How the Peoria Rivermen landed an elite goalscorer for the 2026-27 SPHL season

The Peoria Rivermen have secured a key addition to their roster ahead of the 2026-27 SPHL season, by signing veteran right wing Mike McChesney. The NHL playoff veteran, hailed from Dickinson, North Dakota, will return to his third season with Peoria.

Standing at 5-foot-11 and weighing 185 pounds, McChesney is one of the most lethal scorers in the league. During the 2025-26 campaign, the former Macon Rivermen standout netted 33 goals, contributed 12 assists, and earned a +14 rating in 54 regular-season games. In his debut with Peoria in 2024-25, he scored 20 goals and added 21 assists, boasting a +19 rating.

McChesney's journey to professional hockey began with a stint at Macon Rivermen, followed by a stellar four-year collegiate career at NCAA Division-III St. Norbert College, where he tallied 31 goals and 39 assists in 79 games. He was even honored to represent Team USA in the 2022-23 World University Games, hosted in Lake Placid, New York, the birthplace of the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" and the legendary Herb Brooks speech.

Beyond his scoring prowess, McChesney is a crucial asset on special teams. He has netted 14 power play goals, scored five shorthanded goals, and contributed 17 game-winning goals for the Rivermen. His 10 power play goals last season were second-most in the league. Head coach Jean-Guy Trudel lauded McChesney as a "major threat in our attack, and on our power play and penalty-kill units," emphasizing that he makes "big plays at big moments," and that he is a "must-have veteran presence" for the team, positioning them as contenders.