For immediate release
For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825, joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.
The Knoxville Ice Bears have re-signed forward Davide Gaeta for the 2026-27 SPHL season. Gaeta returns to Knoxville after playing 43 games last year during his maiden SPHL season. He scored ten goals and added nine assists in his first year playing for Ice Bears head coach John Gurskis.
The Switzerland native scored his first career SPHL goal on Nov. 1 in a road win at Birmingham. He captured his first game-winner of the season on Dec. 19 against the Bulls with a third-period tie-breaking wrist shot from the slot and notched his second game-winner of the year by scoring the first goal of the game in a shutout win over Macon on Feb. 1. He later enjoyed a four-game goal streak, finding the back of the net in four consecutive games from Feb. 21-28.
Prior to the SPHL, Gaeta spent two seasons playing professionally in Switzerland. He then played two seasons in the FPHL, totaling 46 points in 48 games for Port Huron and Elmira before breaking out with 84 points in 51 games while serving stints for HC Venom and Watertown, earning him FPHL Forward of the Year honors.
The Ice Bears will open their 25th season in franchise history in October.
ABOUT The Knoxville Ice Bears: The Knoxville Ice Bears organization began in 2002 and was an inaugural charter member of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) in 2004. As four-time SPHL Champions and five-time regular season champions, the Ice Bears are an experienced and established organization, offering the city and its visitors a balanced product of highlight-reel hockey, unique and exciting intermission activity and endless fan interaction, presenting the most affordable, family-friendly way to enjoy sports and entertainment. Season, Partial Season and Flex Tickets are now on sale. For more information, visit www.knoxvilleicebears.com or call (865) 525-7825.
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