FALCONS SIGN SPHL CHAMPION AND VETERAN FORWARD AARON HUFFNAGLE

Two-time SPHL Player of the Week brings professional experience, playmaking ability and championship pedigree to Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. — The Fresno Falcons have signed veteran forward and 2026 Southern Professional Hockey League President’s Cup champion Aaron Huffnagle for the inaugural 2026-27 season.

The 6-foot-3, left-shot forward arrives in Fresno following a championship season with the Evansville Thunderbolts. A native of Marlton, New Jersey, Huffnagle has built an extensive professional résumé that includes time in both the SPHL and ECHL, establishing himself as an experienced playmaker capable of contributing throughout the lineup.

Huffnagle most recently joined Evansville during the second half of the 2025-26 season and quickly became an important contributor for the eventual champions. He recorded two goals and five assists for seven points in 12 regular-season appearances before elevating his production during the President’s Cup Playoffs.

In 12 postseason games, Huffnagle collected two goals and eight assists for 10 points, tying for second among the SPHL’s leading playoff scorers. His production helped Evansville advance through Pensacola and Roanoke before defeating the Peoria Rivermen in a decisive fifth game of the President’s Cup Final.

Huffnagle contributed in several of the Thunderbolts’ biggest postseason moments. He scored during Evansville’s opening-round victory over Pensacola and produced a goal and an assist during a critical semifinal win against Roanoke. In the winner-take-all championship game against Peoria, Huffnagle assisted on Isaac Chapman’s second-period goal as Evansville secured a 6-4 victory and completed its second consecutive President’s Cup championship run.

A Proven SPHL Playmaker

Huffnagle previously enjoyed a breakout season with Evansville in 2022-23, producing career-best totals of 10 goals, 41 assists and 51 points in 54 regular-season games. His 41 assists demonstrated his ability to create offense, distribute the puck and consistently put teammates in scoring positions.

That season also earned Huffnagle two Warrior/SPHL Player of the Week awards.

He received his first weekly honor after recording two goals and three assists during a two-game sweep of the Fayetteville Marksmen. At the time, he led Evansville with 26 assists and ranked second on the team with 34 points.

Huffnagle earned the award again later that season following a six-point weekend in which he registered one goal and five assists across three victories. That stretch included three assists in an overtime win over Macon and an assist on the overtime-winning goal against the league-leading Peoria Rivermen. By that point in the season, he led Evansville in both points and assists.

His professional career has also included SPHL appearances with the Knoxville Ice Bears, Fayetteville Marksmen, Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs and Birmingham Bulls. He has been utilized in different roles throughout his career, giving Fresno an experienced forward with the versatility to play alongside a variety of linemates and contribute in multiple situations.

Experience at the ECHL Level

Huffnagle brings higher-level professional experience to the Falcons after appearing in 16 ECHL games during the 2021-22 season.

He played 10 games with the Fort Wayne Komets and six with the Norfolk Admirals. Huffnagle scored his first ECHL goal with Fort Wayne on November 13, 2021, during a matchup against the Toledo Walleye.

That experience exposed Huffnagle to the speed, structure and daily demands of the ECHL while adding another important chapter to his professional development.

Following his time in the ECHL, Huffnagle returned to the SPHL and produced the most productive regular season of his professional career with Evansville in 2022-23.

Standout Collegiate Career at Oswego State

Before entering professional hockey, Huffnagle played three seasons of NCAA Division III hockey at Oswego State.

He appeared in 40 games for the Lakers between 2016 and 2019, recording seven goals and 21 assists for 28 points.

Huffnagle made an immediate impact during his first collegiate season, scoring his first Oswego goal in his Lakers debut against Elmira. He completed the 2016-17 campaign with two goals and four assists in 13 appearances.

His most productive collegiate season came in 2017-18. Huffnagle registered four goals and 14 assists for 18 points in 20 games, tying for third on the team in scoring. His season included a four-assist performance against SUNY Potsdam, matching Oswego’s highest single-game point total by an individual player that year.

He added one goal and three assists in seven appearances during the 2018-19 season before beginning his professional career with Knoxville.

Productive Junior Hockey Background

Prior to Oswego State, Huffnagle produced at a high level for the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers.

He recorded 15 goals and 37 assists for 52 points in 44 games, finishing second on the team in both points and assists. That season showcased many of the qualities that have continued throughout his career, particularly his ability to see the ice, generate opportunities and create offense for the players around him.

Huffnagle also played junior hockey with the Northern Cyclones and was part of both a 2013 Flyer Cup championship team and a 2013 state championship team before advancing to the collegiate level.

Championship Experience Comes to the Valley

The addition of Huffnagle gives Fresno another veteran presence as the organization continues constructing its roster for its first season in the Federal Prospects Hockey League.

His résumé includes productive junior and collegiate seasons, experience at multiple levels of professional hockey, two SPHL Player of the Week awards and a recent championship run in which he was one of Evansville’s leading postseason scorers.

Huffnagle’s size gives the Falcons another strong presence at forward, while his history as a distributor provides Fresno with an experienced player capable of creating offense and helping drive possession. His performance during Evansville’s championship run also demonstrates an ability to deliver when the intensity and importance of each game increase.

With the signing, Huffnagle will bring his playmaking ability, leadership and championship experience west as professional hockey returns to the Central Valley.