Thunderbirds Complete Transaction with Rock Lobsters
Published on March 3, 2026 under Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL)
Twin City Thunderbirds News Release
Twin City Thunderbirds forward Gus Ford
(Twin City Thunderbirds)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Twin City Thunderbirds completed a transaction earlier today with the Athens Rock Lobsters. The Thunderbirds have acquired forward Kayson Gallant, defenseman Jack Johansen, and have reacquired forward/defenseman Dominic Dumas, from the Athens Rock Lobsters in exchange for forward Gus Ford. As part of the agreement, Ford's rights will be returned to Twin City following the completion of the 2025-2026 season.
"It is with tremendous thought, heartfelt discussion, and no small amount of anguish, the Twin City Thunderbirds announce today that forward Gus Ford has been traded to the Athens Rock Lobsters. This decision was not made lightly. Gus expressed a desire to continue his playing career under the coach who originally recruited him, and who played a significant role in shaping his path in professional hockey. After extensive conversations with Gus, and deep internal deliberation, the organization has chosen to honor his request, and assist him in his pursuit of this opportunity.
We completely understand what Gus means to our fans, our locker room, and our community. He is not only one of the top players in the league, but also a fan favorite whose passion, work ethic, and leadership have defined the Thunderbirds' identity. His contributions on and off the ice have been extraordinary, and his impact on this franchise will never be forgotten. We know this news will be difficult for many of our loyal supporters. It is difficult for us as well.
However, part of our responsibility as an organization is to balance respect for our players with the long-term health and competitiveness of our team. While temporarily saying goodbye to a player of Gus's caliber is painful, we believe fulfilling his request is the right thing to do both for him personally, and professionally, for our club.
In return, we have positioned ourselves to acquire assets that we believe will strengthen our roster and help us continue to build a competitive team for the future. Our commitment to winning, to our fans, and to bringing another championship to Winston-Salem remains unwavering.
To our fans: thank you for your passion and your support. We share your disappointment, and we do not take your loyalty for granted. Gus Ford will always be a Thunderbird, and we wish him nothing but success as he begins this next chapter of his career."
- Twin City Thunderbirds Hockey Club
Gus Ford, 30, Forward, of Tillsonburg, Ontario, has skated in two hundred and forty games in his FPHL career, all with the Thunderbirds organization. He leaves the Thunderbirds as the franchise's all-time leader in Goals (189), Assists (247), and Points (436). Ford made his debut with the organization during the 2021-2022 regular season. He won the FPHL's scoring title in his first full season with the organization in 2022-2023. Ford's one hundred and fourteen points in fifty-four regular season games played were the most of any league player that season. He earned FPHL Most Valuable Player honors for his performance. Ford captured the FPHL's Forward of the Year title the following season. He leaves this year's Thunderbirds squad as the team's scoring leader with twenty-seven goals netted in forty games played. In addition to his time with Twin City, Ford has also skated for the Peoria Rivermen, Macon Mayhem, and Quad City Storm of the SPHL. Prior to his time in professional hockey, Ford played four seasons at Northland College (NCAA DIII, Ashland, Wisconsin). He scored twenty-eight goals and recorded sixty-five assists for ninety-three total points in one hundred and four career collegiate games. Prior to his collegiate career, Ford played junior hockey for the Chatham Maroons (GOJHL, Chatham, Ontario), Brantford Jr. B 99ers (GOJHL, Brantford, Ontario), St. Thomas Stars (GOJHL, St. Thomas, Ontario), Dorchester Dolphins (SOJHL, Dorchester, Ontario), and Norwich Merchants (NDJCHL, Norwich, Ontario). Ford is 5'8", 190 lbs., and is a right-handed shot.
Kayson Gallant, 26, Forward, of Red Deer, Alberta, is currently in his second season in the FPHL. He has appeared in seventy-nine league games, all with the Athens Rock Lobsters. Gallant has netted fifty-three goals and recorded forty-one assists for ninety-four total points. He finished last season as the FPHL's scoring leader with forty goals netted in fifty-six games played. Gallant made his North American professional hockey debut on October 11th, 2024, in the Rock Lobsters' 7-2 road win over the Monroe Moccasins. He scored his first career goal for Athens during the victory. Gallant spent the 2022-2023 season skating for EHC Kundl (ÖEL, Kundl, Austria). His twenty-three points in fifteen games played for EHC Kundl tied for the most on the team. Prior to his professional hockey career, Gallant skated for Missouri State University (ACHA, Springfield, Missouri) during the 2021-202 season, and Portage College (ACAC, Lac La Biche, Alberta) during the 2020-2021 season. He played junior hockey for the Kelowna Chiefs (KIJHL, Kelowna, British Columbia), Red Deer Vipers (HJHL, Red Deer, Alberta), and Red Deer CanPro (AAA, Red Deer, Alberta). Gallant is 5'10", 170 lbs., and is a right-handed shot.
