Indy adds depth and toughness to blue line

NDIANAPOLIS - The Indy Fuel, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks and the AHL's Rockford IceHogs, announced Thursday that they have agreed to terms with a pair of defensemen for the 2017-18 ECHL season in Garrett Clarke and Travis Armstrong. Clarke returns to North America after a brief stint overseas, while Armstrong is back after finishing the 2016-17 season with the Fuel.

Clarke, 24, closed out 2016-17 in Romania with ASC Corona Brasov, in addition to stints in Poland and with the ECHL's Brampton Beast. In 20 games with the Beast, the 6-foot-0, 198-pound blueliner recorded two goals, three assists and 40 penalty minutes. A native of Windsor, Nova Scotia, Clarke has tallied 25 points (8g, 17a) and 322 penalty minutes in 96 career ECHL contests with Brampton, the Rapid City Rush and Allen Americans.

The sixth-year professional played a part in two championship runs with the Americans, helping them to the Central Hockey League's (CHL) President's Cup in 2012-13 and their first of two consecutive Kelly Cup titles in 2014-15. In parts of two seasons in the CHL with Allen and the Arizona Sundogs, Clarke accumulated 18 points (6g, 12a) and 411 penalty minutes in 106 total outings.

Armstrong, 27, marked one goal and three assists in 16 games with Indy last season, joining the team in mid-February. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound rearguard also dressed in 22 games with the Southern Professional Hockey League's (SPHL) Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs in 2016-17, showing two goals, five assists and 39 penalty minutes. In 40 career ECHL games with Indy, Idaho, Manchester, Brampton, Norfolk and Kalamazoo, Armstrong has collected one goal and four assists.

The Fuel's 2017-18 roster now stands at 13 players under contract - consisting of eight forwards and five defensemen. View the entire roster by clicking here.

Opening Night of the 2017-18 Indy Fuel season arrives on October 21, and Ticket Plans 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 —