ECHL: Fort Wayne Adds Two New Faces To Roster; Re-Signs Kirill Tyutyayev

The Fort Wayne Komets had a busy day on Tuesday as they re-signed Kirill Tyutyayev and added two more new faces to the roster.

Kirill “Nugget Gate” Tyutyayev Returns to Fort Wayne

Kirill Tyutyayev returns to Fort Wayne after putting up eight goals and 15 assists for 23 points in 33 games with the Komets. He would add two goals and an assist for three points in eight games during the Kelly Cup Playoffs. The Russian forward started his season in the VHL, where he recorded two goals and two assists for four points in 20 games. Tyutyayev would start the 2024-25 season, just as he ended the 2023-24 season, playing in Russia. He played in 13 games between the KHL and VHL during the 2023-24 season. He had a goal and six assists for seven points, with all his points coming at the VHL level.

The seventh-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings in 2019 has spent parts of the last four seasons in North America. In 39 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins, he’s put up two goals and six assists for eight points. At the ECHL level, he’s seen time with the Toledo Walleye and Fort Wayne Komets, where he’s put up 17 goals and 66 assists for 83 points in 88 games. He’s added six goals and 10 assists for 16 points in 21 career Kelly Cup Playoff games. Tyutyayev would make a name for himself on December 6th, 2023, vs the Kalamazoo Wings. The 24-year-old forward was assessed a misconduct penalty after flipping a chicken nugget into the stands. Toledo would go on to lose that game, 6-2.

Austin Magera Joins Fort Wayne

Magera, 27, joins the Komets after spending his first three seasons with the South Carolina Stingrays. In 155 games with South Carolina, Magera would put up 48 goals and 91 assists for 139 points. He’s added one assist in six career Kelly Cup Playoff games. In his first full season in the league, he put up 29 goals and 45 assists for 74 points in 70 games. Magera was named the Rookie of the Year, as well as being named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team and Second All-Star Team. After being part of the Brabham Cup-winning South Carolina Stingrays last season. Magera should be a huge boost offensively to the Komets’ lineup.

Prior to joining the Stingrays, The Suwanee, Georgia, native spent four years at the NCAA level with Sacred Heart University. Magera would put up 47 goals and 69 assists for 116 points in 154 games with the Pioneers. He would be named to the AHA All-Rookie Team and AHA Third All-Conference Team after putting up 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points in 36 games during his first season in the NCAA.

Dillon Hamaliuk Heads Back To The Central Division

Hamaliuk, 24, was another player who started last season overseas as he began the 2024-25 season in Slovakia with HC Nove Zamky. In 15 games in Slovakia, he put up two goals and two assists for four points. Hamaliuk would join the Florida Everblades in February. He would put up six goals and seven assists for 13 points in 27 games. He would add one goal and four assists for five points in 10 games during the 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs.

The Leduc, Alberta, native will be entering his fifth professional season. Hamaliuk was drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the second round in 2019. He began his career playing in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda. In 44 games with the Barracuda, he would put up three goals and six assists for nine points. He also appeared in eight games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins during the 2023-24 season, recording one assist. During his three years in the ECHL, he’s put up 25 goals and 34 assists for 59 points in 69 games while playing with the Wichita Thunder, Wheeling Nailers, and Florida Everblades. He would make the All-Star team during the 2023-24 season, where he finished the year with 15 goals and 24 assists for 39 points in 36 games. Hamaliuk has three goals and five assists for eight points in 19 career Kelly Cup Playoff games.