NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – The South Carolina Stingrays, the ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Washington Capitals and the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears, announced today that the club has signed forward Ben Hawerchuk to a contract for the 2024-25 season. 
Hawerchuk, 26, signed with the Stingrays after being acquired in a trade with the Cincinnati Cyclones. The acquisition of Hawerchuk completed a trade effective Nov. 25, 2023, in which the Stingrays sent defenseman Cole Frazier to Cincinnati in exchange for a future contract.
Hawerchuk is in his sixth season of professional hockey with 104 games of ECHL experience, appearing in seven games with the Cyclones last season and recording eight points (two goals, six assists).
In 2021-23, Howerchuk earned 41 points (20 goals, 21 assists) and 156 penalty minutes in 83 regular season games with Jacksonville and helped the IceMen to playoff round victories in both 2021-22 and 2022-23. In 18 career ECHL playoff games, Howerchuk has earned six points (three goals, three assists) and 23 penalty minutes.
Hawerchuk's professional career also includes stints in Sweden, Italy and the UK, where he has played a total of 51 games overseas with Östersunds IK (Hokke Ettan), Meran/Merano (Alps HL) and Fife Flyers (EIHL).
Hawerchuk's father, Dale Hawerchuk, was a five-time NHL All-Star and inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001. Sadly, he passed away in 2020 at the age of 57 due to stomach cancer.
