Milton Keynes Thunder

Milton Keynes Thunder are an ice hockey team from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, they are known stylistically as the Milton Keynes Rightmove Thunder for sponsorship purposes, and the team currently competes in the Britton Conference, of the National Ice Hockey League Division 1 South (the third tier of English National Ice Hockey). The team was founded in 2001 predominantly to provide competitive hockey and further development opportunities for players leaving the Milton Keynes Junior Ice Hockey system. Their home rink is the refurbished and renamed Planet Ice Arena, known locally as the Thunderdome. It has a capacity of circa 2,500.

Milton Keynes Thunder
CityMilton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
LeagueNIHL South Division 1
Founded2001
Home arenaPlanet Ice Arena Milton Keynes
ColorsWhite, Black & Red
     
General manager Lauren Cox
Head coach Antti Kohvakka
Captain Alex Whyte
AffiliatesMilton Keynes Lightning
Milton Keynes Storm
WebsiteMilton Keynes Thunder
Franchise history
2001 – PresentMilton Keynes Thunder
Championships
Regular season titles0
Playoff championships0

Club history

Foundation

Founded in 2001, MK Thunder originally shared their home rink with the Milton Keynes Kings. However, the MK Kings were involved in a dispute with rink operators Planet Ice, which led to their relocation to Solihull in May 2002.[1] The space left by the MK Kings was eventually taken by the Milton Keynes Lightning which was formed in 2002.

Position in the Milton Keynes Ice Hockey structure

As the second most senior ice hockey club in Milton Keynes, the MK Thunder have always played in the National Ice Hockey League South Division 1 or its former incarnations (English National League South, English National League South A and English National League South 1). It has been used as a vehicle to further develop Milton Keynes based players and has been a 'feeder' club for the senior hockey club Milton Keynes Lightning. The teams iced by the club have been dominated by local players, supplemented by the occasional import (league rules restrict the use of import players to just two, compared to five in the defunct old second tier EPIHL and eleven in the first tier EIHL). The club also has links with the junior system and provides development opportunities for junior players at the Milton Keynes Storm Club.

Arena redevelopment

In March 2013, Milton Keynes Council approved plans to redevelop the Leisure Plaza after failed attempts in 2006 and 2011. The development of the arena was funded by Morrisons Supermarkets and took 17 months to complete. This forced Thunder to play their home games at a temporary rink sited within the Milton Keynes City Centre in a building vacated by the Supermarket Waitrose. The rink and the MK ICE charity established to operate it was organised by the team's owner and the then general manager, David Fairhurst. The team returned to the redeveloped rink which had been renamed the "MK Arena" in October 2014.

Club honours

The Milton Keynes Thunder lifted their first silverware when they secured the NIHL South BBO Cup in the 2016-17 season.

