Ryan Garbutt
Garbutt became the first IceRay to make the NHL in 2011 as he signed with the Dallas Stars prior to the 2011 season. He played with Corpus Christi in the last CHL season for the IceRays. Following his time with the Rays, Garbutt made his way to Gwinnett in the ECHL in 2010-11. It took only ten games there before Garbutt got the call up to Chicago of the AHL. He spent the rest of the season there before signing an NHL deal with the Dallas Stars.
The Manitoba native spent the first season with Dallas playing 20games in the NHL and 50 games with the Texas Stars of the AHL. Following that first season, Garbutt stuck in the NHL playing 305 games over his six season NHL career. Garbutt spent the first four seasons of his career with Dallas before moving onto Chicago prior to the 2015-16 season. He found his way to Anaheim half way through the season, which is where his NHL career came to an end in 2017.
Pheonix Copley
Copley became the second player in franchise history, first in the NAHL era, to play in an NHL game. Copley played with the IceRays during the 2010-11 campaign, the first season in the NAHL. Copley played in 42 games with Corpus Christi. He played the next season in the USHL before playing two seasons with Michigan Tech. Following his sophomore season, he made his way to South Carolina of the ECHL. Copley spent the next season with the Hershey Bears.
Following the 2014-15 season, Copley was traded to the St. Louis Bluesas a part of the TJ Oshie trade. Although he spent the majority of his two seasons in the Blues’ organization in the AHL, Copley made his NHL debut in St. Louis. He eventually made his way back to Washington prior to the 2017-18 season. Copley was the third goaltender on the Capitals’ Stanley Cup winning team. He still remains in the Washington organization with the Hershey Bears.
Anthony Stolarz
Stolarz played in all but ten games in the IceRays second season in the NAHL while recording a save percentage of .920. Following the 2011-12 season, Stolarz became the first Corpus Christi player to be drafted in the NHL Draft. He was the 45th overall pick going to the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round. He made his way to Nebraska-Omaha but quickly changed course to the London Knights of the OHL.
The New Jersey native went to Lehigh Valley of the AHL for the 2014-15season. Stolarz spent two full seasons with Lehigh Valley before making his NHL debut during the 2016-17 season with Philadelphia. Stolarz was traded to Edmonton mid-season during the 2018-19 season. Following his run with the Oilers, Stolarz made his way to the Anaheim Ducks where he still plays today.
Nico Sturm
Sturm, a German forward, played for the IceRays during the 2013-14 season. He played in 21 games while only recording a stat line of one goal and three total points. Sturm spent the next two seasons with the Austin Bruins and the Tri-City Storm. Following his junior career, Sturm made his way to Clarkson. He played at Clarkson for three seasons putting up 103 points. Sturm was named captain during his junior season.
Following his junior season, Sturm made his NHL debut withMinnesota. He became the first IceRays skater in the NAHL era to make it to the NHL. Although he made his debut during the 2018-19 season, Sturm did not stick in Minnesota until the 2020-21 season. He scored his first NHL goal in the playoffs in the bubble in Edmonton in the summer of 2020.
Grant Hutton
Hutton played with Corpus Christi during two seasons in 2012-14. In fact, he played in six games with Nico Sturm in January of 2014 before getting the call up to the USHL. Hutton made his way to Miami(OH) following his junior career. At Miami, he played four seasons as a staple on their backend. He recorded over 70 points with the Redhawks and was named captain during his senior season.
Following his career at Miami, Hutton signed with Bridgeport of the
AHL. Hutton spent two full seasons with the Sound Tigers, now named after their NHL affiliate Islanders, before making his NHL debut in the fall of 2021. His NHL debut was made at the inaugural game at UBS Arena at Belmont. He was one of the first two Islanders to hit the ice in front of the crowd for his rookie lap.
Akira Schmid
Although Schmid’s tenure with Corpus Christi was short, he became the third IceRay to be drafted. Schmid was drafted in the fifth round in the 2018 NHL Draft to the New Jersey Devils. He played two games with the IceRays the following season before getting the call up to the USHL. Schmid spent the next two seasons in the USHL before signing his entry level deal with the Devils in 2021.
Schmid started the season with the Utica Comets. With the Comets,Schmid put up unreal numbers earning him a call up to the NHL. He made his debut during the 2021-22 season. Schmid becomes the third former IceRays goaltender to find his way into NHL action.