Kyle Gaffney, a 24-year-old forward from Plymouth, re-signed with the Toledo Walleye on Tuesday, Aug. 11, for his first full professional hockey season in the ECHL.

The deal comes after Gaffney made an immediate impression during Toledo's 2026 Kelly Cup Playoff run. Called up late in the regular season, he posted two assists in five games, then put up five points (three goals, two assists) with a plus-3 rating across 12 playoff contests. The Walleye reached the Kelly Cup Finals before falling to Trois-Rivières, 4 games to 1.

The Toledo Walleye announced the re-signing on X on Tuesday. Toledo is the ECHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings, meaning Gaffney will develop one step closer to the NHL pipeline while playing just an hour south of his hometown.

Gaffney's path to pro hockey wound through Detroit Catholic Central, where he piled up 97 points (37 goals, 60 assists) in 75 games over three seasons with the Shamrocks, according to Inside The Rink. He captained the Aberdeen Wings in the NAHL during the 2021-22 season and totaled 67 points in 105 junior games before heading to college.

At the NCAA Division I level, Gaffney spent three seasons at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, recording 43 points in 99 games with the Nanooks. He transferred to the University of Minnesota Duluth for his final college season in 2025-26, adding 17 points in 40 games with the Bulldogs, per his College Hockey Inc. profile.

He'll wear No. 29.

The 6-foot, 180-pound left-shot forward's 2026-27 season with Toledo includes a marquee outdoor game against the Kalamazoo Wings on Jan. 31, 2027, at Western Michigan University's Waldo Stadium.