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Thunder Announces 2006-07 Season-Opening Roster

October 18, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder, an ECHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers, announced the team's 2006-07 opening day roster has been set at 20 players, including two (2) goaltenders, seven (7) defensemen and eleven (11) forwards.

GOALTENDERS

With the departure of 2005-06 Thunder most valuable player Jake Moreland to Denmark, the Thunder filled its goaltending holes with the assignment of Oilers prospect Devan Dubnyk from Edmonton, selected in the first round (14th overall) by the Oilers in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, and budding second-year pro Cam Ellsworth.

Dubnyk, a 6-foot-5, 209-pound goaltender, was ranked #2 among North American Goaltenders by the NHL Central Scouting Service prior to the 2004 draft and spent the 2006 NHL training camp period with Edmonton, where he posted a 1-1-0 preseason record and a .965 save percentage in two games, stopping 56 of 58 shots. Dubnyk shutout the Phoenix Coyotes in his preseason debut, making 27 saves in a 5-0 Oilers win on September 17.

Ellsworth enters his second season in the professional ranks after spending his 2005-06 rookie campaign with Augusta and Greenville of the ECHL, where he had a 22-10-2 record, 2.85 goals against average and .902 save percentage in 35 games. The Leamington, Ontario native was signed by the Thunder as a free agent on October 5 and had four shutouts in 2005-06 which ranked tied for third in the ECHL, and also tied for the league lead with five overtime wins.

Ellsworth parlayed a four game stretch where he went 3-1-0 with a .957 save percentage and 0.99 goals against average that earned Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week honors for the week of January 16-22.

FORWARDS

The frontline is headlined by three returning members from the Thunder's inaugural 2005-06 team with left wing Mike Lalonde, centers Nathan Martz and Stephen Slonina. Lalonde returns for his second year with the Thunder after leading the team with 29 goals (tied for fifth among all ECHL rookies) for the club's 2005-06 inaugural season. The 2006 ECHL All-Star selection to the National Conference registered third on the team with 52 points (29g-23a), led the club with 13 power play goals, and led the entire ECHL with 308 shots.

Center Brendon Hodge and veteran right wing Tim Verbeek move to the National Conference after spending last season with the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers, who advanced to an American Conference division finals berth and garnered a 45-21-6 regular season record (96 points). Hodge, who was acquired on August 9 from Wheeling in exchange for the rights to left wing Ned Havern, registered a career-high 68 points (21g-47a) and 47 assists in 2005-06, ranking second on Wheeling in both categories.

Both Hodge and Verbeek have ties to the NHL, as Hodge's father Ken parlayed a 14-year (1964-78), Hall-of-Fame career in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. Verbeek's brother Pat spent 20 seasons (1982-2002) in the NHL as a forward with the New Jersey Devils, Hartford Whalers, New York Rangers, Dallas Stars and Detroit Red Wings.

Oilers prospects Troy Bodie (LW), Liam Reddox (LW) and Tyler Spurgeon (C) are slated to make their professional debut with Stockton after spending time in Oilers training camp during the 2006-07 NHL preseason before their assignment to Stockton. Left wing Cam Abbott and center Chris Abbott are identical twin brothers and join the Thunder for the opening roster, also set to make their professional debut in the ECHL.

The Thunder signed left wing Adam Huxley as a free agent on September 18, after posting 156 penalty minutes in only 41 games during 2005-06 with the Las Vegas Wranglers and Victoria Salmon Kings of the ECHL. Huxley ranked fourth in the ECHL with 294 penalty minutes as a Wrangler in his first full professional season in 2004-05, also scoring 15 points (7g-8a) in 55 games.

DEFENSE

Defenseman Jeff Lang is the lone blueline holdover from the 2005-06 season, who helped the Thunder go undefeated in 15 of its remaining 24 games (10-9-5 record) last season, which included a season-best five-game unbeaten streak (3-0-2), lasting from March 26 to April 2. Lang scored 14 points (4g-10a) in 24 games with the Thunder in 2005-06, leading the team with a +7 rating after his acquisition from the Toledo Storm on February 21, in exchange for the rights to Mike Knight.

Former Reading Royals defensemen Beau Geisler and Tyler Hanchuck move to the National Conference, after guiding their teams to Kelly Cup Playoff appearances in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Veteran defenseman Tim O'Connell joins the Thunder as a free-agent signee on October 5, who returns to the ECHL after helping guide the Florida Everblades to two Kelly Cup Finals appearances in 2004 and 2005.

Local Hollister, California native Mark Adamek, who made his professional debut with the ECHL's San Diego Gulls in 2005-06, brings a 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame to the blueline for his full scheduled season in professional hockey.

LUTES SENT TO BAKERSFIELD, McPHEE RELEASED, TWO TO INJURED RESERVE

The Thunder announced left wing Brett Lutes has been traded to the Bakersfield Condors in exchange for financial considerations, and defenseman Iain McPhee has been released, eligible for waiver claims.

Lutes, 24, spent the 2005-06 season with the United Hockey League's Port Huron Flags, posting a team-high 53 points (23g-30a) in 63 games along with 188 penalty minutes. A seventh-round selection by the St. Louis Blues in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Lutes collected 37 points (18g-19a) and 104 penalty minutes in 66 games as a first-year professional with Bakersfield in 2004-05.

The Thunder also announced defensemen Eric Main has been placed on the three-day injured reserve list and defenseman Frank Rediker has been placed on the seven-day injured reserve list.

The Thunder, who finished the preseason schedule with a perfect 3-0-0 record, begins the 2006-07 ECHL regular season on the road beginning Friday, October 20 at Rabobank Arena, facing the Bakersfield Condors at 7:00 p.m. The game can be heard live on the internet (free-of-charge) and is available for viewing at a $6 "pay-per-view" rate at www.stocktonthunder.com, courtesy of B2 Networks.

The Thunder opens the 2006-07 home campaign on Saturday, October 28 against the Long Beach Ice Dogs at Stockton Arena, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

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, 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 October 18, 2006


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