Club roster 2020/2021 season
Netminders
No. Nat. Player Catches Date of birth Place of birth Acquired
23 Darragh Wren R (2003-01-01) 1 January 2003 England 2019 from Milton Keynes Storm
34 Hayden Laverick R (1988-11-21) 21 November 1988 Nuneaton, England 2019 from Coventry Blaze NIHL
35 Graham Laverick L (1994-12-27) 27 December 1994 Nuneaton, England 2019 from Coventry Blaze NIHL
Defencemen
No. Nat. Player Shoots Date of birth Place of birth Acquired
2 Alex Whyte L (1996-07-23) 23 July 1996 Peterborough, England 2013 from Peterborough Phantoms
4 Samson James L (2000-08-30) 30 August 2000 Coventry, England 2020 from New Jersey Renegades (USA)
8 Ryan James R (1993-09-05) 5 September 1993 Solihull, England 2019 from Coventry Blaze NIHL
24 Sam Richardson R (2002-01-01) 1 January 2002 England 2020 from Milton Keynes Storm
44 Antti Kohvakka L (1976-01-04) 4 January 1976 Tampere, Finland 2019 from Coventry Blaze NIHL
Forwards
No. Nat. Player Shoots Date of birth Place of birth Acquired
13 Lewis Blore L (2001-10-20) 20 October 2001 Cardiff, Wales 2020 from Lee Valley Lions
22 Reece Wickens R (2003-01-01) 1 January 2003 England 2019 from Milton Keynes Storm
37 Connor Mellett R (1998-06-21) 21 June 1998 England 2019 from Coventry Blaze NIHL
39 Niall Simpson R (1995-01-16) 16 January 1995 England 2019 from Coventry Blaze NIHL
45 Hayden Hagger R TBC Luton, England 2020 from Free Agent
63 Caden Harrington-Hughes R (2003-01-01) 1 January 2003 England 2019 from Milton Keynes Storm
68 Julien Baeumlin L (1992-12-13) 13 December 1992 Mulhouse, France 2019 from Strasbourg II (France)
70 Sam Dean L (1999-08-06) 6 August 1999 Peterborough, England 2019 from Coventry Blaze NIHL
73 Gareth O'Flaherty R (1990-01-18) 18 January 1990 Camberley, England 2020 from Peterborough Phantoms
93 Sam Prosser R (1993-01-29) 29 January 1993 England 2019 from Coventry Blaze NIHL
81 Harrison Goode L (1990-12-15) 15 December 1990 Luton, England 2020 from Free Agent
2 Way Players
No. Nat. Player Two Way Club Shoots/Catches Date of birth Place of birth Acquired
11 Henri Kohvakka Milton Keynes Storm R (2003-01-01) 1 January 2003 Finland 2020 from Milton Keynes Storm
16 Harry MacGarvey Milton Keynes Storm R (2004-01-01) 1 January 2004 Milton Keynes, England 2020 from Milton Keynes Storm
19 Tom Stephens Okanagan Hockey Academy R (2003-01-01) 1 January 2003 Milton Keynes, England 2019 from Milton Keynes Storm
38 Solomon Smith Haringey Huskies R (1998-01-21) 21 January 1998 England 2020 from Blackburn Hawks
43 Bailey Hind-Pitcher Okanagan Hockey Academy R (2003-01-01) 1 January 2003 England 2020 from Bracknell Hornets

Statistical records

Top ten appearances
League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2019-2020 season
Player
No. Nat. Player Active Seasons App
1 Paul Gore 2002–2009 & 2011-2017 335
2 Sam Fairhurst 2002–2015 inclusive 325
3 Harrison Goode 2007–2018 & 2020 312
4 Matthew Roberts 2002–2003, 2004-2014 & 2015-2106 294
5 Nidal Phillips 2009–2018 inclusive 279
6 Jamie Randall 2008–2009 & 2010-2017 259
7 Tom Mboya 2010–2019 inclusive 245
8 Alex Whyte 2013–2020 inclusive 241
9 Lewis Clifford 2002–2011 inclusive 240
10 Mark Woolf 2002–2014 & 2015–2018 230

Top ten points scorers
League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2019-2020 season
Player
No. Nat. Player Active Seasons Pts
1 Jamie Line 2010-2011 & 2014-2019 214
2 Ross Bowers 2010-2011 & 2015-2019 213
3 Harrison Goode 2007-2018 & 2020 201
4 Tom Mboya 2010–2019 inclusive 145
5 Jamie Randall 2008-2009 & 2010-2017 141
6 Connor Goode 2009-2013 & 2014-2018 134
7 Michael Knights 2003-2006 & 2007-2011 121
7 Alex Whyte 2013-2020 inclusive 119
9 Kieron Goody 2002–2011 inclusive 113
9 Aram Todd 2002–2007 & 2010-2011 113

Top ten goal scorers
League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2019-2020 season
Player
No. Nat. Player Active Seasons Gls
1 Ross Bowers 2010-2011 & 2015-2019 107
2 Jamie Line 2010-2011 & 2014-2019 95
3 Harrison Goode 2007–2018 & 2020 94
4 Paul Jamieson 2002–2011 inclusive 71
5 Tom Mboya 2010-2019 inclusive 68
6 Connor Goode 2009-2013 & 2014-2018 65
7 Maros Stefanco 2010-2012 inclusive 51
8 Michael Knights 2003–2006 & 2007–2011 48
9 Aram Todd 2002-2007 & 2010-2011 46
9 Kieron Goody 2002–2011 inclusive 46

