The Jacksonville Icemen had forward Blake Biondi assigned back to the club by the Iowa Wild and signed defenseman Taos Jordan. The transactions also led to the release of forward Brendan Yeamans. Defenseman Joey Berkopec was released from his professional tryout contract.
Biondi, 24, was recalled to the Iowa Wild before the start of the regular season. He played one game with Iowa this season in the American Hockey League. Biondi also recorded an assist in Jacksonville’s preseason matchup with the Savannah Ghost Pirates.
The 2020 Montreal Canadiens draft pick recorded 25 points in 27 games with the Greensboro Gargoyles last season. He also played 29 games with the American Hockey League’s Western Conference champion Chicago Wolves. His assignment gives Jacksonville a forward with recent experience in the AHL.
Taos Jordan returns to Jacksonville
Jordan, 22, is a defenseman from Brooklin, Ontario who played 67 games for the Icemen last season during his rookie professional campaign. He recorded 25 points, including seven goals and 18 assists, while adding 62 penalty minutes. Jordan also finished with a plus-four plus-minus rating.
Jordan played eight games with Sacred Heart University this season and recorded one goal and one assist. He is listed at 6 feet and 192 pounds. Before joining Jacksonville, Jordan played the previous three seasons with the Ontario Hockey League’s Owen Sound Attack.
Jordan recorded 51 points, including seven goals and 44 assists, in 191 career games with Owen Sound. His signing reunites him with Jacksonville Icemen Head Coach Sean Teakle. Teakle coached Jordan for two seasons from 2022-2024 in Owen Sound while serving as an assistant coach.
FSB Take
Jacksonville’s roster moves add Biondi after his AHL appearance and bring Jordan back after a 25-point rookie season with the Icemen. The transactions also clear spots through the releases of Yeamans and Berkopec. With the Jacksonville 10th Anniversary Season underway, the club has added a forward with recent AHL experience and a defenseman who already knows the organization and its head coach.
Source: Original report