CRUNCH BEGIN 32ND SEASON
 
The Syracuse Crunch open their 32^nd season in the AHL tonight with a visit to the Giant Center to face off against the Hershey Bears.
 
Syracuse posted a 2-0 mark in the preseason by defeating the Utica Comets twice last week.
 
BROADCAST COVERAGE
 
Countdown to Crunch Time at 6:45 p.m.
Streaming: Pay-to-watch video via AHLTV on FloHockey | www.syracusecrunch.com/watch
Radio: ESPN Radio Syracuse | www.espncny.com
 
LAST SEASON
 
The Crunch finished the 2024-25 season with a 37-23-8-4 record. They collected 86 points and wound up in third place in the North Division.
 
Syracuse faced the Rochester Americans in the North Division Semifinals for a third consecutive season. The Amerks defeated the Crunch in three games.
 
HALVERSON READY TO BACKSTOP THE CRUNCH
 
Last season's Team MVP, Brandon Halverson, is back for his third season with the Crunch. Halverson led the Crunch with a 22-11-8 record with a 2.22 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage. He also posted five shutouts while being named an AHL All-Star for the first time in his career. He signed an NHL contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and he made his first career NHL start, during a career year.
 
The 29-year-old is joined by two other goalies on the Crunch's opening night roster. Ryan Fanti saw action in seven games for the Crunch last season, going 3-1-0. The rest of his season was spent with the ECHL's Orlando Solar Bears. 
 
Rookie Harrison Meneghin begins his pro career after winning WHL playoff MVP by leading Medicine Hat to the WHL championship. 
 
STEVEN SANTINI NAMED CRUNCH CAPTAIN
 
Veteran defenseman Steven Santini was named the 22nd full-time captain in Crunch history. The 30-year-old had 17 points and a plus-10 rating in 58 games during his first season in the organization last year.
 
Santini's elevation marks a changing of the guard for the Crunch. He replaces the now-retired Gabriel Dumont, who was the longest-serving captain in Crunch history. 
 
Santini is supported by four assistant captains. Declan Carlile, Boris Katchouk, Scott Sabourin and Jakob Pelletier were all named assistant captains. Two will wear their letter on the road and two will wear their letter at home.
 
MANY NEW FACES
 
The Crunch's opening night roster consists of 26 total players. It is made of three goaltenders, eight defensemen and 15 forwards. Of the 26, only nine saw regular action with the Crunch in 2024-25. Six players enter the league as rookies in 2025-26.
 
Notable new faces include free agent additions Jakob Pelletier, Nick Abruzzese and Scott Sabourin. A first-round pick in 2019, Pelletier has 130 points in 139 career AHL games. Abruzzese collected 143 points over three years for the Toronto Marlies while missing just five games in that span. Sabourin has picked up at least 25 points and more than 100 penalty minutes in each of the last three seasons. 
 
YOUNG GUNS
 
The Crunch have six rookies on their opening night roster. They are goaltender Harrison Meneghin and forwards Lucas Mercuri, Dominic James, Connor Kurth, Cooper Flinton and Ethan Gauthier. 
 
Mercuri, Kurth, Flinton and Gauthier all saw brief action with the Crunch at the end of last season. Flinton nabbed his first pro goal in the process. James is the only brand-new face out of the forwards. Originally drafted by Chicago, the Minnesota-Duluth product signed an entry-level contract with the Lightning last month. The 23-year-old impressed during Lightning training camp where he was one of the final cuts before joining the Crunch.
 
SCOUTING THE BEARS
 
The Bears captured their second straight division title in 2024-25 but fell short of winning their third consecutive Calder Cup. Their Atlantic Division Finals loss to the Charlotte Checkers marked the end of the Todd Nelson era in Hershey. He departed to become an assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins after three seasons as head coach of the Bears.
 
Ivan Miroshnichenko is the leading returning scorer for the Bears. The 21-year-old paced the Bears with 23 goals and added 42 points in 53 games for Hershey. Ethan Frank is also back after scoring 20 goals last season. He netted two and added one assist in two appearances against the Crunch.