Evansville, In.: The Evansville Thunderbolts and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes are pleased to announce the re-signing of captain Matthew Hobbs for the 2025-26 season. The Thunderbolts begin the 2025-26 season and raise their President’s Cup Championship banner at Ford Center on Saturday, October 25th.
Hobbs captained the Thunderbolts to their first President’s Cup title in 2024-25, his third full season with Evansville and first as team captain. In the 2024-25 regular season, Hobbs scored 12 goals and 24 points in 49 games, adding three assists in seven playoff games. 4 of his 12 goals were game-winning goals, which were the most amongst the Thunderbolts and tied for 6th-best around the SPHL. Since the 2021-22 season, when he was acquired late in his first professional season from the Birmingham Bulls, the Burlington, Ontario native has scored 28 goals and 66 points in 151 regular season games with Evansville, along with 1 goal and 8 points in 16 career playoff games.
“The experience of this past playoff run to the Cup is hard to put into words,” replied Hobbs when asked to reflect on this past season’s playoff success. “We had such a great group of guys on and off the ice, we battled together all year through the ups and downs, that’s what made us so tough to play against in the playoffs. In my fourth trip to the playoffs with Evansville, I’m glad we were able to finally bring the Cup to our amazing fan base, hoisting the Cup in the Fordo (Ford Center) was an amazing feeling.” Turning the page to 2025-26, Hobbs continued: “My goals for the upcoming season will be to continue the hard-nosed, tough style we play that has made us successful, help the new guys be the best players and best people they can be, and of course, lift the Cup again at the end of the season. I can’t wait to be back on the ice at Ford Center with the best fans in the league, I’m already counting down the days.”
“I am thrilled that Matt is returning for another season,” replied Head Coach Jeff Bes when asked to comment on the signing of Hobbs. “He is the leader of our team both on and off the ice. Matt’s work ethic is top level and contagious, which makes everyone around him and the team better. We are aligned in our goal of bringing another championship season to the loyal fans in Evansville, and just like last season, it’s a great start to our team with signing Hobbs”.
