Jackals Add Holmberg; Send Tochkin to Rapid City

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that forward Mitch Holmberg has been assigned to Elmira by the Utica Comets. Additionally, the team announced that they have sent forward Kellan Tochkin to Rapid City to complete a trade from December 6th.
Holmberg, 21, joins the Jackals in his first professional season. The Sherwood Park, Alberta native was acquired by the Utica Comets in November as a part of the Kellan Lain/Will Acton trade. Holmberg has not appeared in any games with the Comets this season after starting the 2014-15 campaign with the Bakersfield Condors. In eight games with Bakersfield this season, Holmberg added one assist. The 5-foot-10 180-pound forward recorded an assist in his professional debut last season with the Oklahoma City Barons. Last season Holmberg was awarded the Bobby Clarke Trophy as the Western Hockey League's leading scorer with 118 points. He led the WHL with 62 goals and was named to the WHL West First All-Star Team. Holmberg collected 296 points (147 goals, 149 assists) in 314 WHL games with the Spokane Chiefs.

Tochkin, 23, recorded five points (one goal, four assists) in six games for the Jackals since he was acquired from the Missouri Mavericks on December 1 in exchange for defenseman Patch Alber. This season, Tochkin has posted 12 combined points (five goals, seven assists) in 20 games split between Elmira and Missouri. The Abbotsford, British Columbia native spent his first two pro seasons split between Florida and Evansville of the ECHL and Missouri, when the club was in the CHL. He recorded 40 points (11 goals, 29 assists) in 55 games last season in his first ECHL season. The previous year Tochkin notched 44 points (15 goals, 29 assists) in 56 games for Missouri in the CHL. The 5-foot-11 180-pound forward played junior hockey in the Western Hockey League with Everett, Medicine Hat and Prince Albert. Tochkin posted 243 points (91 goals, 152 assists) in 256 WHL games.