Gage Dill better be working on buying a winter coat and snow boots. His climate is about to change quite a bit, and he couldn’t be happier. Bring on the snow of Buffalo, as the Fort Myers, Fla., resident moves north to join the NCAA team at Buffalo State College, part of the State University of New York Athletic Conference.

The five-year USPHL veteran from Fort Myers, who just completed his fourth season with his hometown Florida Eels, committed earlier in May and he is looking forward to joining former Eels teammate Jared Figueroa this coming fall.

“I first started talking to Buffalo State during my first year on Premier with the Florida Eels in 2019-20. The coaches showed their interest very early into the season and loved my ability to make plays with the puck, as well as being a two-way player that hustles back to get on defense,” said Dill, who scored 101 points in 87 regular season Premier games with the Eels.

“The thing that interested me the most with Buffalo State was definitely the amenities that the hockey program has to offer. Being able to train day and night makes Buffalo State a place where I know I can go and become a better hockey player,” added Dill. “For academics, the SUNYAC is known to have some of the best school programs in the United States. School has always been a priority for me, seeing that anything can happen with life or hockey.”

Dill is especially excited to enjoy both the small community feel of the Buffalo State campus and the proximity to the urban amenities of restaurants and entertainment with the city closeby. He’s also happy to be going somewhere the Bengals coaching staff really wants him to be.

“Seeing the campus of Buffalo State was a big eye-opener. The placement of the campus is in such a great area where you can have a great time on campus, as well as in the city of Buffalo,” Dill added. “What made me easily decide to make my commitment with Buffalo State was the dedication of the coaches and their full interest in me as a player.”

Coming off a strong USPHL Elite season in 2017-18, he joined the Eels for the first time in 2018-19. Still just 16 to start that season, the Eels put him onto their USPHL Elite season, and he aced that test with 74 points, the second-best season for an Eel at that level. Teammate Jake Court set the record that year with 90 points. The two would continue to work their magic the next two seasons with the Eels Premier squad. He posted 40 points in two straight seasons, including over a stretch of 28 games in 2020-21. Three of the four seasons he was with the Eels, he also made trips to the USPHL Nationals, including reaching the Championship Game in 2021.

“After my first junior year, Frank Scarpaci reached out to me and asked if I’d be interested in an interview with him to see if the Eels would be a good fit. After talking with him, he offered everything that a younger junior hockey player would want, which involved a great summer program that prepares players for the upcoming season that includes summer workouts and skates every week,” said Dill. “The head coach, Frank Scarpci Jr. and the assistant coach, Alex Sanchez, also played a big role in getting me into the program. They both showed dedication to every single player and would work with each individual on habits that would make them a better hockey player.”

During his 2021-22 season, he put up 12 points in seven postseason games, good for top 10 in the USPHL Premier for postseason scoring. He also got a five-game look with the NCDC’s Islanders Hockey Club, registering three assists in the call-up. The work he put in and the dedication to their players by the Eels all came full circle this past year for Dill.

“Every single person that has been a part of the Florida Eels while I’ve been there has been such a great help and I’m so fortunate to be a part of the Eels family that they’ve built,” said Dill. “They’ve done nothing but make me a better hockey player, as well as a person and I owe all of my gratitude to the Scarpaci family. I most definitely wouldn’t be where I am at now without their help.”

That includes, of course, getting his ticket to the world of NCAA hockey. Every second, every game must be earned of course, as it was in his hometown with the Eels.

“During this summer I’ve started to work on my speed as well as my strength. Frank Scarpaci Jr. has helped me with a workout schedule as well as a meal plan that will build my size and strength,” he said. “Coach [Steve] Murphy has also built a program that the players of Buffalo State and I have been following for the beginning off-season months that will help us all get ready for the year.”

He also may be found cracking open books about his chosen course of study as well in those rare moments he might make it to Fort Myers Beach.

“My academic interest, as of right now, is to pursue a career in business finance,” he said.

The USPHL congratulates Gage Dill, his family, the Florida Eels and Buffalo State College for his commitment.

Future’s Stars Austrian  Standout  Leonardo Kahlhammer  Signs With the Florida Eels

 

The Florida Eels are thrilled to have signed Leonardo Kahlhammer from Austria.  Kahlhammer  is 5’9 155 lbs. A shifty player  Very solid skater with explosive speed – very difficult to play against.  He is quick to leave defenders standing still and watching.  Very solid skill set. He is a 2004 veteran who has played in Austria and Sweden. We were impressed with his character. He has strong work ethic. Very determined young man who shares the Eels work ethic and commitment to win.

