FPHL 
OFFICIAL SITE OF THE
BLUE RIDGE BOBCATS
Southwest Virginia Professional Hockey
BOBCATS ACQUIRE MARCINKEVICS, PIZZIMENTI, SARGENT IN BLOCKBUSTER TRADE
WYTHEVILLE, VA-The Blue Ridge Bobcats have made a major move to strengthen their roster for the upcoming Federal Prospects Hockey League season, acquiring forwards Patriks Marcinkevics and Ben Pizzimenti and defenseman Nolan Sargent from the Fresno Falcons in exchange for forwards Justin Daly, Nick McHugh, Eli Lieffers and Hugo Koch.
The move adds a proven offensive weapon, a versatile and physical forward and a big, experienced defenseman to the Bobcats' roster as the organization continues its pursuit of the Commissioner's Cup.
"First and foremost, this is a difficult trade because we're giving up players who have meant a tremendous amount to this organization and to our fans," said Blue Ridge Head Coach and General Manager of Hockey Operations, Vojtech Zemlicka. "Justin, and Nick have both contributed to building what the Blue Ridge Bobcats are today, and that's something we don't take lightly. We cannot thank them enough for their contributions to our team and community during their time here. They have both given this organization everything they had. They have been tremendous representatives of the Blue Ridge Bobcats, both on the ice and in our community, and we are incredibly grateful for everything they have done for this team."
“To receive great players, you have to be willing to give up good players,” Zemlicka continued. “We believe Patriks, Ben and Nolan are great additions to this hockey club, and we believe this trade puts us in a prime position to compete for a Commissioner's Cup. We respect every player we're sending out, but we also have an obligation to our fans, our organization and our locker room to put ourselves in the best possible position to win…And right now, we believe we've done that. We believe this is a roster that can compete with anybody in this league, and we believe we're putting ourselves in a prime position to chase the Commissioner's Cup."
Marcinkevics, a 5’9”, 168lb left-shot forward from Riga, Latvia, is coming off a spectacular 2025-26 FPHL season with the Pee Dee IceCats. He finished the regular season among the league's top scorers, recording 45 goals and 46 assists for 91 points in 48 games. The FPHL also named Marcinkevics the March/April Player of the Month, after he produced 10 goals and 19 assists for 29 points over 14 games during the final stretch of the season.
Marcinkevics also brings significant professional experience. Prior to joining Pee Dee, he appeared in the ECHL with the Atlanta Gladiators and Bloomington Bison and played in the SPHL with the Macon Mayhem.
"Patriks is one of the top players in our entire league," Zemlicka said. "He has tremendous skillset, he's an excellent skater, he sees the ice extremely well and he has that ability to create something out of nothing. When you look at what he did last season — 45 goals and 91 points — that's not an accident. He consistently finds ways to get himself and his teammates on the scoresheet."
Pizzimenti, a 6’2”, 194lb left-shot forward from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, brings a different element to the Bobcats' forward group. The 25-year-old spent the 2025-26 season in the FPHL with Columbus and Pee Dee, combining for 7 goals and 8 assists for 15 points in 37 games. He also spent time in the SPHL with Birmingham and Macon.
"Ben gives us something we really value — size, versatility and a willingness to play a hard game," Zemlicka said. "He's a strong, physical forward who embraces playing with heart and doesn't shy away from the difficult areas of the ice. He's the type of player who can win battles along the wall, get to the net, protect the puck and make life difficult for opposing defensemen."
Sargent, a 6’3”, 220lb left-shot blueliner from Littleton, Colorado, adds significant size and experience to the Bobcats' defensive corps. The 24-year-old played NCAA Division III hockey at Fitchburg State University before beginning his professional career as a collegiate signing, appearing in 6 late-season contests plus a postseason game with the Monroe Moccasins and Pee Dee Ice Cats. Sargent also played alongside current Bobcats Max Macchioni and Christian Halbig during his collegiate career.
"Nolan gives us a big, physical presence on the back end," Zemlicka said. "He has the size and strength to play hard around net, an area we want to be much better in this season. He uses his reach and physicality to be strong in battles and makes it difficult for teams to establish themselves in our D zone. He's a player prides himself on a defense first mentality, and that's something you need when you're building a championship team."
Season tickets are now on sale to see this new trio of talented Bobcats and the rest of their teammates at blueridgebobcats.com/26-27-season-tickets