PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Four Plymouth State University men's ice hockey alumni will continue their on-ice careers after signing professional contracts in recent days.
 
Recent graduates Myles Abbate '23, Brendahn Brawley '23 and Niks Krollis '23 all inked their first pro deals, while Peter Laviolette '21, '22G resigned with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL.
 
Abbate will join the Worcester Railers, also of the ECHL, while Brawley will suit up for the Knoxville Ice Bears of the SPHL. Krollis will play for DEAC Jégkorong in the Erste Liga of the Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation.
 
Abbate, a 5-10 forward, earned First Team All-America honors from the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA), was named the New England Hockey Writers Association Division II-III Co-Most Valuable Player, and became the first player in program history to claim the Joe Concannon Award as the best American-born hockey player in New England at the DII-III level last winter. The two-time Massachusetts Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Player of the Year posted a league-high 39 points to help PSU win a sixth-straight regular season title and fourth consecutive MASCAC Tournament crown. He ended his career tied for fifth among the team's all-time leading scorers with 115 career points. The Railers compete at the DCU Center as an affiliate of the New York Islanders in the North Division of the ECHL.
 
"I'm elated for this opportunity Myles has in front of him," said head coach Craig Russell. "The Worcester staff really values everything he stands for, and they believe in him just like we do. Myles is a winner and will have a chance to showcase his skills with some very good players. We know he will continue to grow his game and are looking forward to his Railers debut in a few short months."
 
Brawley was an All-MASCAC First Team selection after setting program records for goalie wins (22) and shutouts (5) in a season last year. The 6-2 goaltender posted a 1.00 goals against average and .943 save percentage during the Panthers' MASCAC Tournament run to claim Tournament MVP honors. He led the league in goals against and save percentage while surpassing the 30-save threshold 12 times. The Ice Bears was an inaugural member of the SPHL in 2004 and play at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum in Knoxville, Tenn.
 
"There are few guys that deserve this more than Brawls," said Russell. "He has reinvented himself and worked tirelessly at polishing his game. He came into his own during his junior season and capped it off with a record setting senior year. He knows there is work ahead of him and he's looking forward to the challenge. I know his skillset will translate well to the pro level and am looking forward to his debut in Knoxville this fall."
 
Krollis, a 6-0 defenseman, finished the year with a +16 rating, scoring eight goals and adding 14 assists on the year. His eight goals were second-most in the MASCAC among defensemen, while he added three game-winners and blocked 17 shots to earn All-MASCAC Second Team recognition. DEAC is one of seven Hungarian clubs competing in the Erste Liga, which also includes three teams from Romania.
 
"I'm excited for Niks to have this opportunity in Hungary," added Russell. "He's very focused on preparing for next season and we know he'll do well in the pro game. He will add a dynamic playmaker to their blue line, and I know he's ready for his game to take the next step."
 
Laviolette, a two-year captain for the Panthers, contributed 11 points (five goals, six assists) for the Nailers last season. The winner of the Project BEST Community Award, he led the team with 12 community appearances, while his physical style of play led to him finishing second on the team with 96 penalty minutes. The Nailers compete in the Central Division of the ECHL and play at Wesbanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia.
 
"I'm so happy for Pete to sign with Wheeling for his second season," said Russell. "He really has dedicated himself to their organization and built a ton of confidence in his game last year. The Nailers' staff has a good player development model that really benefited him and he's looking forward to continuing to develop his game at the pro level."
 
Plymouth State finished a program-best 23-4-1 last season, which included a school-record 19-game winning streak and unbeaten run through the MASCAC regular season and tournament. The Panthers attained their highest-ever national ranking (#8) and were awarded a home NCAA Tournament game, before falling to #10 University of New England in the first round game. Russell became the program's all-time winningest coach after a victory over Framingham State in late January.