 

He is a by-product of the Prestigious Future’s Star Academy in Sweden who develops and trains some of the top players in Europe. The Eels have gotten so many of its top European players from Future’s Stars be it from scouting opportunities in Sweden and in the USA.  The Eels being known as the top recruiter of European talent in the USA are very familiar with the needs of European imports. They are thousands of miles away from home. An Ocean away. Despite their maturity and fortitude, they are still young and need attention. We offer them training that they are accustomed to.  We give them all the tools necessary for them to advance to college. And Leonardo and his family recognized this immediately. We care and they see it. We are thrilled that Leonardo has joined our Eels family.

The Florida Eels are Thrilled to Be Announce the Signing of Veteran Forward Rowan Zapisocki  from   Pitt Meadows, BC, CAN to its program.  Rowan brings good size at 6’1” 175 lbs. He has outstanding skill set and is very familiar in putting the puck in the net. In 51 games he scored 23 goals and garnered 22 helpers for 45 points. He plays a hard fore-check and known well for his appetite to control the play and thirst for puck retrieval. He is a Eels’ type player. With Zapisocki the Eels have added another quality player to its depth chart. He is a young man who brings passion, determination, and fortitude to our lineup. He knows our short term goals and long-term mission. He loves the fact that he is coming to a team that has such a rich and storied legacy and he shares the hunger, thirst and desire to win. It is this unwavering commitment that caught the Eels coaches’ attention. Welcome Rowan to the Eels

Braeden Bzovey as a rookie went beyond everything we asked of him. He was a forward who transitioned to defense to help his team.  He has outstanding skill set and we knew he could make the transition.

Indeed, he ripened into the best defensemen in the  entire Elite conference.  He won End of the  Season League ll Star, Repeatedly selected by the League as  Player of The Week and Player of The Month awards.  He was selected as Assistant Captain and showed strong leadership skills in chartering his team to a Divisional Title, a Playoff Championship advance to Nationals. 

 He is a great student of the game. He was the key 5 on 5 and was the catalyst on the power play quarterbacking the play. He scored 13 goals notched 18 assists for 31 points.  On the defensive end he was completely a shut down guy. He owned the PK. He helped his team win 23 straight wins. Very impressive. 

 

We are thrilled Braeden will be back in an Eels jersey. This will be another huge year for him. He feels comfortable now having played his first year. This is a young man with incredible passion and dedication. He has completely bought into the Eels system. You can see it in his eyes the unwavering commitment to win. He knows we have some unfinished business left on the table. 

The Florida Eels are Thrilled to  Announce the Signing of Veteran Forward /Defensemen   Liam Hennessy from Calgary, AB, CAN. Liam brings great size at 6’2” 198 lbs. to the Eels already huge lineup. He is a highly skilled player and very versatile. Last season in juniors in 42 games he scored 11 goals and notched 8 assists. He knows the transition game and that is key to the Eels system. Liam has a high hockey IQ and when you couple that with his strong skill set, unmatched work ethic, his intense determination and fortitude it spells out winner. Liam played for us at the Pro-Am Pre Draft this May, and we loved his attitude and shared commitment to win. The coaches recognized his intangibles, and he is an Eels through and through. We welcome Liam to the Eels.

The Eels continue to bring depth to its line up and the signing of Alex Wegner speaks to those ends. We are quite thrilled he has elected to join the Eels. He brings valuable experience to the program having played juniors up north and has solid Midget and High School  experience in the Maryland region.

Alex  is no stranger to the Eels having followed our success over the years. He knows our program, its tradition and legacy. He is looking to bring his play to the Next Level and is quite hungry to win a National championship. This young man has solid skill set and has the passion desire and commitment to be the best. He is also excited to play for a program whose hallmark is college advancement.  Those intangibles  speaks volumes.  He also comes from a great family and has impeccable character Welcome to the Eels.

The Eels are thrilled to announce that Sebastian Powers will be joining the Eels next season. Powers is a local Florida player who has been following the Eels for a number of years as a youth player and is excited to join the Eels. Powers has solid skill set and played for the Eels at the USPHL Pre Draft  this Spring and the coaching staff was quite impressed. He was one of the leading scorers at the showcase. We know he can put the puck in the net. He put 14 goals in the net last season and gained 34 assists for 48 points.

He brings enormous energies and enthusiasm to the Eels and we look forward to him joining the program

The Florida Eels are Excited to Announce the Return of Forward  Alexander Clingerman. As a rookie Clingerman lit up the league with his explosive acceleration to the net.  He has solid skill set and great hockey sense. As a rookie season, he scored a loud 21 goals and notched 15 helpers for 36 points. This was indeed impressive.  But we knew he could put the puck in the net. We followed him for a while. The previous season in 22 games as a midget and high school he scored 18 goals and 12 assists for 30 points. He is definitely a point per game player. We love his high energy, team commitment and unwavering dedication to his team. We are thrilled he is returning. And he knows we have some unfinished business this season. Welcome back