JACKSONVILLE, FL – The Jacksonville Icemen, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres and the AHL’s Rochester Americans announced today that the team has traded forwards Christopher Brown and Garrett Van Wyhe to the Toledo Walleye in exchange for the following players:

Jed Pietila, defenseman 
Will Hillman, forward
Colby Ambrosio, forward 
Jacques Bouquot, forward
**The Icemen will also receive a fifth player as part of a future consideration in this deal.   

In this five-for-two trade, the Icemen will receive five players to reload the team’s roster for the remainder of this season and for the future.

Jed Pietila, 27, joins the Icemen after playing the past two seasons and part of a third with Toledo, collecting 22 points (5g, 14a) and +8 rating. The 5-11, 190-pound defenseman will boost the Icemen’s blue line.  Prior to his time in Toledo, the Howell, Michigan resident played two seasons at Michigan Tech, logging 30 points in 75 collegiate games from 2022-2024. 

Will Hillman, 25, is a rookie who has collected 17 points (8g, 9a) in 45 games played with the Walleye this season.  The 6-2, 203-pound forward adds some size and skill to the Icemen’s forward unit.  Hillman also appeared in ten postseason games with Toledo last spring.  The Blaine, Minnesota resident played four collegiate seasons at Minnesota State University – Mankato from 2021-202

Colby Ambrosio, 23, heads to Jacksonville having recorded 16 points (10g, 6a) in 44 appearances with Toledo This season.  The 5-9 177-pound center is currently in his rookie season as well and made a big impression with the Walleye out of college last spring when he posted eight points (3g, 5a) in 12 games.  Prior to his time with the Walleye, Ambrosio played one collegiate season at Miami University (Ohio) and four seasons at Boston College.  He totaled 86 points during his college career from 2020-2025. A resident of Welland, Ontario, Ambrosio, was selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the fourth-round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. 

Jacques Bouquot, 25, comes to the Icemen having registered ten points (2g, 8a) in 29 outings with the Walleye this season.  Last season the 6-2, 190-pound center also appeared in 27 games with the Reading Royals during the previous two seasons adding 12 points in those contests.  Prior to his pro career, Bouquot had a productive final collegiate season at Penn State University where he totaled 27 points (12g, 15a) in just 34 games. Prior to Penn State, the South Windsor, Connecticut resident compiled 50 points in four seasons at the University of Vermont from 2019-2024. 

The Icemen will receive a fifth player in this deal, as part of a future consideration at a later date. 

Christopher Brown, 30, heads for his new opportunity in Toledo after being a staple member of the Icemen organization for the past six seasons.  The veteran forward captained the Icemen for the past five years and leads the Icemen All-Time in every offensive stats category including points (244), goals (101), assists (143), and games played (335) from 2020-2026

Garrett Van Wyhe, 28, will join Brown in Toledo after nearly three years with the Icemen from 2023-2026.  Van Wyhe totaled 83 points with a balanced 39 goals and 44 assists in 156 games played. Van Wyhe also registered several key overtime winning goals during his time in Jacksonville. 

The Jacksonville Icemen would like to thank both Christopher Brown and Garrett Van Wyhe for their contributions both on and off the ice.  Their legacy in Jacksonville will be remembered, and we wish them all the best in their new opportunity in Toledo. 

The Icemen are back in action on Friday night at Atlanta.  The team will return home on Saturday (February 28) against South Carolina at 7:00 p.m. 

Tickets are available online at Ticketmaster, or by contacting the Icemen office at 904-602-7825, or visit www.jacksonvilleicemen.com for more information. 

                                                                        #SubZero