Bison Complete Two Deals with Stingrays

Bloomington Bison general manager and head coach Phillip Barski announced today the team has acquired forwards Jonny Evans and Jackson Leppard from the South Carolina Stingrays for future considerations.

In a separate transaction, the team has also acquired the rights to defenseman Bryce Montgomery from the Stingrays for future considerations.

Evans, 27, has spent his entire professional career in the ECHL with the Stingrays. In three seasons with the club, he recorded 34 goals and 54 assists for 88 points in 105 career ECHL games. His 45 points last season ranked fourth on the team.

The 5-foot-9, 170-pound Delta, British Columbia native also played four seasons at the University of Connecticut, collecting 79 points (37-42-79) in 106 collegiate games.

The 24-year-old Leppard appeared in 57 games for the Stingrays last season, potting 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points. He finished third on the team with 110 penalty minutes.

The North Vancouver, British Columbia native registered 41 goals and 51 assists (92 points) in 194 career ECHL games with 292 penalty minutes between the Stingrays and the Allen Americans.

Prior to turning pro, the 6-foot-2, 201-pound forward played in 252 career WHL games between the Winnipeg Ice and the Prince George Cougars, scoring 115 points (49-66-115) with 306 penalty minutes.

Related: Bison Add Forward and Blueliner to Roster

Montgomery, 21, tallied four goals and eight assists for 12 points in 42 games for the Stingrays in 2023-24, his first professional season.

The Washington, D.C. native also played in 84 career OHL games with the London Knights, posting eight points (2-6-8) with 70 penalty minutes.

Following his time in the OHL, Montgomery skated in 48 games with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, scoring 17 points (6-11-17) with 70 penalty minutes.

The 6-foot-5, 231-pound blueliner was drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the sixth round (170^th overall) of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.