Icemen Bolster Blue Line with the Return of Brandon Fortunato

JACKSONVILLE, FL – The Jacksonville Icemen, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack announced today that the team has agreed to terms with defenseman Brandon Fortunato for the 2022-2023 season. 

Fortunato, 26, returns for a second season with the Icemen where he was the recipient of the team’s Defenseman of the Year award last season.  Fortunato collected 25 points in 39 appearances in Jacksonville last season, while also adding five assists in eight playoff games.  In addition, he earned AHL call-ups last season with Hartford (3 games) and the Charlotte Checkers (7 games) recording two assists.  Fortunato also registered a goal for the Icemen in the 2022 ECHL All-Star Classic last January. 

In 2020-21, Fortunato appeared in 13 American Hockey League appearances split between the Belleville Senators and Cleveland Monsters. During the 2019-20 season, the 5-11, 170-pound blueliner recorded 21 points (2g, 19a) in 48 games played with the Florida Everblades (ECHL). 

Prior to turning pro, Fortunato played collegiately at Quinnipiac University where he totaled 36 points in two seasons from 2017-2019.  The Albertson, New York resident also played two seasons at Boston University and registered 40 points.  

The following is a list of players that have agreed to terms with the Icemen for the 2022-2023 season: 

Goaltender Charles WilliamsDefensemenVictor HadfieldBo HansonBrandon FortunatoBrendan LessJacob PanettaTim Theocharidis

ForwardsJake HamacherBrendan HarrisLuke KeenanLuke LynchMatt SalhanySam SternschienMike Szmatula--The Icemen open the 2022-2023 season at home on October 22 against the Orlando Solar Bears.  Full and partial season ticket packages are currently available!   Contact the Icemen office at 904-602-7825, or visit www.jacksonvilleicemen.com for more information.

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