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O'Connell Breaks Retirement, Back With Thunder

December 14, 2007 - 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 agreed to terms with veteran defenseman Tim O'Connell, Thunder head coach Chris Cichocki announced today. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"We're very excited to have Tim back with our club," said Cichocki. "With our young team, his experience and leadership will be a huge asset in all aspects - in the locker room, on the bench and on the ice."

O'Connell, 30, is scheduled to return to the Thunder lineup and play in his 500th career professional game on Friday, December 21 against the Bakersfield Condors and will wear his familiar jersey #21.

The 6-foot-3, 225-pound defenseman returns from an eight-month retirement after scoring 211 points (61g-150a) and amassing 811 penalty minutes in 499 career games with the ECHL's Thunder, Florida Everblades, Roanoke Express, the AHL's Norfolk Admirals, Rochester Americans and Syracuse Crunch, and the United Hockey League's Missouri River Otters and Elmira Jackals.

"I've missed the game a lot, everything's fallen into place for coming back at this time and I'm hoping things bode well for the team and my game," said O'Connell. "I've been looking forward to getting back into the room and helping the team out in any way I can. The biggest thing you miss, when you quit, is being around the guys and I'm looking forward to returning to that."

O'Connell also acknowledged the Thunder fan base, who led the ECHL in attendance last year, as a factor in coming back.

"The biggest impression left on me from last season is the fans, the city of Stockton and how much they enjoyed the game," he said. "As far as on the ice, I was appreciative of how many people came out and supported what we did."

O'Connell was the recipient of the 2006-07 Professional Hockey Players Association's "Ironman Award," appearing in 409 consecutive games while playing in all 72 games with the Thunder last year and helping guide the club to its first Kelly Cup Playoff berth in Thunder history while serving as an assistant captain.

The Grand Forks, N.D. native scored an ECHL career-high 32 points (10g-22a) last year, leading the Thunder with a +22 rating while serving as an assistant captain, additionally tying his ECHL career-highs in goals (10) and assists (22). O'Connell helped guide the Florida Everblades to two consecutive appearances in the Kelly Cup Finals from 2004-05, appearing in 42 lifetime Kelly Cup Playoff games in his ECHL career and scoring 16 points (2g-14a) with 79 penalty minutes.

Last year, O'Connell helped guide the Thunder to its first Kelly Cup Playoff berth in team history and a 36-point turnaround in 2006-07 (38-24-10 record, 86 points), the highest point swing in the National Conference.

O'Connell has appeared in 57 career AHL games with Syracuse, Rochester and Norfolk, scoring 11 points (3g-8a) with 40 penalty minutes. He played his four-year (1996-00) college hockey career at the University of North Dakota (NCAA), helping guide the Fighting Sioux to two NCAA Frozen Four national championships in 1997 and 2000. O'Connell scored a goal and had 16 assists in 115 career games with North Dakota, totaling 132 penalty minutes.

2007 CHASE CHEVROLET ECHL ALL-STAR GAME

The Thunder is hosting the 2007 Chase Chevrolet ECHL All-Star Game presented by Jackson Rancheria and Bud Light for the first time in just the third year of the club's existence on Jan. 22-23. The economic impact of the All-Star Game is projected to give the city of Stockton an estimated more than $1 million in revenue and will take place in the 9,737-seat Stockton Arena, adjacent to the new seven-story Sheraton Stockton Hotel at Regent Pointe slated to be completed December 2007. Stockton is the 13th largest city in California and the 69th largest city in the United States of America.

Tickets for the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game and ECHL All-Star Skills Competition start as low as $10 and are currently available by purchasing a 2007-08 Thunder season ticket or min-plan package by calling 209-373-1500. Individual tickets for the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game and All-Star Skills Competition will go on sale soon.

The Thunder returns to play tonight with a 7:30 p.m. home game against the Bakersfield Condors at Stockton Arena. The game can be heard live on radio at 1420-AM KSTN and on the internet (video and audio available) at www.stocktonthunder.com, courtesy of B2 Networks.

The Thunder has led the ECHL in attendance for two consecutive seasons and drew 244,085 fans to Stockton Arena in 2006-07. Season tickets, mini plans, group and individual tickets for 2007-08 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.

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