For immediate release
For more information, contact: Joel Silverberg, Director of Broadcasting (865) 525-7825, joel@knoxvilleicebears.com.
The Knoxville Ice Bears have signed rookie forward Frankie Ireland for the 2026-27 season. Ireland returns to Knoxville after a brief stint with the team in the spring following the conclusion of his collegiate career last season.
The 5-foot-11, 195-pound winger first joined Knoxville in March, playing five games and notching three assists before returning to finish his coursework at Stonehill College, where he played for four years and served as the team captain for the past two. In 124 career games at Stonehill, Ireland scored 34 goals and totaled 83 points.
Prior to college, the Easton, Mass. native spent the majority of his junior career with the Boston Jr. Bruins, winning an NCDC title in 2019 before being named an All-Star selection the following year. He put up 113 points, including 56 goals, in 143 games across parts of five seasons in the NCDC. He also appeared in 41 games in the NAHL with the Lone Star Brahams during the 2021-22 campaign.
The Ice Bears open the 25th anniversary season Friday, October 16 at home against Evansville at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum.
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.
-xxx-
