Thunder signs first new player of season

The Wichita Thunder signed its first new player of the season, the second overall.

Wichita signed center Matt Byrnes, a second-year pro from Lincoln, R.I., who played last season with the Wheeling (W.Va.) Wheelers of the ECHL. Byrnes scored four goals with nine assists in 27 games.

“Matt is a hard-working player who takes the body and skates very well,” Thunder head coach Brent Bilodeau said. “He is a great community guy who will also be a great leader in the locker room.”

Byrnes played for Marrimack College, where he scored 42 points in four seasons. He won the team’s Francis J. Miller Unsung Hero Award.