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Saunders Adds Size, Toughness to Thunder Blueline

August 6, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder, the proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers, has agreed to terms with defenseman Nathan Saunders (SAWN-ders), Thunder head coach Chris Cichocki announced today. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Saunders, a fourth round selection (119th overall) of the Anaheim Ducks in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, played in 31 ECHL games last year for the Johnstown Chiefs, scoring six points (1g-5a) while adding 79 penalty minutes. Saunders, who was acquired with defenseman Brett Skinner by the Boston Bruins from Anaheim in exchange for forward Mark Mowers on September 24, 2007, also earned a stint with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League, netting one goal in 13 games while tallying 21 penalty minutes.

"I've got to credit our (Director of Scouting) Blair Nicholson on this signing - he's seen Nathan play out east quite a bit when he was in Moncton for junior hockey," said Cichocki. "Blair always liked him and we wanted to take advantage of the situation with him becoming a free agent this summer. He has a solid, ‘stay-at-home' game and a mean-streak on the ice. He kind of looks the part too - the fans will recognize him out there because of his size and an angry edge he brings to his game. He loves making life miserable for opposing players who want to stand in front of our net."

Saunders, 23, has appeared in 139 career games in his three-year (2005-08) professional career with the ECHL's Augusta Lynx, Johnstown Chiefs and American Hockey League's Providence Bruins and Portland Pirates, scoring 25 points (4g-21a) while adding 295 penalty minutes.

The 6-foot-3, 228-pound blueliner participated in training camps with the Ducks while performing under an NHL contract and was selected to play in the 2006 Pacific Division Rookie Tournament, annually staging top prospects from the Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes and San Jose Sharks. For four seasons (2001-05) of his junior hockey career, Saunders excelled on the back-end for the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, scoring 87 points (14g-73a) while amassing 794 penalty minutes in 261 career games.

The Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island native posted a team-leading 198 penalty minutes and led Moncton's defensemen with 23 assists during the 2004-05 season.

"I've talked to a few of my friends around the league who have played here for a few years and I've heard nothing but good things about Stockton," said Saunders. "It'll be nice playing in California weather again. The organization is very competitive and I've heard ownership treats you well. I'll focus on being a good defensive player; I'm not looking to be the first power-play point guy, but if I can contribute a little offensively, I'm look forward to helping us out there too."

Saunders is the sixth Thunder player to sign an ECHL contract for 2008-09, joining defensemen Mark Adamek and Neil Petruic, goaltender Tim Boron and left wingers Mike Lalonde and Tom Zanoski.



ECHL Stories from August 6, 2008


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