A Strategic Overhaul Ahead of the New Campaign
The Idaho Steelheads announced a flurry of moves this week, completing a series of future‑consideration agreements that reshape the club’s defensive and forward lines as the team looks to contend in the upcoming ECHL season.
Defenseman Brady Keeper, a versatile blueliner who has logged time in the ECHL, AHL and even the NHL, is set to join the Steelheads after spending the 2025‑26 campaign with the Rapid City Rush, where he contributed four goals and 13 points in 68 AHL appearances from 2020 to 2024, and made a pair of appearances for the Florida Panthers.
Forward Mick Messner, a veteran of 153 ECHL games all with the Utah Grizzlies, brings a proven track record of 20 points in 45 European contests during the 2025‑26 season, adding depth and experience to Idaho’s attacking corps.
The club also secured forward Ryan Miotto from the Worcester Railers, a player who has compiled 39 points in 67 games for the Iowa Heartlanders in the 2024‑25 season and accumulated 132 ECHL appearances over his career, having honed his game over five collegiate seasons at the University of Vermont and Canisius College.
In a separate transaction, the Steelheads traded defenseman Dru Krebs to the Florida Panthers, finalizing a deal that had been hinted at earlier in the offseason and clearing cap space for the new acquisitions.
General manager Everett Sheen said the moves reflect a calculated approach to building a competitive roster, blending youthful talent with seasoned professionals, and positioning the team for a strong push in the playoffs.