Indy Fuel defenseman Neil Manning was selected to the 2019 ECHL All-Star Roster on Monday afternoon. Manning will represent the Fuel as part of the Western Conference All-Stars during the 2019 ECHL All-Star Classic in Toledo, Ohio on Monday, January 21.
Manning, 27, leads all Fuel defenders in point scoring with 17 points (2g, 15a) in 29 games played, ranking second on the Indy roster with a +10 rating. The third-year professional registered assists in four straight games from Dec. 15-27, part of a six game span where he tallied seven helpers.
Reassigned to the Fuel from the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs on Monday, Manning has also seen action with three games with Rockford this season, after signing a one-way AHL contract with the IceHogs over the summer. The third-year pro spent the previous two season skating in Italy’s Alps Hockey League (AlpsHL), collecting 56 points (11g, 45a) in 78 total games with Cortina and Fassa.
For the second consecutive year, the CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic will feature a 3-on-3 tournament with four teams competing for the top spot. New in 2019, the host team will make up two of the four teams and face-off against the other two teams made up of All-Star players from the Eastern and Western Conference. These four teams will compete in a 3-on-3 tournament with rally scoring in order to crown a winner. The 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Skills Competition will take place in between rounds of the tournament, highlighting the talents of the ECHL Players, and showcasing the future of hockey as they develop in the League.
There have been 67 players from the ECHL All-Star Game have gone on to play in the National Hockey League, including 51 since 2002 when the lineups began having players who coaches felt were prospects to move up to a higher level.
The rosters for the Eastern Conference and Western Conference All-Stars were determined in a vote of coaches, team captains, media relations directors, broadcasters and members of the media.
Eastern Conference All-Stars
G – Mitch Gillam, Worcester Railers
D – Dajon Mingo, Jacksonville Icemen
D – Sean Day, Maine Mariners
D – David Kolomatis, Manchester Monarchs
F – Mike Szmatula, Adirondack Thunder
F – David Pacan, Brampton Beast
F – Joe Cox, Florida Everblades
F – Johno May, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
F – Giorgio Estephan, Newfoundland Growlers
F – Jonathan Charbonneau, South Carolina Stingrays
Alternates
F – Brett McKenzie, Atlanta Gladiators
D – Jalen Smereck, Norfolk Admirals
F – Brent Pedersen, Orlando Solar Bears
F – Steven Swavely, Reading Royals
Western Conference All-Stars
G – Tomas Sholl, Idaho Steelheads
D – Alex Breton, Allen Americans
D – Neil Manning, Indy Fuel
D – Kevin Spinozzi, Wheeling Nailers
F – Vasili Glotov, Cincinnati Cyclones
F – Justin Hodgman, Fort Wayne Komets
F – Justin Taylor, Kalamazoo Wings
F – Jared VanWormer, Kansas City Mavericks
F – Andrew Radjenovic, Rapid City Rush
F – Steven Iacobellis, Wichita Thunder
Alternates
G – Evan Fitzpatrick, Tulsa Oilers
F – Caleb Herbert, Utah Grizzlies
The 12th class of the ECHL Hall of Fame will be officially inducted at a luncheon, presented by BFL CANADA and Sutton Special Risk, on Sunday, January 20 at 1 p.m. at the SeaGate Center, in conjunction with the Toledo Hockey Hall of Fame, presented by Cooper Tire.
Anchored by the CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic, there will be multiple activities that showcase the Toledo community including the All-Star Fanfest in Hensville Park and All-Star Winter Brewfest at Fifth Third Field. The Hall of Fame luncheon will be followed by a regular-season matchup between the Walleye and the Fort Wayne Komets at the Huntington Center.
CCM/ECHL All-Star packages and individual tickets can be purchased by calling (419) 725-9255 or by visiting www.toledowalleye.com/allstar.
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