ROANOKE, VA. – The Rail Yard Dawgs announced on Friday that forward Gustav Müller and defenseman Cory Doney have each been activated from the injured reserve, while defenseman Stephen Alvo has been placed on the 14-day injured reserve list (retroactive to November 28). Additionally, forward Austen Swankler has been placed on team suspension.
Roanoke head coach Dan Bremner made the following statement about Swankler’s suspension: “Austen has a private situation back home that needs to be taken care of, and he made the mature decision to take care of that before continuing his hockey career.”
Müller is in his rookie professional season in Roanoke after playing four years of NCAA hockey, including three seasons with Long Island University (NCAA-DI). Müller got off to an incredible start to his season, leading the team with seven goals, and had been leading all SPHL rookies in goals and points (12) at the time that he was placed on the injured reserve back on November 29. Last season, the Hudiksvall, Sweden native finished his collegiate career at Albertus Magnus College (NCAA-DIII), tallying four goals, seven assists, a plus-three rating, and 20 penalty minutes in 22 games played. In his three seasons at Long Island, the six-foot-one forward notched six goals, 11 assists, and 14 penalty minutes over the span of 49 games played. Müller also played one season in the USHL with the Madison Capitals during the 2019-2020 season after developing in his home country of Sweden prior to moving to North America.
Doney is in his rookie professional season after playing three seasons at SUNY-Plattsburgh (NCAA-DIII) from 2020-2023. In his first year with the Dawgs, Doney has one assist, four penalty minutes, and a minus-two plus/minus rating in six games so far for Roanoke. In 34 career games played at Plattsburgh, the six-foot defenseman recorded seven goals, six assists, 14 penalty minutes, and a plus-17 rating from the blue line. Prior to his collegiate career, Doney played in the EHL for his junior hockey with the Vermont Lumberjacks. The Northfield Falls, Vermont native is the seventh player from Plattsburgh to suit up with the Dawgs since the franchise’s inception in 2016.
Alvo is in his sixth professional season and third year with the Dawgs. In 10 games played so far for Roanoke this season, Alvo has one goal, four assists, and two penalty minutes. Last season, the Withrow Park, Ontario native had two goals, 24 assists, and a minus-one rating in 46 games played for the Dawgs, while also adding one goal and one assist in the President’s Cup Playoffs. In his SPHL career, the five-foot-eleven defenseman has totaled 10 goals, 53 assists, and a plus-10 rating in 137 regular season games, with an additional two goals, nine assists, a plus-nine rating, and a President’s Cup title with Roanoke in 2023 over the course of 12 career postseason games played. Alvo also played parts of two seasons in Slovakia2 with HK Spisska Nova Ves from 2019-2021.
Swankler was in his first professional season, beginning this year in the ECHL before signing with Roanoke earlier this week on December 11. The 23-year-old suited up for both the Fort Wayne Komets and the Cincinnati Cyclones during his time in the ECHL at the start of the season. Swankler recorded three goals, one assist, 12 penalty minutes, and a plus-three rating in nine combined games with the Komets and Cyclones. Before turning pro, Swankler played three seasons of college hockey (NCAA-DI) with Bowling Green State University and Michigan Tech. The left-shot forward recorded 27 goals, 46 assists, 67 penalty minutes, and a plus-one rating in 81 career college games, with his best season coming in 2022-2023 for Bowling Green as he racked up 19 goals and 25 assists in just 35 games played. The North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania native played high-level junior hockey, suiting up in a full season in both the OHL (Erie) and USHL (Waterloo and Sioux) prior to sitting out the 2020-2021 COVID-impacted season.
The Rail Yard Dawgs are back at home on Saturday, December 14 against the Knoxville Ice Bears. Puck drop is slated for 7:05 P.M. EST at Berglund Center. Single game tickets for the season are on sale now online and at Berglund Center box office.
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