A Glance at the 2024-25 Season…

Last season:

• Record: 34-30-3-5 (.528), 76 pts
• Team Finish: Fifth place in North Division
• Playoffs: Did not make playoffs
• Record vs Division: 24-23-3-5 (.509)
• Record vs Conference: 27-29-3-5 (.484)
• Goals For Per Game: 3.15 (17th in ECHL)
• Goals Against Per Game: 3.36 (16th in ECHL)
• Power Play: 50 goals in 254 opportunities (19.7%), 12th in the ECHL
• Penalty Kill: 201 penalties killed out of 256 times shorthanded (88.5%), 23rd in the ECHL

Scoring Leaders:

1. Anthony Repaci (29-36-65)
2. Connor Welsh (8-49-57)
3. Jordan Kaplan (18-31-49
4. Anthony Callin (24-24-48)
5. Matt Kopperud (17-22-39)

2025-26 Season Preview

After yet another season of coming up points short of a Kelly Cup playoff spot, all eyes are back on the Worcester Railers as the 2025-26 season begins on October 18. The team enters their eighth playing season hopeful for a playoff spot, something they have come within points of in the past several seasons.

Nick Tuzzolino returns for his first full season behind the bench after stepping into the head coaching role midway through last year, where he also served as the assistant coach and general manager. Joining him is Chris Rumble, entering his rookie season as an assistant coach and yes he is the son of former Worcester IceCat Darren Rumble. Before coaching, Chris spent the last three seasons as an on-ice official across the AHL, ECHL, PWHL, and USHL. That followed a seven-year professional playing career as a defenseman, with stops in the ECHL, AHL, Germany’s DEL, Norway, and Austria.

The Railers return with a strong core from last season, bringing back Riley Ginnell, Lincoln Hatten, Kolby Johnson, Tyler Kobryn, Tanner Schachle, Riley Piercey, Cole Donhauser, Matt Demelis, Anthony Callin, Anthony Repaci, Anthony Hora, Cam McDonald, Kabore Dunn, Tristan Lennox, and Henrik Tikkanen. Daylan Kuefler is the lone former Railer on either of the New York or Bridgeport Islanders rosters, an injury kept him to just 16 games last season and is battling back from another injury sustained in training camp to start his 2025-26 season.

Joining them is Drew Callin, older brother of Anthony, who returns to Worcester after playing 230 AHL games over the past four seasons with the Springfield Thunderbirds. Another family connection enters the lineup as well, with Tanner Schachle’s brother, Porter, set to make his professional debut after splitting his collegiate career between the University of Vermont and the University of Alaska–Anchorage. Both Callin brothers will be alternate captains for the 2025-26 season.

The Railers also added several new faces this offseason. TJ Walsh and Ryan Miotto arrived in a three-team trade involving the Wheeling Nailers and Iowa Heartlanders that sent Jordan Kaplan and Ryan Mashie to Wheeling while Iowa received future considerations. Cole Fraser and Matt Stief were signed as free agents, and Jason Horvath was acquired from the Idaho Steelheads in a future considerations deal during training camp.

Goaltenders Henrik Tikkanen and Tristan Lennox return to Worcester after being reassigned from the New York Islanders and Bridgeport Islanders organizations. Former Holy Cross goaltender Thomas Gale joined the Railers on a PTO and earned an SPC out of training camp after spending last season with Wheeling. Forwards Max Dorrington and Ross Mitton, along with defenseman Calle Odelius, were also assigned to Worcester, arriving just ahead of the season-opening roster announcement.

Head Coach and GM Nick Tuzzolino has stressed the importance of players choosing to sign in Worcester, plenty of players have had opportunities to play elsewhere, and those players have chosen to play here. Riley Piercey and Cam McDonald signed with Worcester after being assigned here in past seasons, both being contracted players with the Bridgeport Islanders and were unrestricted free agents. Veteran Anthony Repaci returns for his fifth season, which will be his fourth year as captain. Cole Fraser also chose to join and has played in over 280 games in the ECHL. Veterans hold more leverage at the end of the season because they eventually become free agents if they are offered a contract with their previous team and do not sign.

