Komets re-sign MVP Szydlowski

Fort Wayne, IN-- The Komets announced Thursday that veteran Shawn Szydlowski has agreed to terms and will return to the Fort Wayne lineup for 2016-17.

Szydlowski, 26, was voted team MVP for 2015-16 and was the Komets' scoring leader for the second consecutive season, posting team highs of 25 goals and 75 points while dishing a career high 50 assists. The veteran right winger led the Komets in the playoffs scoring 10 goals and 19 points in 16 games.

Szydlowski's highlights of the year also included a natural hat trick when he scored three goals in a span of 5:02 in a 5-1 win over Brampton on Dec. 19, a five-assist game March 12 at Alaska, named the ECHL Player of the Month for March and was named to the All-ECHL Second Team.

The St. Clair Shores, Michigan native made his pro debut skating two AHL games with Portland in 2010-11 after completing four years of OHL play with the Erie Otters. Szydlowski made his Fort Wayne debut in 2013-14 when he was assigned to the Komets by Rochester of the AHL. He was voted Fort Wayne's Most Improved Player for the year before leading the Komets in the playoffs with six goals and 11 points.

2016-17 will be Szydlowski's fourth season with the Komets and sixth as a pro. The skater has totaled 74 goals, 101 assists and 175 points in 182 career regular season games with Fort Wayne.

The addition of Szydlowski brings the Komets' early roster for 2016-17 to a total of six players and also includes Jamie Schaafsma (C), David Friedmann (F), Cole Martin (D), Mike Embach (LW) and Taylor Crunk (F).

The Komets also announced their preseason schedule. The Komets will skate three exhibition games, two at home and one on the road. The preseason schedule is as follows:

Friday, Oct. 7, Indy Fuel at Fort Wayne Komets, 8pm ET (Allen County War Memorial Coliseum)

Saturday, Oct. 8, Fort Wayne Komets at Indy Fuel, 6pm ET (Indiana Farmers Coliseum)

Monday, Oct. 10, Brampton Beast at Fort Wayne Komets, 7:30pm ET (Allen County War Memorial Coliseum)

Opening night for the 65th season of Komet Hockey in Fort Wayne is Saturday, Oct. 15 against the Quad City Mallards.

See 2016-17 Komet schedule

Season tickets and group tickets for 2016-17 are on sale at the Komet office at 1010 Memorial Way in Fort Wayne. Call the Komet office at 260-483-0011 or visit komets.com for information.