Training Camp roster announced, O'Connell and Doyle Agree to Terms

Published on October 6, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder, an ECHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers, has announced the following transactions for its 2006-07 training camp opening roster:

VETERAN DEFENSEMAN TIM O'CONNELL AGREES TO TERMS

O'Connell, 28, comes to Stockton training camp after a one-year stint in the United Hockey League with the Missouri River Otters in 2005-06, leading all Missouri defensemen in scoring with 40 points (13g-27a), along with 134 penalty minutes in 76 games. The Grand Forks, North Dakota native previously spent two seasons (2003-05) with the ECHL's Florida Everblades, helping guide Florida to two Kelly Cup Finals appearances.

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound defenseman scored 25 points (5g-20a) with 98 penalty minutes in 92 games with the Everblades while registering 16 points (2g-14a) with 75 penalty minutes in 36 Kelly Cup Playoff games.

O'Connell has appeared in 57 American Hockey League games with Syracuse, Rochester and Norfolk, scoring 11 points (3g-8a) with 40 penalty minutes and has posted 179 points (51g-128a) in 427 professional career games, appearing in 180 ECHL games with Roanoke and Florida.

The Grand Forks, North Dakota native played his four-year (1996-00) college hockey career at the University of North Dakota (NCAA), helping guide the Fighting Sioux to two NCAA Frozen Four national championships in 1997 and 2000. O'Connell scored a goal and 16 assists in 115 career games with North Dakota, totaling 132 penalty minutes.

RIGHT WING MARTY DOYLE AGREES TO TERMS

Doyle, 21, enters Stockton training camp after a three-year (2003-06) junior hockey career split between Sudbury of the Ontario Hockey League, Vaughan of the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League, and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Shawinigan Cataractes and St. John's Fog Devils. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound native of King City, Ontario scored 63 points (26g-37a) in 180 career games, tallying 638 penalty minutes, including a career-high 269 PIM's in 2005-06 with St. John's.

TRYOUT PLAYERS ANNOUNCED

The Thunder announced the following players have been signed to a training camp tryout agreement:
* Steve Driedger (D)
* Jordan Fox (RW)
* Sean Haq (C)
* Kristjan Jenkins (RW)
* Patrick Murphy (LW)
* Kyle Sheen (RW)
* Gabe Yeung (D)

The Thunder also announced defenseman Jason Beckett has agreed to terms with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League on a professional tryout contract and is scheduled to begin the 2006-07 season with Grand Rapids.

ABOUT THE THUNDER 2006-07 TRAINING CAMP ROSTER

The Thunder training camp roster features 34 players, including left wing Mike Lalonde, center Nathan Martz, defenseman Jeff Lang and goaltender Jeff Weber, who return from the 2005-06 team that finished unbeaten in 15 of its last 24 games (10-9-5 record).

Five players assigned to the Thunder from the Oilers organization also dot the camp roster, including goaltender Devan Dubnyk, who was a first round selection of the Oilers in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Forwards Liam Reddox, Troy Bodie, Tyler Spurgeon and Patrick Murphy (on a tryout contract) also began the NHL training camp season with Edmonton and join the Thunder camp roster.

Goaltender Cam Ellsworth, forwards Steve Slonina, Brendon Hodge, Tim Verbeek, defensemen Beau Geisler, Tyler Hanchuck and Tim O'Connell, who all helped guide their former teams to Kelly Cup Playoff berths in the American Conference in the last two seasons, headline Stockton's free agent pickups.

Forwards Cam Abbott, Chris Abbott, Mike Adamek and defenseman Mark Adamek, who created history as Stockton became the first ECHL team to put two sets of brothers on its roster at the same time, are vying for a season-opening roster spot as professional rookies.

Stockton begins the pre-season schedule against the Bakersfield Condors on Tuesday, October 10 at Rabobank Arena, and faces the Fresno Falcons in the Thunder's only pre-season home game on Sunday, October 15 at Stockton Arena, beginning at 4:00 p.m. General admission tickets for the Thunder's only pre-season home game can be purchased by calling the Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visiting www.stocktontickets.com.

The Thunder begins the 2006-07 ECHL season Friday, October 20 on the road against the Bakersfield Condors at 7:00 p.m, and faces the Long Beach Ice Dogs on Saturday, October 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the home opener at Stockton Arena.

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 and mini-plans 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.

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