The Springfield Thunderbirds have signed forward T.J. Tynan to a one-year American Hockey League contract for the 2026-27 season.
One of the most decorated AHL players of the last decade, Tynan returns to Springfield where he began his pro career in 2014. Since then, he has recorded 113 goals and 579 assists for 692 points in 760 AHL games with the Springfield Falcons, Lake Erie/Cleveland Monsters, Chicago Wolves, Colorado Eagles and Ontario Reign.
Tynan ranks seventh in league history in assists, behind only Willie Marshall (852), Fred Glover (814), Mike Nykoluk (686), Tim Tookey (621), Keith Aucoin (613) and Cal O’Reilly (606). He is also one of just two players (Art Stratton) ever to lead the league in assists in a season four times in his career.
The Orland Park, Ill., native won the Les Cunningham Award as the AHL’s most valuable player in 2020-21 and 2021-22, the fifth player ever to win the honor in back-to-back seasons. He was voted to a postseason AHL All-Star in 2020-21 (Pacific Division), 2021-22 (First Team) and 2022-23 (Second Team), and he has participated in the AHL All-Star Classic four times.
Tynan has added nine goals and 42 assists for 51 points in 85 career postseason games in the AHL, winning the Calder Cup with Lake Erie in 2016 and reaching the Finals with Chicago in 2019.
In 2025-26, Tynan helped Colorado advance to the Western Conference Finals, recording 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) in 17 playoff games after putting up three goals and 47 assists for 50 points in 67 regular-season outings.
Originally a third-round choice by Columbus in the 2011 NHL Draft, Tynan has played 31 games in the NHL with the Blue Jackets, Avalanche and Kings, tallying two assists.
