Rivermen Sign Widmar, Epp, and Duncan for 2023-24 Season
August 29, 2023 - 03:05 pm
PEORIA, IL – The Peoria Rivermen announced on Tuesday that they have signed three players ahead of the 2023-24 season. Forward Joseph Widmar will return to the River City with goaltender Brett Epp and defenseman Brody Duncan also coming to Peoria for the first time in their careers.
A native of Northbrook, Illinois, Widmar broke into the professional ranks with the Rivermen in 2017 after two seasons of Division I hockey with the University of Massachusetts. Widmar played with the Rivermen through the 2018-19 season while accepting ECHL call-ups to Fort Wayne, Greenville, and Atlanta. The next three seasons saw Widmar playing in the ECHL, France, and Poland. In total Widmar has played for nine ECHL franchises during his professional career.
The 2022-23 campaign saw Widmar return to Peoria after three seasons away from the Rivermen. Coming in midway through the year, Widmar saw action in 24 games for Peoria but contributed with 22 points (7 goals, 15 assists) in the regular season and five points in five playoff games. In total, Widmar has garnered 88 points in 81 SPHL games played and was one of four Rivermen forwards last season that averaged at or near a point per game.
Brett Epp is a native of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and comes to the Rivermen after his first full rookie season in the SPHL. Epp was the primary netminder for Vermilion County for much of their season during the 2022-23 campaign. After the Bobcats ceased operations mid-season Epp played in one contest for the Fayetteville Marksmen before accepting an ECHL call-up to the Norfolk Admirals and the Atlanta Gladiators. Before starting his professional career, Epp played two seasons of Division III college hockey with Nichols University and one year of Canadian University hockey with Nipissing University.
A native of Toledo, Ohio, Duncan is entering his third season in the SPHL and sixth professionally. Duncan started his career in the Federal Professional Hockey League with the Mentor Ice Breakers and the Columbus River Dragons. He broke into the SPHL ranks with the Birmingham Bulls during the 2021-22 season, netting 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in 55 games. The following year Duncan suited up for the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs where was a plus-seven in 23 games played.
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