Thunder Inks All-Star Netminder Gillam
July 30, 2019 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wichita Thunder News Release
Wichita, KS - The Wichita Thunder, ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Edmonton Oilers, AHL's Bakersfield Condors and powered by Toyota, announced today that the team has signed goaltender Mitch Gillam for the 2019-20 season.
"One of my focuses when I took this job over was to solidify the goaltending position," stated Head Coach Bruce Ramsay. "When you have an affiliation and you get a goaltender from them, you always have to be prepared for that goalie to get called up. Injuries happen in the system and we wanted to get an elite goaltender at this level. Mitch had an outstanding career in junior and college. He's been an elite goalie so far as a pro and we're really excited to have him in the fold."
Gillam, 26, has played the last two seasons for the Worcester Railers. A native of Peterborough, Ontario, the 6-foot, 178-pound netminder is coming off an American Hockey League deal with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Last season, he was selected to the 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic as he sported a .924 save percentage (ranked fourth in the ECHL) and a 2.63 goals-against average (ranked 14th) prior to the contest.
He earned ECHL Goaltender of the Week honors for November 26th to December 2nd, going 3-0-0 with a 1.64 goals against average and .951 save percentage. Gillam finished the season with a 21-16-5 record, 3.07 goals-against average and .906 save percentage.
As a rookie in 2017-18, he appeared in 54 games with the Railers. Gillam posted a record of 28-21-3 with five shutouts, a 2.39 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage. His performance earned him a spot on the ECHL All-Rookie Team.
Prior to turning pro, Gillam appeared in 97 career games at Cornell University. He went 47-28-17 with 11 shutouts, a 2.15 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. He earned All-Ivy League Second Team in 2014-15 and 2016-17.
The Thunder will open the season at home on Friday and Saturday, October 11th and 12th and will host the ECHL All-Star Classic on Wednesday January 22nd, 2020. Get your tickets now for the league's annual showcase that features some of the best young talent across the ECHL.
Season tickets for the 2019-20 season are on sale now. Get your seats for just $34 per month. All it takes is a $1 deposit per seat to reserve yours today. To learn more, click here or contact a Thunder representative at the office today!
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