Komets announce return of forward Shawn Szydlowski

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) - The Fort Wayne Komets made an exciting announcement Thursday morning.

Leaders say forward Shawn Szydlowski is returning to the team for the upcoming season, marking his 10th campaign with the Komets. The 33-year-old started his pro career playing two games with the Portland Pirates of the AHL in 2011, according to a release.

After playing for the ECHL and the Central Hockey League’s Fort Worth Brahmas, he was assigned to play for Fort Wayne in 2013. Officials say he played 476 regular season games with the Komets from 2013-2022. They say he ranks 14th in all-time points scored (487), 12th in goals (179), and 11th in all-time assists (308).

The Michigan native was the league’s leading scorer with a career-high of 79 points (31g, 48a) and was named the ECHL Most Valuable Player, Komets leaders say. Sydlowski played last season in Orlando, netting 14 goals and 15 assists in 46 games.

“It’s an exciting day for the Komets. Shawn is a historic player with the franchise, and we are looking forward to him wearing the Komet logo again,” Head Coach Jesse Kallechy said in a statement. “We will demand a lot from him and need him to be a player who can help lead the way for our group.”

According to a release, the Komets will play two exhibition games against the Iowa Heartlanders at home on Saturday, October 14, starting at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, October 15 at 4 p.m., with the regular season home opener on October 21 against Indy at 7:30 p.m. Training begins on Monday, October 9. For more information, visit their website.

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