It’s been a busy Thursday for the Worcester Railers.
General manager and associate head coach Nick Tuzzolino announced the signing of forward Matthew Barnaby Jr. to an ECHL contract for the upcoming season. The club also announced a trade, sending forward Keeghan Howdeshell to the Cincinnati Cyclones in exchange for future considerations.
The 26-year-old Barnaby comes from RoKi of Mestis (Finland), where he tallied 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points last season. The 6-foot-2, 194-pound forward previously spent time in the ECHL from 2020-21 to 2022-23 between the Orlando Solar Bears, Fort Wayne Comets and Greenville Swamp Rabbits. He scored 22 points (10-12-22) over 76 games at the AA level.
A native of Buffalo, Barnaby started his professional hockey career between the Evansville Thunderbolts and Huntsville Havoc in the Southern Professional Hockey League. In two seasons, he scored 59 points in 67 games. Prior to turning pro, Barnaby had stints with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms and Chicago Steel.
“I couldn’t be more excited,” Barnaby said following the signing. “Worcester’s an awesome place. I’ve played there a couple of times as an opponent and I’ve got friends in Boston. I’m excited to be somewhere where I’m comfortable.”
If the name sounds familiar, Barnaby is the son of Matthew Barnaby, who played 14 NHL seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche, Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars. Known as an enforcer, the elder Barnaby scored 300 points (113-187-300) and racked up 2,562 penalty minutes in 834 NHL games.
Howdeshell, also 26, played in 67 games for the Railers last season, recording 22 points (10-12-22). He was signed by the Railers in the summer of 2023 as a free agent, and will now have a fresh start in Cincinnati. The Brighton, MI native is a veteran of 231 ECHL games, registering 121 points.
As of Thursday, the Railers have officially signed 13 players including eight forwards, three defensemen and two goaltenders. Announcements of more signings are expected to come over the next few weeks.
