McInnis, 28, returns to the Fuel after joining the club last season in November. McInnis tallied 18 goals and 34 points in 57 games with Indy last season, playing on the third line alongside last season’s team MVP Ryan Rupert and Matt Rupert. The gritty forward was also the recipient of the Fuel’s 2017-18 Game Changer award. The award was selected by head coach Bernie John and assistant coach Ryan McGinnis. The Boston, MA native brings four seasons of ECHL experience to the Fuel, playing for five other teams around the league. McInnis played three seasons in Orlando, serving as the Solar Bears’ assistant captain in 2016-17 before being traded to the Utah Grizzlies just 13 games into the season.

McInnis brings a great two-way game to the Fuel for this coming season. One play that sticks out in my mind is when McInnis blocked two shots at the end of the last game of the regular season against the Kalamazoo Wings. Those two blocked shots saved the game and perhaps the season for Indy. Not only can he play on the defensive end, but he brings a gritty play to the offensive zone. He puts his body in front of the net to screen the goaltender for shots coming in from the point, something the Fuel have not done much of in the past.

Dufour, 25, will be coming to Indianapolis for the first time in his career, after playing for three other ECHL teams in the past. The Bowling Green State University alum is entering his second full season in the league, playing for the Wichita Thunder for most of the season last year. In 43 games with Wichita, the Quebec City native tallied 15 goals and 15 helpers to send the Thunder to the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.

I can imagine Dufour being a solid second-line winger alongside Thompson for next season. Dufour’s playmaking abilities will be a huge addition to the organization’s strong forward core already. Not only can Dufour find his teammates but he has no problem putting the puck in the back of the net. Dufour has a strong ability to put home rebounds and can clean up in the dirty areas, much like McInnis. Hopefully, both Dufour and Thompson will feed off each other’s playmaking abilities and will be the origin point for each other’s growth next season.

For more Indy Fuel news, updates, and analysis follow @evanfmiller on Twitter.

The post BREAKING: McInnis, Dufour Sign with Fuel for 2018-19 Season appeared first on The Rink.

According to an agreement between ECHL and all its parent clubs, teams must provide housing to all their players. The Indy Fuel have done just that with fully furnished apartments for members of the club. The apartments sit right next to the Fuel Tank at Fishers, an ice rink owned by an affiliate company of the team. Despite the recently renovated rink being feet away from the player’s housing, Fuel President Larry McQueary told The-Rink that practices would continue to take place at the home of the team, Indiana Farmers Coliseum.

When asked about how these apartments would attract players to Indy, McQueary replied, “They’re brand new. No one else has new housing right now in the league. They can walk directly next door to work out, do a little stick and puck, it’s all right there.”

Apparently, the apartments were attractive enough to bring back forwards Logan Nelson and Mathew Thompson for their second seasons with the Fuel.

Logan Nelson

Nelson came to the Fuel in a mid-season trade with the Fort Wayne Komets that saw defenseman Anthony Cortese get sent up the interstate from Indy to Fort Wayne. The Rogers, MN native played in 21 games with Indy, tallying seven goals and 19 points, but boasts a fantastic defensive game as well.

“We brought him in last year to be a two-way guy,” Fuel assistant coach Ryan McGinnis said, “He plays a 200-foot game and a brand of hockey that we like.”

Nelson brings three seasons of ECHL hockey to the Fuel, his seventh different team in that span. With that experience comes leadership and that is exactly Nelson brings.

“He brings a good component to the locker room, which the guys like, and that helps at this level tremendously. If you can bring in enough locker room character guys like himself, the rest will take care of itself.”

It’s also worth noting that Nelson left Game 1 of the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs in Toledo with an injury. The 24-year-old never returned to the playoff series. According to McGinnis, “he is rehabbing” and “taking care of himself.”

Mathew Thompson

Bernie John and his staff brought in some key components to the team this season, but none of them overshadowed the signing of Adrian College captain Mathew Thompson. The Fuel brought the rookie in to close out the regular season and he sure did stand out.

Thompson suited up in seven games with Indy and netted two goals and six points, while also enjoying a +4 rating. The 2017-18 NCAA Division III Player of the Year also played in all four playoff games with Indy, scoring the first home playoff goal in the team’s four-year history. Along with that goal, Thompson added an assist to his playoff stat line.

When asked how much he thinks Thompson is going to help the team this coming season, McGinnis replied, “I think he’s going to help tremendously. We were able to get a good look at him last year in his seven-game sample during the regular season and that was enough for us. We’re glad to have him and he’ll add some great depth to our team.”

The Goaltending Situation

As of right now, the Fuel have no goaltender for the upcoming season. Standout rookie goaltender Etienne Marcoux signed with the Laval Rocket of the AHL this offseason and Matt Tomkins signed an AHL contract with the Rockford IceHogs, Indy’s AHL affiliate. Tomkins is currently the frontrunner for the starting job with Indy, but the backup position is still up in the air.

“When you get contracted players like [Marcoux and Tomkins] who are affiliated with Rockford and Laval, first and foremost it runs through them,” McGinnis said. “If we see them, we don’t know that. It’s going to be up to Rockford and Laval and their situations. You usually get guys like that at the end of the summer.”

The Chicago Blackhawks, the Fuel’s NHL affiliate, just announced the signing of goaltender Cam Ward, which would then push someone down to the Fuel through Rockford, barring any more roster moves.

The post Catching up with the Indy Fuel: Housing and the Upcoming Season appeared first on The Rink.