Fuel finish four trades

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indy Fuel, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks and the AHL's Rockford IceHogs, announced Tuesday four transactions that satisfied the future considerations owed from deals over the 2016-17 season. The Fuel received the rights to forward Shane Bakker (Atlanta Gladiators) and defenseman Harrison Ruopp (Allen Americans), while sending the rights to defenseman Adam Phillips to the Orlando Solar Bears and forward Cason Hohmann to the Norfolk Admirals.

Bakker, 29, completes the trade that sent defenseman Ben Marshall to Atlanta back in October. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound forward skated in 51 games for the Gladiators last season, recording 18 points (7g, 11a) and 86 penalty minutes. Heading into his fifth year as a professional, Bakker marked 17 goals, 41 assists and 321 penalty minutes in 167 total ECHL games with the Gladiators and the Wheeling Nailers.

The native of Ottawa, Ontario also touts 28 games of American Hockey League experience, collecting two points (1g, 1a) and 89 penalty minutes over stints with the Providence Bruins, St. John's Ice Caps and Hamilton Bulldogs.

Ruopp, 24, is the final piece of the March exchange with Allen that brought Jake Marchment to Indy. A 6-foot-3, 192-pound blueliner out of Zehner, Saskatchewan, Ruopp recorded nine points (1g, 8a) and 81 penalty minutes with the Americans last year, in addition to dressing for three games with the AHL's San Jose Barracuda.

Prior to his time with Allen, Ruopp spent three years in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, splitting his time between the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers. In 125-career ECHL contests, the 2011 third round selection of the Arizona Coyotes (No. 84 overall) has collected three goals, 15 assists and 260 penalty minutes.

Phillips, 26, tallied 14 points (2g, 12a) in 30 games with the Fuel in 2016-17 after being traded from Norfolk on Jan. 12. The defenseman from Framington Hills, Mich. is entering his fourth season in the ECHL, amassing 21 goals and 46 assists in 168 career games with the Fuel, Admirals, Kalamazoo Wings and Stockton Thunder.

Hohmann, 24, completes the January trade that brought Phillips to Indianapolis. The Arlington, Texas native appeared in six games for the Fuel after his mid-season acquisition from the Solar Bears, picking up one goal and three assists. Hohmann was named to the ECHL's All-Rookie Team in 2015-16, after marking 57 points (20g, 37a) in 59 games for the Elmira Jackals.

The Fuel, in conjunction with the rest of the ECHL, will submit their end-of-season roster on Thursday - the final day of the 2016-17 season. Clubs can begin the process of signing players and extending qualifying offers as early as Friday.

Ticket Plans for the 2017-18 Indy Fuel season are now on sale! Join the team for year four at Indiana Farmers Coliseum and receive priority access to seats for the 2018 CCM/ECHL All Star Classic! Learn more by visiting IndyFuelHockey.com or calling 317-925-FUEL. Keep tabs on the team during the offseason by following the Fuel on Twitter and Instagram (@IndyFuel) and don't forget to ‘Like' the Fuel on Facebook.

— INDYFUELHOCKEY.COM —