The Idaho Steelheads announced this week that they have inked veteran defenseman Brady Keeper to a contract that will carry him through the 2026‑27 campaign, joining the ECHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars.
Keeper, a 30‑year‑old blue‑liner, arrives after a trade that saw the Steelheads acquire his ECHL rights from the Rapid City Rush in June, a move that also involved forward Jaden Shields.
During the 2025‑26 season he posted five points — two goals and three assists — across seven games with the Rush, a performance that helped cement his role as a reliable depth defenseman.
His professional résumé includes stints in the American Hockey League with outfits such as the Springfield Thunderbirds, Syracuse Crunch, Abbotsford Canucks and Laval Rocket, where he accumulated 31 points in 129 appearances from 2019 through 2024.
Keeper also earned three call‑ups to the NHL’s Florida Panthers, culminating in a playoff appearance in 2020, and he brings that top‑level experience to the Steelheads’ blue line.
Prior to turning pro, the defenseman spent two seasons at the University of Maine, where he served as a team leader, posting a plus‑minus rating of +17 in his freshman year and leading the squad in shots with 101 the following year, while contributing 44 points through 13 goals and 31 assists in 73 games.
A Strategic Addition for the Steelheads
Coaching staff say his blend of size, defensive acumen and willingness to block shots should shore up a back end that has been seeking stability, while his familiarity with the ECHL’s fast‑paced style should make the transition seamless.
Fans can look forward to seeing the veteran in action when the Steelheads open the 2026‑27 schedule, a season that promises to blend youthful energy with the seasoned presence of a player who has already tasted both the AHL and NHL stages.