The Rail Yard Dawgs announced on Monday that Bryce Martin has been signed and will be available for Friday’s game against the Fayetteville Marksmen, while Steve Mele has been released. Carter Allen has also been called up from the Dawgs’ roster to the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays.
Martin joined the ECHL’s Worcester Railers for training camp before being cut on Sunday. The five-foot-nine defenseman spent 12 games with Roanoke on loan from the FPHL’s Elmira Enforcers during the 2019-2020 season, tallying one assist and recording a plus-one +/- rating while he was on the ice for the Dawgs. The Fort Erie, Ontario native returned to Elmira last year, where he recorded five goals and seven assists in 22 games, an impressive mark for a defenseman.
“Bryce is a great skating defenseman,” said Coach Bremner about Martin’s return to Roanoke in September. “He moves the puck well and has a great offensive mind. He consistently looks to make something happen when he has the puck on his stick.”
Mele played 141 games for the Dawgs beginning in the franchise’s inaugural season, recording franchise records in career goals (48), assists (73), points (121), and games played (140). The five-foot-eleven forward also set single-season franchise marks in the 2017-2018 season for goals (22), assists (37), and points (59).
“Steve has been a big part of building the Dawgs’ foundation, and I’m excited to see him back in a Dawgs sweater tomorrow,” said Coach Bremner last Thursday before Mele’s return to Roanoke for Opening Night.
Allen was a team captain during his last two seasons at SUNY-Oswego (NCAA-DIII). A Lambton Shores, Ontario native, the six-foot defenseman tallied four goals and added 18 assists in 81 career college games. The SUNYAC cancelled the 2020-2021 season, preventing Allen from playing his senior season. Allen played in his first professional game in Friday night’s loss to the Fayetteville Marksmen before earning his ECHL call-up.
“Carter is a solid, stay-at-home defenseman that comes from one of the best NCAA D-III programs in the country,” said Coach Bremner about Allen before training camp. “We’ll be looking to Carter to play a good shut-down role for us and make solid first passes out of the zone to get us transitioning onto offense.”
Roanoke is back in action on Friday, October 22, against the Fayetteville Marksmen. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Season tickets, packages, group tickets, and single game tickets are on sale now!