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Brian Lee Acquired In Three-Team Trade

March 7, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder, the ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers, has acquired defenseman Brian Lee in a three-team trade involving the Thunder, Charlotte Checkers and Columbia Inferno, Thunder head coach Chris Cichocki announced today.

Today's trades involving the Thunder are as follows:

* The Thunder first acquires defenseman Bryan Rodney from the Charlotte Checkers in exchange for right wing Stephen Slonina and defenseman Jeff Lang.

* The Thunder then trades Rodney to the Columbia Inferno in exchange for defenseman Brian Lee, who was also originally acquired by Columbia from the Gwinnett Gladiators in exchange for right wing Chris Thompson.

"Getting a chance to acquire a player of Brian Lee's caliber was too good to pass up and is well needed-commodity at this time of year," said Cichocki. "He's a well-rounded defenseman who wins battles for loose pucks, can play in all even-strength, power-play and penalty-kill situations, and battles hard each and every shift." Lee, 22, has appeared in 55 games this season for the defending American Conference champion Gwinnett Gladiators, adding eight points (1g-7a) with 78 penalty minutes. A third round selection (71st overall) of the Anaheim Ducks in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, Lee has appeared in 117 career professional games with 16 points (3g-13a) and 193 penalty minutes.

Additionally, Lee has appeared in 60 combined games with Cincinnati, Norfolk and Chicago of the American Hockey League, notching eight points (2g-6a) and 113 penalty minutes. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Berrien Springs, Michigan native scored 107 points (25g-82a) in 319 junior career games, spanning five seasons with the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League while helping guide Erie to an OHL Robertson Cup title in 2001-02.

Slonina, 25, was re-signed by the Thunder as a free agent on August 31, 2006, has scored 27 points (10g-17a) and has compiled a -18 rating in 55 games this season. In 244 career ECHL games and four seasons (2003-07) with Gwinnett, Toledo, Greenville and the Thunder, Slonina has scored 128 career points (60g-68a) and amassed 219 penalty minutes.

Lang, 24, was originally acquired by the Thunder from Toledo on February 21, 2006 in exchange for the rights to defenseman Mike Knight. In 46 games this season, Lang has scored 15 points (4g-11a) and is -3 with 51 penalty minutes while scoring 54 points (11g-43a) in 114 career ECHL games with Toledo and the Thunder, spanning two seasons (2005-07).

The Thunder continues an eight-game homestand against the Victoria Salmon Kings tonight at Stockton Arena, beginning at 7:00 p.m.. The game can be heard live on the internet (free-of-charge) and is available for viewing for a $6 "pay-per-view" charge at www.stocktonthunder.com (courtesy of B2 Networks).

Recently named host of the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game, the Thunder drew 228,364 fans to Stockton Arena in its inaugural season, the ECHL's best attendance mark for 2005-06. Thunder season tickets, mini-plans, group tickets and individual tickets for the 2006-07 season are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit www.stocktonthunder.com.



ECHL Stories from March 7, 2007


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