CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Cincinnati Cyclones, proud affiliate of the NHL’s Florida Panthers and Nashville Predators, announced today that they have released forward Matt Pierce from his standard players contract.

Pierce, an Anrprior, Ontario native appeared in 92 games for the Cyclones since his rookie season in 2009-10 and posted 75 points (37 goals, 38 assists) with 40 penalty minutes during that stretch. In 2009-10, he was a member of the Cyclones 2010 Kelly Cup Championship team.

“After speaking with Matt, he has decided that it would be his best professional interest to pursue more consistent playing time in a non-developmental league,” said Cyclones Head Coach Jarrod Skalde. “With our roster filled mainly with our affiliated players, he wasn’t seeing the ice as much as he would have liked to. Matt is a good teammate and an even better person who has made a significant contribution to the organization in the past. We wish him the best of luck in the future.”

The Cyclones will be back on the ice at U.S. Bank Arena TONIGHT as they play host to the Reading Royals at 7:30pm. The first 2,000 adults will receive a FREE Cyclones Bobblehead T-Shirt courtesy of the Plastic Surgery Group. In addition, all fans can enjoy $1 John Morrell Hot Dogs. Secure your seats now by calling 513.421.PUCK or log on to CyclonesHockey.com. Fans can also get the latest team updates throughout the season on Facebook and Twitter (@CincyCyclones).