8th year pro Matt Fornataro(39) started the 2015/2016 season in Austria’s Este Banke Liga with Graz 99ers scoring a respectable 10 goals and 16 assists before deciding to head back to North American hockey for the first time in 3.5 years.
The 30-year old signed a contract with Manchester Monarchs returning to the ECHL, where he last played half a season in 2009/2010 as part of South Carolina Stingrays‘ squad.
He spent 3 seasons in Sweden’s Allsvenskan and SHL with VIK Vasteras HK and Leksands IF from 2012-2015.
It’s little surprise that he’s helping the Monarchs stay near the top of the Eastern Conference returning to a form that had him dotting up the score sheet for at least a point-per-game.
In 8 contests he has 4 goals and 4 assists with a +1 rating.
Having a veteran presence like him in the fold will definitely help this team push far in the postseason.
Matt Fornataro(39) VIK Västerås HK
In a pair of moves that sort of amounted to “trading” a bishop for a rook: 4th year, undrafted forward Matt Fornatoro(39) heads on to his third AHL team, Rockford IceHogs after spending a couple of seasons signed to an spc with Norfolk Admirals.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. 26-year old played 161 games for the Admirals scoring 33 goals and 52 assists. He was a +8 plus/minus and has always worked hard for any contract in triple A hockey he’s signed.
In a very simultaneous, coordinated transaction, Tampa Bay Lightning picked up 9th year forward Brandon Segal from Chicago Blackhawks and assigned him to Norfolk.
9/17-12: Fornataro flies the North American coop for the Swedish 2nd tier league Allsvenskan. He joins VIK Västerås HK for the upcoming season.
