Adirondack Thunder

The Adirondack Thunder are a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL that began play in the 2015–16 season. The team is based in Glens Falls, New York, and affiliated with the NHL's New Jersey Devils. The Thunder play their home games at the Cool Insuring Arena. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Thunder voluntarily suspended operations through at least the 2020–21 ECHL season.[1]

Adirondack Thunder
CityGlens Falls, New York
LeagueECHL
ConferenceEastern
DivisionNorth
Founded1990
Home arenaCool Insuring Arena
Colors       
Owner(s)Adirondack Civic Center Coalition
General managerJeff Mead
Head coachAlex Loh
MediaThe Post-Star
AffiliatesNew Jersey Devils (NHL)
Binghamton Devils (AHL)
Franchise history
1990–1992Cincinnati Cyclones
1992–2001Birmingham Bulls
2001–2005Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
2005–2015Stockton Thunder
2015–presentAdirondack Thunder
Championships
Division Championships2 (2016–17, 2017–18)

The Thunder replaced the AHL's Adirondack Flames after it was relocated to Stockton, California, to become the Stockton Heat.

History

On January 29, 2015, the Calgary Flames announced that they would be moving their AHL affiliate, the Adirondack Flames, to Stockton as one of five charter members of the AHL's new Pacific Division.[2] The next day, the Flames announced that the ECHL's Stockton Thunder (who they had purchased the day before) would move to Glens Falls in what was essentially a "market swap".

The Thunder name, logo and colors were unveiled on February 11, 2015.[3] Cail MacLean was announced the team's first head coach on July 23, 2015.[4]

The Thunder made the playoffs during their first season and were the first Adirondack hockey team to make the playoffs in ten years. They defeated the favored Manchester Monarchs four-games-to-one in the first round, becoming the first team in Glens Falls to win a playoff series since the Adirondack Red Wings in 1994. They faced the South Carolina Stingrays in the second round, which they lost in seven games.

During their second season, the league announced the sale of the Thunder from Calgary Sports and Entertainment to a local ownership group called Adirondack Civic Center Coalition on February 28, 2017.[5] The Thunder were the third of the three displaced franchises from the 2015 creation of the AHL Pacific Division to be sold by their NHL owners after relocating. However, in order for the new ownership group to complete the purchase of the team, they needed to raise $500,000 by a June 30, 2017, deadline and have since been asking for donations and hosting fundraisers.[6] The new ownership group completed the purchase on time but were in debt. They were able to sell the naming rights of the Glens Falls Civic Center to become the Cool Insuring Arena to cover some of the operating costs.[7]

With the Flames no longer operating the team, the Flames and Thunder ended their affiliation following the 2016–17 season.[8] Head coach MacLean would also leave to join the Flames' AHL affiliate in Stockton as an assistant coach.[9] The Thunder would then officially become the ECHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils for the 2017–18 season,[10] and later extended the affiliation agreement for the 2018–19 season.[11] For the Thunder's first two seasons, the Devils' organization had been sending players to Glens Falls due to the proximity of their previous AHL affiliate, the Albany Devils. The Thunder also hired Brad Tapper as its next head coach.

Under Tapper, the Thunder finished the 2017–18 season first in their division and advanced to the conference finals before losing to the Florida Everblades four games to one. The Devils and the Thunder renewed their affiliation for another season. Tapper was then hired by the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL as an assistant coach[12] and was replaced by Alex Loh as head coach for the 2018–19 ECHL season.[13]

Rivals

The Manchester Monarchs were the Thunder's main rival. Following both franchises relocating from California, the two teams met for four straight seasons in the Kelly Cup playoffs. The teams each won two series, alternating years, before the Monarchs ceased operations in 2019. The Thunder also have rivalries with the Reading Royals, Brampton Beast, Maine Mariners, and Worcester Railers.

Season-by-season records
Regular season Playoffs
SeasonGPWLOTLSOLPtsGFGAStandingYear1st round2nd round3rd roundKelly Cup
2015–1672382824821971892nd, East Div.2016W, 4–1, MANL, 3–4, SC——
2016–1772412074932662181st, North Div.2017L, 2–4, MAN———
2017–1872412434892332211st, North Div.2018W, 4–2, WORW, 4–2, MANL, 1–4, FLA—
2018–1972372663832342202nd, North Div.2019L, 1–4, MAN———
2019–2062222885571972195th, North Div.2020Season cancelled

Players and personnel

Current roster
Updated October 30, 2020.[14][15]
# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Contract
17 Alexandre Carrier RW R 29 2018 Montreal, Quebec Thunder
9 John Edwardh RW L 26 2020 Calgary, Alberta Thunder
– Josh French F R 25 2020 Woodbury, Minnesota Thunder
5 Alex Jaeckle D R 26 2020 St. Clair Shores, Michigan Thunder
– Samuel Laberge LW L 23 2020 Chateauguay, Quebec Thunder
– Chase Lang RW R 24 2020 Nanaimo, British Columbia Thunder
6 Tommy Parran D L 25 2019 Shaker Heights, Ohio Thunder
– Nick Rivera F R 24 2020 Pacific Palisades, California Thunder
– Steven Ruggiero D L 24 2020 Kings Park, New York Thunder
– Alex Sakellaropoulos G L 26 2020 Tinley Park, Illinois Thunder
2 Matt Salhany RW R 28 2018 Warwick, Rhode Island Thunder
– Ryan Smith F R 23 2020 Roanoke, Virginia Thunder
91 Mike Szmatula LW R 28 2019 Commerce Township, Michigan Thunder
8 Blake Thompson D L 28 2017 Listowel, Ontario Thunder
25 Ryan Walker LW L 23 2019 Spotswood, New Jersey Thunder

Team captains

Head coaches

References
  1. "NORTH DIVISION ELECTS SUSPENSION OF PLAY FOR 2020-21 SEASON". ECHL. November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  2. "Flames AHL affiliate to join new Pacific Division". Calgary Flames. January 29, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  3. "Calgary named Adirondack Thunder". The Post-Star. February 11, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  4. "ADIRONDACK NAMES CAIL MACLEAN AS HEAD COACH". ECHL. July 23, 2015. Archived from the original on July 23, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  5. "Civic Center Coalition to buy hockey team". The Post-Star. February 28, 2017.
  6. "Effort to 'keep hockey here' struggling". The Post-Star. April 27, 2017.
  7. "Cool Insuring buys naming rights to Civic Center". The Post-Star. July 11, 2017.
  8. "MAVERICKS BECOME ECHL AFFILIATE OF CALGARY, STOCKTON". ECHL. June 8, 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-06-08. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  9. "Stockton announces Cail MacLean will be assistant coach". The Post-Star. August 3, 2017.
  10. "Adirondack Thunder enter affiliation agreement with New Jersey Devils". NHL.com. August 8, 2017.
  11. "Thunder, Devils extend agreement". The Post-Star. May 24, 2018.
  12. "CYCLONES' MACDONALD, THUNDER'S TAPPER NAMED ASSISTANT COACHES IN GRAND RAPIDS". ECHL. July 2, 2018. Archived from the original on July 2, 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  13. "Alex Loh Named Adirondack Thunder Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations". OurSportsCentral.com. July 18, 2018.
  14. "Adirondack Thunder Roster". Adirondack Thunder. 2020-01-21. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  15. "Adirondack Thunder Elite Prospects". EliteProspects.com. 2020-01-21. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  16. "JAMES HENRY NAMED FOURTH CAPTAIN IN ADIRONDACK THUNDER HISTORY". Adirondack Thunder. October 13, 2018.
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