Jack Johansen, 26, Defenseman, of Milford, New Hampshire, is currently skating in his first full-time professional season following a four-year collegiate career at Fitchburg State University (NCAA DIII, Fitchburg, Massachusetts). He made his FPHL debut on October 24th, 2025, in the Rock Lobsters' 4-3 road win over the Pee Dee IceCats. Johansen provided the Rock Lobsters offense with one goal and eight assists for nine total points in thirty-eight games played this season. Johansen skated in five games last season for the Macon Mayhem (SPHL) following the completion of his collegiate career. He scored ten goals and notched twenty-five assists for thirty-five total points in eighty-seven games played during his time in college. Prior to his collegiate hockey career, Johansen skated for the East Coast Wizards (EHL, Bedford, Massachusetts), New England Wolves (EHL, Laconia, New Hampshire), and Bishop Guertin High School (HS, Nashau, New Hampshire). He served as the Captain for the Wizards during his final year of junior hockey. Johansen is 6'2", 201 lbs., and is a right-handed shot.
Dominic Dumas, 26, Forward/Defenseman, of Boise, Idaho, returns to the Thunderbirds franchise after skating in thirty-two games with the organization during the 2023-2024 regular season. Dumas has skated in twenty games this season with Athens. He has netted eight goals and recorded three assists for eleven total points. Dumas has skated in sixty-seven career FPHL games. He has scored twelve goals and notched twenty-two assists for thirty-four total points. Dumas made his professional hockey debut with the Thunderbirds on October 27th, 2023, in the team's 4-2 road win over the Danbury Hat Tricks. In addition to his time in the FPHL with the Thunderbirds, Rock Lobsters, and Elmira River Sharks (defunct), Dumas has also skated professionally for the Macon Mayhem and Quad City Storm of the SPHL. Prior to beginning his professional hockey career with the Thunderbirds, he played two years collegiately for UMass-Dartmouth (NCAA DIII, Dartmouth, Massachusetts). Dumas played one season for Saint Mary's University (NCAA DIII, Winona, Minnesota) before transferring to UMass-Dartmouth. He scored three goals and recorded eleven assists for fourteen total points in fifty career collegiate games. Before his college hockey career, Dumas played for various junior hockey organizations including the Hearst Lumberjacks (NOJHL, Hearst, Ontario), Brookings Blizzard (NAHL, Brookings, South Dakota), and Georgetown Raiders (OJHL, Georgetown, Ontario). Dumas is 6'1", 193 lbs., and is a right-handed shot.
Twin City is currently offering a special ticket through FEVO to celebrate the historic double gold sweep in Milano Cortino for the United States Men's and Women's Hockey Teams. Three tiers of pricing (Gold, Silver, Bronze) are available through this special. The Gold Tier includes two blue section tickets for $46, a nod to the United States' Men's team winning Gold at the Olympics for the first time in forty-six years. Silver Tier pricing includes two red section tickets for $33 in honor of United States Women's Captain Hillary Knight's team record of thirty-three points recorded in the Olympics. The Bronze Tier includes two white section tickets for $20.26, a nod to this year's historic performance by each United States hockey team in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. https://www.gofevo.com/group/Olympicdiscount
Thunderbirds' Family 4 Packs are designed to deliver an exciting and affordable night of Thunderbirds hockey. Three themed package options (Red, Black, White) are available as part of this special promotion. The Red Pack includes four glow sticks and four White Section tickets for $64, creating a high-energy game night atmosphere for the whole family. The Black Pack features four pucks along with four White Section tickets for $80, perfect for fans looking to take home a unique piece of the action. The White Pack includes four Thunderbirds t-shirts and four White Section tickets for $88, allowing families to gear up and show their team pride together. Fans interested in purchasing a Family 4 Pack can contact Vice President of Business Operations Joe Cangelosi by phone at (336) 413-3794, or by email at jcangelosi@tcbirds.com, to secure their package and enjoy a memorable night at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Arena!
Tickets to home games at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Arena may be purchased online by skating to WSFairgrounds.com, Ticketmaster.com, or by calling the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Arena Box Office at (336) 727-2236. The Twin City Thunderbirds are proud members of the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL).
Images from this story
 Twin City Thunderbirds forward Gus Ford |
 Twin City Thunderbirds forward Gus Ford |
Federal Prospects Hockey League Stories from March 3, 2026
- Thunderbirds Complete Trade with Sentinels - Twin City Thunderbirds
- Athens Rock Lobsters Acquire Kalib "Gus" Ford in Blockbuster Trade - Athens Rock Lobsters
- Thunderbirds Complete Transaction with Rock Lobsters - Twin City Thunderbirds
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