Monsters announce team captains for 2023-24 season

Photo via Cleveland Monsters

CLEVELAND – The AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, top affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, announced Friday the team’s leadership group for the 2023-24 AHL season with veteran forward Brendan Gaunce tabbed as the 17th captain in Monsters franchise history. Forwards Josh Dunne and Carson Meyer, and defenseman Billy Sweezey, will serve as assistant captains this year.

“We are extremely proud to have Brendan Gaunce, a proven difference-maker in this league for the better part of a decade, serve as our captain this season,” said Monsters Head Coach Trent Vogelhuber on Friday. “Alongside Josh Dunne, Carson Meyer, and Billy Sweezey, Brendan will continue to act as an extension of our coaching staff in the dressing room, setting the tone for our entire group both on and off the ice…We feel fortunate to have him wearing the ‘C’ for our club and the entire city of Cleveland.”

A 6’3”, 219 lb. left-shooting native of Sudbury, ON, Gaunce, 29, was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the first round (26th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. In 153 career NHL appearances for Vancouver, the Boston Bruins, and the Blue Jackets spanning parts of seven seasons from 2015-20 and 2021-23, Gaunce posted 11-13-24 with 61 penalty minutes. In 291 career AHL appearances for the Utica Comets, Providence Bruins, and the Monsters spanning parts of eight seasons from 2014-20 and 2021-23, Gaunce registered 89-105-194 with 183 penalty minutes and a +11 rating.

In 2020-21, Gaunce logged 5-7-12 with 18 penalty minutes and a +10 rating in 18 appearances for Vaxjo Lakers HC in Sweden’s SHL, adding 3-4-7 with 29 penalty minutes and a +2 rating in 12 playoff appearances en route to the 2021 SHL Championship. Prior to his professional career, Gaunce supplied 103-133-236 with 211 penalty minutes and a +8 rating in 258 career OHL appearances for the Belleville Bulls and Erie Otters spanning parts of four seasons from 2010-14. Gaunce served as Belleville’s captain during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons.

A 6’4”, 208 lb. left-shooting native of O’Fallon, MO, Dunne, 24, collected ten penalty minutes in 14 career NHL appearances, all for Columbus, spanning parts of two seasons from 2020-21 and 2022-23. Dunne contributed 34-24-58 with 124 penalty minutes in 109 career AHL appearances, all for Cleveland, spanning three seasons from 2020-23. Prior to his professional career, Dunne notched 29-26-55 with 70 penalty minutes and a +24 rating in 78 career NCAA appearances for Clarkson University spanning three seasons from 2018-21, serving as the Golden Knights’ captain in 2020-21. During his collegiate career, Dunne helped Clarkson claim the 2018-19 ECAC Tournament Championship and was named the ECAC’s best defensive forward in 2019-20, when he also earned Third-Team ECAC All-Star honors. In 140 career USHL appearances for the Green Bay Gamblers spanning parts of four seasons from 2014-18, Dunne logged 34-40-74 with 91 penalty minutes and a +16 rating.

A 5’11”, 193 lb. right-shooting native of Powell, OH, Meyer, 26, was selected by Columbus in the sixth round (179th overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. In 27 career NHL appearances, all for the Blue Jackets, spanning parts of two seasons from 2021-23, Meyer tallied 1-3-4 with 12 penalty minutes. Meyer supplied 34-39-73 with 112 penalty minutes in 117 career AHL appearances, all for the Monsters, spanning parts of three seasons from 2020-23. Prior to his professional career, Meyer registered 42-47-89 with 114 penalty minutes in 137 career NCAA appearances for Miami (OH) University and Ohio State spanning four seasons from 2016-20, helping OSU claim the Big Ten Regular-Season Championship in 2018-19. In 58 USHL appearances for the Tri-City Storm spanning parts of two seasons from 2014-16, Meyer posted 32-20-52 with 47 penalty minutes and a +9 rating and helped the Storm claim the 2015-16 Clark Cup as USHL Playoff Champions.

A 6’1”, 204 lb. right-shooting native of Hanson, MA, Sweezey, 27, posted 0-1-1 with nine penalty minutes in nine appearances for the Blue Jackets in 2022-23 in the first NHL action of his career. In 148 career AHL appearances for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Cleveland spanning parts of three seasons from 2020-23, Sweezey tallied 4-22-26 with 210 penalty minutes. Prior to his professional career, Sweezey contributed 3-26-29 with 159 penalty minutes and a +16 rating in 127 career NCAA appearances for Yale University spanning four seasons from 2016-20. In 58 USHL appearances for the Chicago Steel and Dubuque Fighting Saints spanning parts of two seasons from 2014-16, Sweezey logged 3-1-4 with 135 penalty minutes and a +8 rating.

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Cleveland Monsters Official Press Release