Connor Inger Signs with Quad City of the SPHL
06/18/2023
The offseason is always a time of a lot of player movement at the Single A level of minor pro hockey. It's tough to get a read on how your favorite team's roster will come together until training camps start, and even then a lot of uncertainty and change is in the cards. As much as you may love your favorite hometown FPHL players, never forget many are looking to advance to the highest level they can get to, not just for the opportunity, but an increase in their paycheck as well. This will certainly come into play for the Motor City Rockers.
If you look back to last season, the Rockers sent seven different players to a call-up in a higher league off their roster, with former NHL defenseman Ian White ascending the highest, signing with Norfolk of the ECHL. The other six all spent time in the SPHL, with Dylan Johnson sticking there for the rest of the season in Birmingham. The Motor City roster is filled with guys who deserve to play at the next level. Although there is not as big a gap between the FPHL and SPHL as some would lead you to believe, it is still a next step up from the Fed in terms of money and increased visibility.
That brings us to the first Rocker from last season to sign elsewhere for the upcoming 2023-24 slate. Thursday, the Quad City Storm of the SPHL announced the signing of forward Connor Inger. This will be the Macomb native's third go-around with the Storm. Inger played in two games there in the 2021-22 season after his NCAA Division III season was over, and also appeared in one game there last season. He joined Motor City in mid-January but it didn't take long for him to find a home on the team's top line with Declan Conway and Scott Coash. In 29 games, Inger scored nine goals and added 22 assists for 31 points, good for eighth on the team in point totals.
It's a tough loss for the Rockers, but I again caution you a lot can change by the time the puck drops on the new season. Players sign but don't always stick during the course of the season. It isn't out of the realm of possibility Inger could return to Motor City at some point, especially being from the area. Selfishly as a fan of the team you'd love to see that happen, but I think I speak for most fans when I say we want to see "our guys" advance as far as possible in their professional careers. All the best to Connor Inger with the Quad City Storm.