The South Carolina Stingrays announced today that the club has signed forward Dean Loukus to an ECHL contract for the 2024-25 season. Loukus, 21, begins his professional career in South Carolina after spending the last three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Saginaw Spirit and the Mississauga Steelheads.
"I first saw Dean play when he was 16 or 17 years old, and right away, he impressed me," said Stingrays Head Coach Jared Nightingale. "He showed a lot of maturity in his game, and he’s a guy who has earned everything he has gotten. He is good at making other players around him better, and I know he’s the type of player and person we want to play for South Carolina.”
Before his OHL career, Loukus played four seasons of high school hockey at Calumet High School in Michigan, where he registered 201 points (72 goals, 129 assists) in 91 career games from 2017-2021. In 2021, Loukus was recognized with the Mr. Hockey award as Michigan's top high school hockey player. In Loukus’ senior year, he tallied 60 points (21 goals, 39 assists) in 15 games and helped Calumet reach the state championship game.
After graduating high school, Loukus spent three seasons with the Saginaw Spirit, briefly overlapping with Nightingale. He tallied 133 points (48 goals, 85 assists) in his three seasons with the Spirit and was an assistant captain for two seasons.
Ahead of the 2024 OHL trade deadline, Loukus was traded to the Mississauga Steelheads, where he tallied 22 points (8 goals, 14 assists) in 31 regular season games. Loukus is looking forward to starting his professional career with the Stingrays.
"I’m super excited to start my pro career with such a great organization," said Loukus. "I have heard nothing but great things about the team and the city of Charleston. I have met Coach Nightingale a handful of times, and he has always been super honest and professional. He was a big reason I signed in South Carolina."
The Stingrays 2024-25 season begins on Saturday, October 19, with the Home Opener against the Savannah Ghost Pirates at 6:05 p.m. The full schedule can be viewed here.
