Glens Falls, NY – The Adirondack Thunder, proud ECHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils, announced today that it has signed forward Mike Szmatula to a standard player contract for the 2018-2019 season.
Szmatula, 26, returns to the Thunder after finishing out the 2017-2018 season with Adirondack. The 5-foot-9 forward appeared in the final six regular season games while also skating in each of the Thunder’s 17 Kelly Cup Playoffs contests. Szmatula posted 10 points (5-5-10) in a combined 23 games of action and recorded the game-winning goal in Game Three of the North Division Semifinals in Worcester.
Prior to turning pro, Szmatula played for two seasons each at both the University of Minnesota and Northeastern University in Boston. The Commerce Township, MI native collected 108 points (47-61-108) in 139 games between the two schools. Szmatula tallied 68 points (28-40-68) from 73 games played with the Huskies before he transferred to Minnesota, where he amassed 40 points (19-21-40) from 66 games played. Szmatula appeared in the NCAA Tournament as a junior during the 2016-17 season.
