WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder of the Central Hockey League (CHL) announced the addition of four players today, including UHL All-Star Alex Goupil, forward Ryan MacGregor, as well as defensemen Cory Graboski and Jason Lepine.
A fourth-year pro out of Ottawa, Ontario, Goupil (pronounced GOO-pull) joins the Thunder from the UHL's Bloomington Prairie Thunder, where he finished second on the team with 23 goals and was named a UHL All-Star. Goupil, who chipped in five multi-goal games, also led the team with three shorthanded goals and finished third with 45 points.
Prior to joining the Prairie Thunder, Goupil spent two seasons with the UHL's Danbury Trashers, notching a pair of 25-goal seasons. In 203 career games, Goupil has amassed 73 goals and 129 points.
MacGregor, a 6-4, 200-pound rookie from Carleton Place, Ontario, joins the Thunder out of the University of Waterloo, where he finished second on the Warriors last season with 12 goals. In four seasons at Waterloo, he picked up 63 points and 127 penalty minutes in 113 games.
Prior to attending Waterloo, MacGregor spent one season with the OPJHL's Lindsay Muskies, where he notched 33 goals and 69 points in 49 games. He also played a full season with the OHL's North Bay Centennials, where he played under Thunder head coach Mark French. MacGregor joined the CHL's Corpus Christi Rayz for the 2007 CHL playoffs, appearing in three games.
A second-year pro out of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Graboski joins the Thunder from the SPHL's Jacksonville Barracudas. In his rookie season, the 6-0, 205-pound defenseman picked up 11 points, 23 major penalties and finished sixth in the SPHL with 257 penalty minutes. Prior to turning pro, he played two seasons in the BCHL, totaling 25 points and 357 penalty minutes in 80 games.
Lepine (pronounced luh-PEEN) joins the Thunder after spending his rookie season with the CHL's Corpus Christi Rayz. In 44 games, he picked up four goals and 14 points. Prior to joining the Rayz, Lepine spent three seasons with the CJAHL's Cornwall Colts, where he was a dominant defenseman, picking up 48 goals and 144 points in 160 games.
The Thunder acquired Lepine on July 10th in a trade that sent Joe Blaznek to Corpus Christi in exchange for Lepine and fellow defensemen Todd Paul and Tony Johnson. Paul has already signed, giving the Thunder 15 players on the current roster:
Name Pos. L/R HT WT DOB Hometown
Daniel Tetrault D R 6-0 205 9/4/79 La Broquerie, Manitoba
Jason Duda LW L 5-10 185 5/5/75 Sexsmith, Alberta
Tyler Liebel RW R 5-10 185 7/21/82 Osoyoos, British Columbia
Tyler Hanchuck D L 6-3 235 2/7/82 Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Bruce Richardson C L 5-9 175 6/8/77 Ville St. Pierre, Quebec
Kris Wiebe RW R 6-0 210 6/18/81 Lloydminster, Alberta
Stan Yanchishyn LW L 5-10 170 3/27/86 Teulon, Manitoba
Jason Lepine D R 5-11 185 3/26/85 Cornwall, Ontario
Todd Paul D L 5-10 185 12/25/83 Aylmer, Quebec
Alex Goupil LW L 5-8 205 10/4/83 Ottawa, Ontario
Ryan MacGregor LW L 6-4 200 6/28/82 Carleton Place, Ontario
Cory Graboski D R 6-0 205 7/5/83 Abbotsford, British Columbia
Travis Clayton C L 5-8 180 3/9/76 Paradise Hill, Saskatchewan
Jon Horrell G L 5-10 185 11/11/81 Beckenham, England
Sebastien Laplante G L 5-10 178 1/6/81 Casselman, Ontario
The Thunder will host the Tulsa Oilers in an exhibition game on Tuesday, October 9th at the Wichita Ice Center, before opening their 16th CHL season at home on Saturday, October 20th versus the Oklahoma City Blazers. For more information, call the Thunder office at 264-GOAL or visit our website at www.wichitathunder.com. Effective on Monday, September 17th, the Thunder office will move to Lawrence Dumont Stadium, located at 300 S. Sycamore, just across the street from the Wichita Ice Center.
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