Huxley Returns, Three More Added to Camp Roster

Published on October 4, 2007 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder, the ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers and American Hockey League's Springfield Falcons, has announced free-agent defensemen Tim Branham, Nathan Fornataro and free-agent rookie goaltender Bill Zaniboni have agreed to contract terms. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Additionally, left wing Adam Huxley has been assigned to the Thunder from Springfield.

Huxley originally signed with the Thunder as a free agent September 18, 2006 and received an invite to Edmonton Oilers 2007 training camp, appearing in one game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, a 3-2 overtime win for the Oilers on September 18. Huxley was signed to an AHL contract with Springfield on September 24, 2007. Huxley, 23, appeared in a career-high 61 games last year, scoring 10 points (1g-9a) while tallying a Thunder single-season record 241 penalty minutes, ranking fourth in the ECHL. The Wainwright, Alberta native has appeared in 160 career ECHL games in four seasons (2003-07) with the Thunder, Alaska Aces, Las Vegas Wranglers and Victoria Salmon Kings, posting 696 penalty minutes while scoring 32 points (11g-21a).

The 6-foot, 200-pound left wing ranked fourth in the ECHL, set a career-high and a Las Vegas record with 294 penalty minutes in his first full professional season in 2004-05, also scoring 15 points (7g-8a) in 55 games. Huxley split his three-year (2001-04) junior hockey career between the Western Hockey League's Saskatoon Blades and Seattle Thunderbirds, registering 29 points (9g-20a) and 621 penalty minutes in 197 career games.

Branham, 23, returns to the professional ranks after a two-year absence, scoring 26 points (5g-21) in three seasons (2002-05) while adding 87 penalty minutes in 92 career ECHL games with the Texas Wildcatters, Florida Everblades, Peoria Rivermen and Johnstown Chiefs. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound blueliner has also appeared in 64 career AHL games, scoring 10 points (1g-9a) with the Saint John Flames and Portland Pirates.

A third round selection (93rd overall) of the Vancouver Canucks in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Branham had 72 points (14g-58a) in 167 career junior games with the Ontario Hockey League's Barrie Colts and Guelph Storm, tallying a career-high 32 points (7g-25a) in 68 games in 2000-01 with Barrie.

Fornataro, 24, previously spent his four-year (2003-07) college hockey career at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks (NCAA), tallying 48 points (10g-38a) in 109 career games with 96 penalty minutes. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound defenseman registered a career-high 19 points (3g-16a) in 37 games as a 2004-05 sophomore, registering 36 penalty minutes.

Zaniboni, 25, is the third signed goalie in Thunder training camp, entering his rookie season after a three-year career at Northern Michigan University (NCAA), tallying a lifetime 32-36-6 record, .911 save percentage, 2.52 goals-against-average and six shutouts in 77 career games with the Wildcats. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound goaltender registered career-bests in wins (18), goals-against-average (2.31) and tied a career-high with a .916 save percentage as a 2005-06 junior.

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