On Wednesday September 9th, the Fort Wayne Komets announced the signings of Zach Pochiro and defensemen Bobby Shea. The two parties agreed to terms on standard player contracts for the upcoming seasons. Additionally, the Komets signed goaltender Thomas Proudlock to a training camp tryout agreement.
Pochiro spent 2019-20 with the Esbjerg Energy overseas in Denmark. He is a veteran of the ECHL, having played six seasons between five different teams. This includes the Kalamazoo Wings, Quad City Mallards, Alaska Aces and Norfolk Admirals.
Most recently, he played in Allen where he was third overall for goals scored. This was in 2018-19 where the left-winger recorded 34 goals. While overseas last season, Pochiro, 26-years-old, scored 34 points in 41 games. All in all, Pochiro has played 254 games at the pro level.
In a statement from Ben Boudreau, head coach of the Fort Wayne Komets, he said Pochiro’s re-signing, “Zach is your typical power forward, he plays with an edge, will go into the dirty areas, the traits the Komets fans have come to love. His resume speaks for itself with a proven track record of scoring big goals in any league he has played. Zach is an exciting player to watch and we expect him to be a big part of our offence this season.”
Shea, 30-years-old, makes his return to Fort Wayne after a two-year hiatus. He spent 2019-20 between the Kunlun Red Star and ORG Beijing. That was in the VHL under former Komets bench boss Gary Graham. Signing for the upcoming season, Shea is a Kelly Cup champion, having won the championship with the Reading Royals.
That was in 2013 upon having graduated from Bowling Green State. Shea last played for the Komets between 2016 and 2018. For his career with the team, the 30-year-old has scored 11 goals along with 39 assists in 88 games. He did so for 50 points while also adding 138 penalty minutes. Shea now becomes the third veteran to sign with the team.
Speaking of the defensemen’s return, head coach Ben Boudreau said in part of his statement, “This is a very important signing for us. Bobby was an integral part of our defensive core group that lead the Komets to game seven of the conference final. His veteran presence is the perfect addition to add to our promising core of defensemen. He has the ability to control the game both offensively and defensively. His rugged style of game is well known in the jungle and someone we can lean on in any situation.”
Lastly, the team signed Thomas Proudlock, an American goaltender from Southgate, Michigan. Proudlock joins the organization after spending last season with the Michigan Wolverines. He played five collegiate seasons at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. While in the ACHA, Proudlock played 85 games, locking up a record of 60-13-6. That saw him register a save percentage of .932 and a 2.00 GAA.
In conclusion, while recapping the three signings, GM David Franke said of the added impact, “With our latest signings we continue to add quality and impactful players to our talented roster. During the pandemic we have continued to work the phones and do our due diligence in recruiting players. We look forward to assembling for training camp and the start of the season on December 4th.”
The Fort Wayne Komets roster grows to 18 skaters as well as two goaltenders. All in all, the hockey club’s roster sees a total of twenty, which includes three veterans. Stay tuned to ThePuckAuthority.com for more Komets news during the extended offseason.