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Thunder Signs Free Agent Goaltender Brian Foster

August 20, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder (@StocktonThunder), proud ECHL affiliate of the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League, and head coach and director of hockey operations Rich Kromm announced today that the team has signed free agent goaltender Brian Foster. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Foster, 26, makes Stockton his second ECHL team after spending parts of the last three seasons with the Cincinnati Cyclones, where he went 46-24-7 with a 2.62 goals against average and .908 save percentage in 80 career games. He was the club's "Goaltender of the Year" and "Rookie of the Year" for the 2010-11 season and made his NHL debut in 2011-12 with the Florida Panthers.

"Goaltending is such a huge part of your team and we're confident that Brian will play a major role in our success," said Kromm. "He performs at a level that gives our team confidence, knowing he'll compete every night. Any time you can add a goaltender who carries his athletic and psychological abilities, it means immediate improvement."

The 6-foot-2, 186-pound netminder comes off a year where he appeared in 32 games for Cincinnati, going 19-7-4 with a .907 save percentage and 2.67 goals against average. He also spent seven games in the American Hockey League with the San Antonio Rampage with a .910 save percentage, 2.92 goals against average and 1-3-0 record.

Last season on Feb. 15 vs. Trenton, Foster also became the 11th goaltender in ECHL history to score a goal. He was the last Cyclone to touch the puck prior to it going into an empty net on a delayed penalty.

During the 2011-12 season, when he spent time in three different leagues, he made his NHL debut with the Panthers on Feb. 4 against Tampa Bay. That season, Foster also was 4-6-0 in 12 games with San Antonio and earned a career high three shutouts in 29 games with Cincinnati.

The native of Pembroke, N.H. completed a decorated college career with the University of New Hampshire (NCAA), collecting NCAA All-American (East, Second Team) and Hockey East first team All-Star honors in 2009-10. He helped guide the Wildcats that season to the Hockey East regular season title with a 17-14-7 record and 2.98 goals against average in 38 games. He was 40-29-13 with five shutouts, a 2.82 goals against average and .910 save percentage in 86 career games with New Hampshire.

"I'm very excited about the opportunity to play in a great place like Stockton," said Foster. "I talked to a lot of friends in hockey this summer and everyone had great things to say either about Stockton or the reputation of Coach Kromm. It's a program that went far last year and has aspirations of repeating its success. It will be thrilling to get started moving in that direction."

Foster was selected by Florida in the fifth round (161st overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

The Thunder opens the regular season at home for "Opening Night," with the unveiling of the Western Conference championship banner on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m. against the Colorado Eagles at Stockton Arena.

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