Fortunus joins Thunderbirds on PTO

The Springfield Thunderbirds announced today that they have signed defenseman Maxime Fortunus to a professional try-out contract.

Fortunus, 34, has skated in 828 regular-season games over 14 seasons in the American Hockey League with Houston, Manitoba, Texas and Iowa, good for 30th on the league’s career leaders list. He has totaled 74 goals and 200 assists for 274 points.

Fortunus is also tied for sixth all-time with 118 AHL postseason games played, reaching the Calder Cup Finals three times and captaining the Texas Stars to a championship in 2014.

The native of La Prairie, Que., has worn the captain’s “C” in both Texas (2012-15) and Iowa (2015-16), and was selected as the Western Conference team captain for the 2015 AHL All-Star Classic.

Fortunus has appeared in nine career NHL games, all with Dallas.