MOLINE, Ill. — With both Canada Day and America’s Independence Day looming on the horizon, work for the 2019-20 season has already begun. At the beginning of June the Quad City Storm’s home schedule was released, as was done throughout the rest of the league. Two weeks later, the first signing of the offseason was released. The name wasn’t a surprise, nor was it a new one for Quad City fans. Two other names have been added to the training camp roster since then, and one player from the inaugural season has signed elsewhere.
John Scully will return for the Storm’s sophomore season, inking a contract that was announced on June 19. In 54 games last season, the winger amassed 14 goals with eight assists. While having a .407 point per game average and being sixth on the team for points with the Storm, he was tied with Shane Bennett for most goals for Quad City to end the season. The Storm described Scully with the words “grit hustle finish” in the tweet announcing his signing, and they certainly apply. 
Scully is a winger who isn’t afraid to go into corners for the puck, nor to finish hits. The Arlington Heights, IL native also isn’t a stranger to dropping the gloves, as he twice earned five minute majors through the season. On New Year’s Eve, in a match-up against Peoria, he fought future teammate Dean Yakura. Scully is no stranger to the SPHL, as he first appeared in three games for the Bloomington Thunder in 2013-14. Having spent most of his professional career in the Federal Hockey League — now Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) — he won the championship with the Watertown Wolves in 2017-18.
Bennett re-signed three days after Scully’s return, the soon-to-be third year pro having finished his sophomore year with a career-high 30 points. Appearing in 34 games for the Storm, Bennett collected 14 goals and 16 assists on his way to leading the team in total points. The speedy winger had been selected by fan vote to represent the Quad City Storm on the Team North squad for The Sin Bin’s 2019 SPHL All-Star Game in February. At that time, he had only been with the Storm for less than eight weeks, but had totaled 11 points (5 goals, 6 assists) in only 14 games.
Veteran Phil Bronner signed with the FPHL’s Danbury Hat Tricks (based in Danbury, CT), on June 25. This upcoming season will be his second in Danbury, as he played for the Danbury Titans in 2015-16 before moving up to the Elmira Jackals as well as Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL. The Wilbraham, MA native has spent the last three years in the SPHL, and last season compiled five goals and 21 assists with the Storm. The forward was also fifth in penalty minutes for the Storm, sitting for a total of 65 minutes in the sin bin through 52 games. 
The Storm added to their blue line for the first time this offseason with the addition of Sean Kacerosky on June 28. In 47 games with the northern Illinois-based team, he put his mark on the scoresheet 14 times with six goals and eight assists. The Kendall Park, NJ, native led the team in defensive point shares last season, with a total of 2.481. The Storm’s sophomore season will also be Kacerosky’s, as the defenseman began his professional career last season with the Fayettville Marksmen for six games before a trade in November.
Coach Dave Pszenyczny has already begun to bring back a good core of players, and it’s only Canada Day. A good core, in addition to fresh talent, can only do good for the team that finished ninth in the league out of ten in their first season. Keep your eyes peeled for future signings and the schedule breakdown when it’s released; be sure to follow @SinBinStorm on Twitter for discussion and news about the Storm.