Pee Dee IceCats Announce Signing of Forward Eli Rivers

Florence, SC – The Pee Dee IceCats today announced the signing of forward Eli Rivers for the 2025–26 Federal Prospects Hockey League season.

Rivers, 26, joins the IceCats after spending the 2024–25 season with the Motor City Rockers, where he played in 56 games and registered 28 goals and 31 assists for 59 points. His offensive output ranked among the team leaders, and he demonstrated the ability to contribute consistently in both even-strength and power play situations.

Prior to turning professional, Rivers competed at the NCAA Division III level with Alvernia University. In the 2023–24 season, he appeared in 24 games for the Golden Wolves, scoring four goals and adding four assists while also bringing a physical presence with 51 penalty minutes. His time at Alvernia followed a successful junior career in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) with the Hamilton Kilty B’s, where he recorded 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points in just 24 games during the 2019–20 campaign. Rivers also spent two seasons with the Seacoast Spartans Prep program, where he collected 59 points (27 goals, 32 assists) across 52 games from 2017–2019.

Head coach Gary Graham expressed his enthusiasm for the addition of Rivers to the roster.

“Eli is a player who brings size, skill, and a proven ability to produce offense,” Graham said. “We are focused on building a championship-caliber roster here in Florence, and players like Eli are exactly the kind of pieces we need to achieve that goal. He has shown he can compete at a high level, and we expect him to step in and make an immediate impact for the IceCats.”

Rivers, a native of Waterbury, Vermont, becomes the latest addition to a roster the IceCats have continued to strengthen during the offseason as the team prepares for its second season in the FPHL. His combination of offensive ability and versatility adds depth to the forward lineup as the IceCats look to build a team capable of competing for a playoff run.

The Pee Dee IceCats will open their 2025–26 season this October at the Florence Center.