The Cincinnati Cyclones announced today that the team has inked seven players to Amateur Tryout (ATO) contracts, in addition to signing forward Michal Mrazik to a Standard Player Contract (SPC) prior to the team beginning its training camp next week. The Cyclones are set to take the ice for camp beginning on Monday and will practice through the week leading up to their three-game preseason schedule beginning at Heritage Bank Center on Friday, October 13.
The following players have been signed to an ATO:
Goalies (2): Stephen Mundinger, Julian Sime
Defensemen (2): Landon Cato, Mark Gordon Jr
Forwards (3): Eric Atchison, Jake Goldowski, Colton Kalezic
Of the eight players added to the training camp roster, Mrazik stands as the lone SPC signing. The 22-year-old Slovakian born forward spent much of last year with Atlanta in the ECHL, scoring nine goals and totaling 13 points in 31 games for the Gladiators. Later in the season, Mrazik earned his first AHL call-up, playing one game with Tucson in March. It was the first year Mrazik spent in North America. Before then, he had played in his native country of Slovakia along with skating multiple junior seasons in Sweden.
Both goaltenders Mundinger and Sime have spent time with the Cyclones before. Mundinger was a part of the team's preseason roster a year ago and Sime was called-up from SPHL-Knoxville last season, though he did not appear in a game.
Cato has been with the OHL's Niagara IceDogs since 2019, including the 2022-23 campaign where the Toronto, Ontario native served as captain. He, along with Goldowski spent most of their junior tenure in the OHL. Goldowski played for Saginaw from 2018-2020 and made his ECHL debut last season with Jacksonville, posting five points in 16 games.
Gordon JR and Atchison both spent time in tier II junior hockey, playing in the NAHL. Gordon JR, a Chandler, Arizona native, spent his final junior season playing overseas in Sweden, while Atchison completed his 2022-23 season in Bismarck, where he finished 15th in the league with 141 penalty minutes.
Kalezic has some familiarity with Cyclones Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations, Jason Payne. He was coached by Payne during his 2016-17 OJHL season in Toronto. At that time, Payne was head coach of the Toronto Patriots and helped further Kalezic's development. The hometown forward posted 15 points in 48 games with Toronto the year prior to Payne's arrival. That next season, Kalezic scored 21 goals and registered 48 points in 51 games. His 21 goals put him five ahead of his teammate and current Cyclones forward, Lee Lapid.
