Admirals Sign Denis Smirnov for Third Straight Season
September 25, 2024 - ECHL (ECHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release
Norfolk, VA - The Norfolk Admirals, proud ECHL affiliates of the Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose, announced today they have signed forward Denis Smirnov to a standard player contract for the 2024-25 season.
Smirnov, 27, rejoins the Admirals for his third season after posting a career-high 46 points last year. His 14 goals and 32 assists were also career-high's in his three-year career.
"We made a huge step as a team and as an organization last season, but the ending was not what we wanted," Smirnov said. "I'm eager to use that as a stepping-stone to make another run at the Kelly Cup this season."
The Moskva, RUS native signed with Norfolk on September 20, 2022 after playing his first season as a professional with Kalamazoo. In his first year with the Admirals, Smirnov totaled 21 points (9g, 12a) in 39 games.
From 2016-2020, Smirnov shined at Penn State University (NCAA). In his freshman season, he posted 47 points (19g, 28a), which was the most of any first-year player in program history. Later that summer, Smirnov was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the sixth round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
The next season, he totaled 27 points in 30 games. All told, Smirnov played in 137 career games with the Nittany Lions and registered 115 points (50g, 65a).
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