Mike Szmatula Selected as 2019 ECHL All-Star
January 7, 2019 - ECHL (ECHL)
Adirondack Thunder News Release
PRINCETON, NJ - Forward Mike Szmatula will represent the Adirondack Thunder at the 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic Monday, January 21 at Huntington Center in Toledo, OH. The game will air LIVE exclusively on NHL Network.
Szmatula, 26, has 24 points (14g-10a) in 30 ECHL games played this season and his 14 tallies ties him for the Thunder lead. The 5-foot-9 forward's 24 total points ranks second on Adirondack this year while he ranks fourth among all rookie skaters in the league in goals scored. Szmatula's trio of multi-goal efforts paces the Thunder thus far on the season.
The Commerce Township, MI native earned his first-career American Hockey League call-up late in December when he skated in a pair of games for the Stockton Heat.
For the second consecutive year, the CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic will feature a 3-on-3 tournament with four teams competing for the top spot. New in 2019, the host team will make up two of the four teams and face-off against the other two teams made up of All-Star players from the Eastern and Western Conferences. These four teams will compete in a 3-on-3 tournament with rally scoring in order to crown a winner. The 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Skills Competition will take place in between rounds of the tournament, highlighting the talents of the ECHL players, and showcasing the future of hockey as they develop in the league.
There have been 67 players from the ECHL All-Star Game that have gone on to play in the National Hockey League, including 51 since 2002 when lineups began having players who coaches felt were prospects to move up to a higher level.
The rosters for the Eastern Conference and Western Conference All-Stars were determined in a vote of coaches, team captains, media relations directors, broadcasters and members of the media.
Eastern Conference All-Stars Alternates
G - Mitch Gillam, Worcester Railers F - Brett McKenzie, Atlanta Gladiators
D - Dajon Mingo, Jacksonville Icemen D - Jalen Smereck, Norfolk Admirals
D - Sean Day, Maine Mariners F - Brent Pedersen, Orlando Solar Bears
D - David Kolomatis, Manchester Monarchs F - Steven Swavely, Reading Royals
F - Mike Szmatula, Adirondack Thunder
F - David Pacan, Brampton Beast
F - Joe Cox, Florida Everblades
F - Johno May, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
F - Giorgio Estephan, Newfoundland Growlers
F - Jonathan Charbonneau, South Carolina Stingrays
Western Conference All-Stars Alternates
G - Tomas Sholl, Idaho Steelheads G - Evan Fitzpatrick, Tulsa Oilers
D - Alex Breton, Allen Americans F - Caleb Herbert, Utah Grizzlies
D - Neil Manning, Indy Fuel
D - Kevin Spinozzi, Wheeling Nailers
F - Vasili Glotov, Cincinnati Cyclones
F - Justin Hodgman, Fort Wayne Komets
F - Justin Taylor, Kalamazoo Wings
F - Jared VanWormer, Kansas City Mavericks
F - Andrew Radjenovic, Rapid City Rush
F - Steven Iacobellis, Wichita Thunder
The 12th class of the ECHL Hall of Fame will be officially inducted at a luncheon, presented by BFL CANADA and Sutton Special Risk, on Sunday, January 20 at 1 p.m. at the SeaGate Center, in conjunction with the Toledo Hockey Hall of Fame, presented by Cooper Tire.
Anchored by the CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic, there will be multiple activities that showcase the Toledo community including the All-Star Fanfest in Hensville Park and All-Star Winter Brewfest at Fifth Third Field. The Hall of Fame luncheon will be followed by a regular-season matchup between the Walleye and the Fort Wayne Komets at the Huntington Center.
The Thunder have an action-packed week with four games that starts with the conclusion of their seven-game homestand tomorrow evening against the Manchester Monarchs. Adirondack will then head to Reading for a Wednesday-night showdown with the Royals before playing the Newfoundland Growlers for a pair this weekend in St. John's, NL. For the latest Thunder news, be sure to follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @ECHLThunder.
ECHL Stories from January 7, 2019
- 'Blades Weekly: Homestand Continues with 3 Tilts against Greenville - Florida Everblades
- Thunder Weekly, January 7th - Wichita Thunder
- ECHL Transactions - January 7 - ECHL
- ECHL Announces Fine, Suspensions - ECHL
- Jalen Smereck Named as Alternate for CCM / ECHL All-Star Classic - Norfolk Admirals
- Iacobellis Selected to CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - Wichita Thunder
- Neil Manning Selected to ECHL All-Star Roster - Indy Fuel
- Walleye Heading West - Toledo Walleye
- Mitch Gillam Selected to 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic Roster - Worcester Railers HC
- Mingo Selected to All-Star Team - Jacksonville Icemen
- VanWormer Selected as 2019 ECHL All-Star - Kansas City Mavericks
- Brent Pedersen Named as Alternate for 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - Orlando Solar Bears
- Glotov Named to the CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Charbonneau Named to ECHL All-Star Classic Roster - South Carolina Stingrays
- Reading Native Swavely Named Alternate for 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - Reading Royals
- Kevin Spinozzi Named to 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - Wheeling Nailers
- Taylor Named to 2019 Ccm/ECHL All-Star Classic - Kalamazoo Wings
- CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic Rosters Are Set - Toledo Walleye
- Mike Szmatula Selected as 2019 ECHL All-Star - Adirondack Thunder
- Giorgio Estephan Named to the ECHL 2019 All-Star Classic - Newfoundland Growlers
- Tomas Sholl Selected to 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - Idaho Steelheads
- Johno May Named to Team East in 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Komets Forward Justin Hodgman Tagged ECHL All Star - Fort Wayne Komets
- Monarchs Defenseman David Kolomatis Named 2019 All-Star - Manchester Monarchs
- Joe Cox Named to Roster for 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - Florida Everblades
- Rosters Announced for 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - ECHL
- Halverson Recalled to Hartford - Maine Mariners
- Stingrays Weekly Report - January 7 - South Carolina Stingrays
- Komets Open 2019 with Three-Game Win Streak - Fort Wayne Komets
- Grizzlies Begin 3 Game Road Trip Wednesday - Utah Grizzlies
- Wheeling Nailers Weekly Report, January 7 - Wheeling Nailers
- Lightning Reassign Sosunov from Solar Bears to Crunch - Orlando Solar Bears
- Swamp Rabbits Weekly - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Fuel to Welcome Three-Time Stanley Cup Champion Bryan Bickell to Indianapolis on January 19 - Indy Fuel
- Steelheads Weely - January 7, 2019 - Idaho Steelheads
- Oil Drops: Tulsa Oilers Weekly Report - January 7 - Tulsa Oilers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
