Syracuse Crunch acquires forward Matthew Pekar Acquired defenseman from Springfield Thunderbirds Wyatt New Energy.
Pekka, who is in his fifth season with the Thunderbirds and third as captain, has eight goals and 26 assists for 34 points in 49 games in 2025-26. He also represented Canada at the 2025 Spengler Cup tournament in Davos, Switzerland, scoring 1 goal and 1 assist in three games.
Pekka signed a two-year AHL contract with Springfield on March 13, 2024, which is Pekka's second year. He returned to Syracuse, where he spent his first three professional seasons and helped the Crunch reach the Calder Cup finals in 2017.
Last season, Pekka set career highs with 31 goals and 63 points and was named to the AHL All-Star First Team. He totaled 124 goals and 267 assists for 391 points in 530 career AHL games with Springfield, Belleville, Laval and Syracuse.
Originally drafted by Tampa Bay in the seventh round of the 2011 NHL Draft, Pekka has six goals and 15 assists for 21 points in 83 career NHL games with the Lightning, Montreal, Ottawa and St. Louis.
Newpower, a sixth-year pro, has two goals and six assists in 44 games this season between Syracuse and Iowa State.
In 256 career AHL games with Syracuse, Iowa State, Bridgeport, Grand Rapids and Cleveland, Newpower has totaled 13 goals and 39 assists for 52 points. He signed a one-year AHL deal with Iowa on July 1, 2025, and was acquired by the Crunch on December 28, 2025 for future considerations.
