a three-game week with a Thursday night matchup against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits. Faceoff is set for 7:05 p.m. at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
