Walleye re-sign productive young forward Lewandowski for upcoming season

The Toledo Walleye have re-signed productive forward Mitchell Lewandowski, who averaged nearly a point per game as a rookie for the team last season.

Lewandowski tallied 54 points in 57 games for the Walleye, averaging 0.95 points per game.

The native of Clarkston, Mich. scored 14 goals to go along with 40 assists.

Lewandowski, who played five seasons at Michigan State University, was a key cog in a Toledo offense that averaged 4.1 goals per game. The Walleye now have five of their top six scorers back.

The 26-year-old forward also played in nine Walleye playoff games, producing 10 points with three goals and seven assists.

Lewandowski ranked 10th in scoring among all ECHL rookies with 54 points and also was fifth in assists (40) with the second most short-handed points (5) among first-year players.

Lewandowski also was called up to the American Hockey League last season and played in six games for the Cleveland Monsters, tallying three points (1 G, 2 A).

The 5-foot-9 and 184-pound left winger recorded at least one point in 11 consecutive games from Nov. 19 to Dec. 23.

Lewandowski played in 77 pro games between the ECHL and the AHL last year, accumulating 60 points (17 G, 43 A) with 20 penalty minutes.

At Michigan State, Lewandowski appeared in 156 games and produced 120 points (56 goals, 54 assists) and 144 penalty minutes. He earned Big Ten Rookie of the Year honors in the 2017-18 season.

The Walleye have now signed 11 players this offseason, including nine who played for the team last season.

Forwards Lewandowski, Dalton Messina, Brandon Hawkins, Sam Craggs, Conlan Keenan, Trenton Bliss, Brandon Kruse, and Darian Pilon, and defenseman Brendon Michaelian will all be returning.

ECHL all-star defenseman Jared Smereck, who played for Cincinnati last year, and defenseman Casey Dornbach, who played for Iowa, also have signed.

The Walleye open the 2024-25 season at the expansion Bloomington Bison on Saturday, Oct. 19. Toledo will have five road games to start the season before hosting Wheeling in the home opener on Friday, Nov. 1.