SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Tampa Bay Lightning have reassigned forward Brian Hart to the Syracuse Crunch from the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, Crunch general manager Julien BriseBois announced today. In addition, the Crunch have recalled defenseman Charlie Dodero from the Swamp Rabbits and goaltender Nick Riopel from the Norfolk Admirals.
Hart, 22, has skated in 24 games with the Crunch this season, recording two goals and 14 penalty minutes. He has also appeared in 36 games with the Swamp Rabbits, notching 11 goals and four assists to go along with four penalty minutes.
Prior to his professional career, the 6-foot-3, 222-pound forward skated in 37 games with the Harvard Crimson during the 2014-15 season, recording seven goals and 17 points. The Cumberland, Maine native ranked sixth on the Crimson for goals and tied for seventh for points. He played in 98 career games with Harvard over three seasons, recording 18 goals and 50 points.
Hart was drafted in the second round, 53rd overall, by the Lightning in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. He was signed to a three-year, two-way NHL contract with the team on June 28.
Dodero, 23, has skated in 10 games with the Crunch this season, recording 17 penalty minutes. He has also appeared in 30 contests with the Swamp Rabbits this season, registering two goals, five assists and 72 penalty minutes.
In 36 games with the Crunch during the 2014-15 season, Dodero collected five points (1g, 4a), 72 penalty minutes and recorded a plus-7 rating. The Bloomingdale, Illinois native also played in 33 with the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL last season, racking up 12 points (3g, 9a) and 81 penalty minutes. In 121 career ECHL games with Idaho and Greenville, Dodero has accumulated a total of 40 points (9g, 31a) and 250 penalty minutes.
Dodero was signed to a one-year AHL contract by the Syracuse Crunch on Sept. 2.
Riopel, 27, has appeared in 32 games with the Norfolk Admirals of the ECHL this season, posting a 13-15-1 record along with a 2.56 goals-against average and .924 save percentage. He also has a 4.03 goals-against average and .843 save percentage in two games with the Rapid City Rush this season.
The 6-foot, 185-pound netminder has appeared in 97 career ECHL contests with Norfolk, Rapid City and the Greenville Road Warriors, compiling a 51-38-5 record. Riopel also earned a 7-13-0 record in a career 21 AHL games all with the Adirondack Phantoms.
Riopel was selected in the fifth round, 142nd overall, by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He was signed to an AHL contract with the Crunch on March 4.
