ECHL: Adirondack Thunder Trade Tristan Ashbrook to Cincinnati Cyclones

The Adirondack Thunder and Cincinnati Cyclones made a massive trade on Thursday as Adirondack sent forward Tristan Ashbrook to Cincinnati in exchange for the rights to forward Patrick Polino.

What This Means For Adirondack

This is a massive loss for Adirondack as Ashbrook is coming off his first full season in the league as he put up 32 goals and 25 assists for 57 points in 69 games. Ashbrook was a massive part of the Thunders’ success last and played an even bigger role for the team once Patrick Grasso went down with an injury. The 26-year-old would go on to lead the Thunder with 16 points during the Kelly Cup Playoffs, putting up eight goals and eight assists. Prior to joining the Thunder, Ashbrook spent four years at the NCAA level, spending his first year at RPI before spending his last three years at Northern Michigan University as he would put up 37 goals and 21 assists for 58 points in 128 NCAA games and would put up one assist in five games with the Savannah Ghost Pirates at the end of the 2022-23 season.

“Patrick Polino is experienced forward at the ECHL level,” said Head Coach Pete MacArthur. “He averages close to 60 points a year, plays on both special team’s units and is a legitimate top-six forward on the right side.”
Head Coach Pete MacArthur on the addition of Patrick Polino (Via Adirondack Thunder Press Release)

Despite losing a goal-scorer in Ashbrook, Adirondack gets Patrick Polino, who has spent three seasons in the ECHL, putting up 54 goals and 82 assists for 136 points in 170 ECHL games with the Cyclones. The Buffalo, NY native is also coming off a back-to-back 23-goal seasons. Polino will bring a little bit more experience to the Thunder lineup and can also play up the middle, which will be huge for the Thunder. The 29-year-old center would spend his collegiate career at RPI, where he played four years, putting up 24 goals and 28 assists for 52 points in 131 NCAA games.

What This Means For Cincinnati

This is a massive addition for the Cyclones as they get a proven goal scorer in Tristan Ashbrook, which is huge after they traded Zach Andrusiak to Florida during last year’s trade deadline. Cincinnati was expected to get a goal scorer in that deal from Florida, as they got Bobo Carpenter and Zach Tsekos. Still, Carpenter would end up taking the overseas route, leaving Cincinnati without a scorer, especially after they lost Jalen Smerek to the Toledo Walleye.

The Cyclones did have to give up Patrick Polino to get Ashbrook, but there’s no doubt that it was worth it to get a player like Ashbrook, who is a young forward and scored 30 goals in his first full season in the ECHL. Heading into next season, there is no doubt that Ashbrook will be a top-line forward for the Cyclones and should easily be able to find the back of the net 25-30 times next season.