Bloomington, Ill. – Bloomington Bison General Manager and Head Coach, Phillip Barski, announced today the team’s 2025 Protected List whose ECHL rights are retained.
The Protected List is the first phase in a three-step offseason process in which teams can protect playing rights through the signing period. The list does not include players on AHL or NHL contracts and is not equal to a signing. The Protected List is as follows:
FORWARDS (17): Josh Boyer, Eddie Matsushima, Shane Ott, Max Neill, Connor Lockhart, Lou-Felix Denis, Chongmin Lee, Brandon Yeamans, Mikael Robidoux, Gavin Gould, Patriks Marcinkevics, Jonny Evans, Sam Sternschein, Kohei Sato, Dustin Manz, Brett Budgell, Blade Jenkins
DEFENSEMEN (8): Matt Staudacher, Zack Hoffman, Jacob Flynn, Jake Murray, Evan Stella, Renat Dadadzhanov, Jack Robilotti, Thomas Stewart
GOALTENDERS (2): Kasimir Kaskisuo, Mark Sinclair
Teams are allowed to protect as many players as they wish provided the players protected meet the guidelines as defined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the ECHL and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association which state that teams shall retain the rights to each player that:
1. Signed an SPC in 2024-25 with the Member, and has not been traded or released, OR
2. Signed an SPC in 2024-25, and was recalled to the NHL/AHL or IIHF team, and has not been traded or released, OR
3. Had received a Qualifying Offer last summer for the current Season, DID NOT sign an SPC, and has not been traded or released, OR
4. Has been suspended by the Member or League, and has not been traded or released, OR
5. Signed an SPC on or after the first day of the 2024-25 Regular Season, then subsequently signed an NHL/AHL contract, and has not been traded or released, OR
6. Has executed the ECHL Retirement Form, and has not been traded or released.
Protected lists may exceed 20 players.
The ECHL also announced that teams must complete all Future Consideration trades by 3 p.m. ET on June 20 and that teams must submit their Season-Ending Roster by 3 p.m. ET on June 22.
Season-ending rosters may include up to 20 players and cannot include any players who did not sign an ECHL contract in 2024-25.
2025-26 Full and Half Season Memberships are now on sale! Full Season Membership pricing starts at just $699 per seat. Half Season Membership pricing starts at just $379 per seat. 11-month payment plans are also available! To secure your seats visit bloomingtonbisonhockey.com or call (309) 965-HERD.