The Railers will play 66 of their 72 games against North Division opponents this season, with Maine being their most frequent matchup at 14 meetings. They’ll see Adirondack 11 times and Reading 10 times, while Norfolk and Trois-Rivières appear on the schedule nine times each. The new Greensboro Gargoyles will face Worcester five times. Outside the division, the Florida Everblades visit Worcester for a three-game set in early January, and in February the Railers will make their first-ever trip to Rapid City for three games against the Rush.

ECHL to begin season without new Collective Bargaining Agreement
The ECHL and PHPA begin the 2025–26 season without a new Collective Bargaining Agreement after the previous deal expired on June 30, 2025. Until a new agreement is reached, both sides will operate under the old terms while negotiations on a new CBA focus on cost-of-living adjustments, per diems, housing policies, playoff shares, and veteran rules, some of which change year-to-year under past CBAs.

DCU Center to undergo name change as a part of Credit Union Merger
With the upcoming merger between Digital Federal Credit Union and First Tech Credit Union, Worcester’s longtime DCU Center is slated to take on a new name: the First Tech Center. There is no timeframe for the renaming the old Centrum, though the deal is expected to close on January 1, 2026.

New Jerseys for 2025-26
The Worcester Railers unveiled a fresh set of jerseys for the 2025-26 season at a 508 Club members event in mid-October, marking one of the most significant visual updates in franchise history. The blue and navy sweaters have been completely redesigned, giving the team a new on-ice identity, while the orange jersey carries forward last year’s popular “trainhead” crest from the former blue design. The revamped white and navy uniforms both feature the club’s primary logo front and center.

All three jerseys proudly display the City of Worcester’s seal and the circular secondary logo on the shoulders. Notably, this marks the first time in franchise history that none of the uniforms include an Islanders logo, as the organization enters the final year of its current affiliation agreement.

• Hockey Fights Cancer – Saturday November 8, 2025
• Worcester IceCats Throwbacks – Friday & Saturday, January 9 & 10, 2026
• Worcester Sharks Throwbacks – Saturday, January 31, 2026
• Pink in the Rink – Saturday, February 14, 2026
• Worcester Monkey Wrenches – Saturday & Sunday, February 28 & March 1, 2026
• Military Appreciation – Friday, March 20, 2026

Notable Additions and Subtractions:

• + TJ Walsh and Ryan Miotto – Acquiring TJ Walsh and Ryan Miotto is a no-brainer for Worcester, as both matched Jordan Kaplan’s 18-goal production with the Iowa Heartlanders last season.
• + Cole Fraser – Cole Fraser’s arrival gives Worcester a needed physical presence on the blue line, adding toughness and edge to their defensive core.
• + Drew Callin – Drew Callin returning to Worcester is a major boost both on the ice and in the locker room. He already knows the organization, the coaching staff, and the city, which means he can step in without any adjustment period and immediately take on key minutes. After four seasons and over 200 AHL games in Springfield, he brings high-level experience and a steady two-way presence back to the Railers’ lineup.
• – Connor Welsh – Losing Connor Welsh is a major blow, as he led all ECHL defensemen with 57 points, quarterbacked Worcester’s power play, and was named to the ECHL Second All-Star Team. He played in all 72 games last season, posting eight goals and 49 assists before signing with HK Dukla Michalovce for 2025-26.
• – Justin Gill – Justin Gill’s departure takes away one of Worcester’s most efficient forwards, as he produced just under a point per game with 22 points in 23 appearances and led the team with a +9 rating. After initially signing with Cincinnati for 2025-26, he chose to play for Merrimack College, leaving the Railers without a reliable two-way playmaker who brought both scoring touch and strong defensive responsibility.
• – Jordan Kaplan – Jordan Kaplan’s departure removes a key piece of Worcester’s offense, as he ranked third on the team with 49 points in 68 games and provided consistent production across all situations. While he was traded along with Ryan Mahshie to Wheeling in exchange for TJ Walsh and Ryan Miotto, the Railers lose a familiar and reliable scorer who was a steady presence in their top six.
• – Griffin Luce – Laced his skates for all but one game for Worcester last season. Led all defensemen with a +6 Rating. Has signed with the Dundee Stars of the EIHL for the 2025-26 season.

