Roadrunners Re-Sign Austin Poganski to Two-Year AHL Contract

TUCSON, AZ – The Tucson Roadrunners, the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Utah Mammoth, announced today that the club has signed center Austin Poganski to a two-year AHL contract.

“Austin provides great character and leadership while continuing to improve every season,” said John Ferguson, general manager of the Tucson Roadrunners. “He has yet to reach his professional ceiling and we are excited to see his continued growth as a valuable member of our Utah Mammoth – Tucson Roadrunners pipeline.”

Poganski, 30, recently completed his third season in Tucson and second as team captain, leading the Roadrunners with a career-high 56 points (23g, 33a) in 70 games. The 6-foot-2, 213-pound forward also established career highs in goals, assists, game-winning goals (5), shots (119) and shooting percentage (19.3%).

He paced the team in games played, multi-point games (15), game-winning goals and shooting percentage while ranking second in goals and assists and tied for third in power-play goals (5).

His 56-point campaign is tied with Kailer Yamamoto’s 2024-25 season for the fourth-most points in a single season in franchise history and moved Poganski into fifth place on the franchise’s all-time scoring list with 128 points.

Across eight AHL seasons, Poganski has recorded 249 points (89g, 160a) and 170 penalty minutes (PIM) in 442 games with Tucson (2023-26), the Coachella Valley Firebirds (2022-23), Manitoba Moose (2021-22) and San Antonio Rampage (2017-20). He has also registered five points (2g, 3a) and 19 PIM in 34 Calder Cup Playoff games with Tucson, Coachella Valley and Manitoba, including a trip to the 2023 Calder Cup Finals with the Firebirds, who fell in overtime in Game 7 to the Hershey Bears.

The St. Cloud, Minnesota, native also has seven PIM in 22 NHL games with the Winnipeg Jets (2021-22) and St. Louis Blues (2019-21).

Poganski was originally selected by the Blues in the fourth round (110th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft.

Before turning pro, Poganski played four seasons at the University of North Dakota, serving as captain during his senior season in 2017-18 after wearing an assistant captain’s letter as a junior in 2016-17. He recorded 84 points (37g, 47a) and 98 PIM in 162 collegiate games and was named to three consecutive NCHC Academic All-Conference Teams while twice earning NCHC Scholar-Athlete honors.