ECHL: An Interview With Adirondack Thunder Forward Patrick Polino

The Adirondack Thunder made a couple of eye-catching trades during the 2024 off-season, and one of those trades was with the Cincinnati Cyclones, as Adirondack acquired forward Patrick Polino in exchange for Tristan Ashbrook. Polino, 29, spent three seasons with the Cyclones, where he put up 54 goals and 82 assists for 136 points in 170 games, including back-to-back 20-goal seasons in 2022-23 and 2023-24. He also has three goals and four assists for seven points in 18 career Kelly Cup Playoff Games.

“Cincy was good. I liked the city and I liked the fans it’s a great organization and I was taken care of really well and we had a couple good seasons which was nice and I met a lot of great people in Cincinnati and I enjoyed my time there”

The Buffalo, NY, native returns to his home state, where he spent his collegiate career at RPI, playing four years with the Engineers, putting up 24 goals and 28 assists for 52 points in 131 games. Polino’s pro career would also come in New York during the 2020-21 season when he spent 20 games with the Rochester Americans, putting up three goals and four assists for seven points; he has five goals and four assists for nine points in 36 career AHL games with 35 of them coming with Americans and one game coming with the Providence Bruins.

“It was a cool experience, it’s not something I expected to happen given the circumstances of it being the COVID season but they gave me a chance at the beginning of the year and I think I took advantage of the opportunity. It was special being close to home and starting out in the AHL with Rochester and I had gone to a lot of Sabres games growing up and a few Rochester games as well it was definitely cool to play there”.

-Polino on starting his pro career where he was born and started playing hockey

When training camp begins in just a few short weeks, Polino will see some familiar faces. Adirondack also signed former Cyclone Keanan Stewart, who scored one goal and added three assists for four points in 16 games after finishing his collegiate career at Mercyhurst University. Polino mentioned that Stewart won’t be the only familiar face, as he spent time skating with Ryan Wheeler, who has helped him get acclimated.

“It will be good. Stewy came after school, so we didn’t get much time together but I know a couple of the other guys like Wheeler who I skated with over the summer so he’s been a good person to talk to things about and try to get the lay of the land once I get there”

-Polino on having some familar faces in the Adirondack Thunder Locker Room

For the Thunder, adding a goal-scorer like Polino is huge, especially after losing guys like Patrick Grasso and Tristan Ashbrook, who combined for 90 points last season. Polino isn’t the only player who is expected to be a force offensively, as Ryan Smith finished last year with 27 goals, and some promising rookies like Alex Young who are expected to be a big part of the offense this season. They would also add Ryan Francis, who had a 23-goal season with the Trois-Rivieres Lions in 2022-23.

“I think when you have multiple guys who can score 20+ goals it’s always a good thing. It makes it harder for teams to shut multiple guys down every night which can be tough so I think if we all work together and we play our games like we all can it will be a good season.

Polino on Adirondack having multiple guys who can easily find the back of the net