Changes for the ECHL in 2025-26:

• Rule #9.5 – Protective Equipment
  Players must wear all protective equipment—except gloves, helmets, and goalies’ leg pads—under their uniform. Visible or non-compliant gear must be corrected immediately or a minor penalty will be issued, escalating to misconduct or game misconduct for repeated violations. All pants must be uniform in color and undamaged. Players are required to wear A5 or higher cut-proof socks, wrist, and neck protection; failure to do so results in removal from play, a $100 fine, and potential misconduct penalties for repeat offenses.
• Rule #46 – Fighting
  The ECHL has eliminated the automatic game misconduct for staged fights. Instead, referees now have discretion to assess penalties as they see fit and must report the incident for potential supplementary discipline under Rule 28.

2025-26 Roster

ECHL teams can carry a maximum of 20 Players on the active roster, no more than 18 of whom may be skaters, at any one time. For the first 30 days of the regular season, teams can carry a maximum of 21 Players on the active roster, no more than 19 of whom may be skaters, at any one time.

Teams are permitted to carry up to two (2) Players at a time on the Reserve List, while an unlimited number of players can be placed on the 14-day Injured Reserve.

Forwards (15)
Anthony Callin (WOR)
Anthony Repaci (WOR)
Cole Donhauser (WOR)
Drew Callin (WOR)
Kolby Johnson (WOR)
Lincoln Hatten (WOR)
Matt DeMelis (WOR)
Max Dorrington (BRI)
Porter Schachle (WOR)
Riley Ginnell (WOR)
Riley Piercey (WOR)
Ross Mitton (BRI)
Ryan Miotto (WOR)
T.J. Walsh (WOR)
Tanner Schachle (WOR)
Tyler Kobryn (WOR)

Defensemen (8)
Anthony Hora (WOR)
Calle Odelius (NYI)
Cam McDonald (WOR)
Cole Fraser (WOR)
Jason Horvath (WOR)
Kabore Dunn (WOR)
Matt Stief (WOR)
Michael Ferrandino (WOR)

Goalies (3)
Henrik Tikkanen (BRI)
Tristan Lennox (NYI)
Thomas Gale (WOR)

ECHL 2025-26 Critical Dates

October 2025

2 Players may report to Training Camp for team meetings, registration, physicals, etc.

3 Training Camp opens, Members may begin on-ice sessions

15 Season-Opening Rosters due to League Office (3 p.m. ET)

17 ECHL regular season begins

November 2025

16 Active Rosters cut down from 21 to 20 (by 3 p.m. ET)

December 2025

22 Christmas Waiver/Trade Freeze begins (5 p.m. ET)

23-25 Christmas Break (no games)

26 Christmas Waiver/Trade Freeze ends (12 p.m. ET)

January 2026

18-19 2026 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic (Allen, Texas)

20-22 All-Star Break (no games played)

23 Jersey Reversal Date

March 2026

2 Overseas Deadline (3 p.m. ET) & IIHF Transfer Deadline (6 p.m. ET)

TBD Recall/Assignment Deadline

TBD ECHL Trade Deadline

April 2026

10 Last day to place Player on Waivers (5 p.m. ET)

12 Last day of 2025-26 ECHL regular season

13 Submission of Playoff Rosters due (3 p.m. ET)

15 2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs begin

June 2026

8 Protected Lists due (3 p.m. ET)

20 Future Considerations Trade Deadline (3 p.m. ET)

22 Season-Ending Rosters due (3 p.m. ET)

23 First day to sign contracts for 2026-27 Season

July 2026

7 Qualifying Offers due to Players (11:59 p.m. ET)

22 Qualifying Offer Acceptance Period ends (11:59 p.m. ET)

August 2026

8 Restricted Free Agency ends

2025-26 Schedule

A full breakdown of opponents this season:

14x Maine Mariners – (8 home, 6 away)
11x Adirondack Thunder – (5 home, 6 away)
10x Reading Royals – (6 home, 4 away)
9x Trois-Rivieres Lions – (5 home, 4 away)
9x Norfolk Admirals – (4 home, 5 away)
8x Wheeling Nailers – (3 home, 5 away)
5x Greensboro Gargoyles – (2 home, 3 away)
3x Florida Everblades – (3 home, 0 away)
3x Rapid City Rush – (0 home, 3 away)

A full promotional schedule can be found on the Railers website.

2025-26 NHL/AHL Affiliations