Top ten goal assists
League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2019-2020 season
Player
No. Nat. Player Active Seasons Ast
1 Jamie Line 2010-2011 & 2014-2019 119
2 Harrison Goode 2007-2018 & 2020 107
2 Ross Bowers 2010–2011 & 2015-2019 106
4 Jamie Randall 2008–2009 & 2010-2017 97
5 Alex Whyte 2013-2020 inclusive 78
6 Tom Mboya 2010-2019 inclusive 77
7 Michael Knights 2003–2006 & 2007-2011 71
8 Connor Goode 2009-2013 & 2014-2018 69
9 Kieron Goody 2002–2011 inclusive 67
9 Aram Todd 2002–2007 & 2010-2011 67

Top ten penalty minutes
League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2019-2020 season
Player
No. Nat. Player Active Seasons PIM
1 Matthew Roberts 2002-2003, 2004-2014 & 2015-2016 1520
2 Paul Gore 2002–2009 & 2011–2017 932
3 Lee Featherstone 2003–2008 & 2009-2012 746
4 Paul Jamieson 2002–2011 inclusive 684
5 Michael Knights 2003–2006 & 2007-2011 592
6 James Roberts 2002–2009 inclusive 555
7 Lewis Clifford 2002–2011 inclusive 464
8 Harrison Goode 2007–2018 & 2020 328
9 Kieron Goody 2002–2011 inclusive 320
10 Ivan Turan 2006–2008 inclusive 269

Top ten points to game ratio
League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2019-2020 season (Players with under 20 appearances not included)
Player
No. Nat. Player Active Seasons Pts
1 Maros Stefanco 2010-2012 inclusive 1.65
2 Jakub Klima 2016-2017 1.34
3 Michal Lauko 2008–2009 1.32
4 Ross Bowers 2010-2011 & 2015-2019 1.31
5 Piotr Poziomkowski 2013–2015 inclusive 1.18
6 Jamie Line 2010-2011 & 2014-2019 1.17
7 Mark Krater 2002–2004 & 2005-2008 1.07
8 Michael Knights 2003–2006 & 2007-2011 1.04
9 Tom Hurley 2004–2008 inclusive 1.02
10 Tom Rubes 2018–2019 1.00
10 Maksims Petruks 2012–2014 inclusive 1.00

Top ten goals to game ratio
League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2019-2020 season (Players with under 20 appearances not included)
Player
No. Nat. Player Active Seasons Gls
1 Maros Stefanco 2010-2012 inclusive 0.93
2 Jakub Klima 2016-2017 0.79
3 Jamie Holland 2009–2010 0.74
4 Ross Bowers 2010-2011 & 2015-2019 0.66
5 Michel Lauko 2008-2009 0.64
6 Maksims Petruks 2012–2014 inclusive 0.57
7 Tom Rubes 2018–2019 0.55
7 Piotr Poziomkowski 2013–2015 inclusive 0.55
9 Josh Nicklin 2008-2010 & 2014-2016 0.53
10 Tom Hurley 2004-2008 0.52
10 Jamie Line 2010-2011 & 2014-2019 0.52

Top ten assists to game ratio
League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2019-2020 season (Players with under 20 appearances not included)
Player
No. Nat. Player Active Seasons Ast
1 Cameron Wynn 2016-2017 0.80
2 Maros Stefanco 2010-2012 inclusive 0.73
3 Michel Lauko 2008–2009 0.68
4 Ross Bowers 2010-2011 & 2015-2019 0.65
4 Jamie Line 2010-2011 & 2014-2019 0.65
6 Piotr Poziomkowski 2013-2015 inclusive 0.63
7 Michael Knights 2003-2006 & 2007-2011 0.62
8 Jakub Klima 2016-2017 0.56
8 Mark Krater 2002-2004 & 2005-2008 0.56
10 Mark Conway 2002-2004 0.55

Top ten penalty minutes to games ratio
League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2019-2020 season (Players with under 20 appearances not included)
Player
No. Nat. Player Active Seasons PIM
1 Ivan Turan 2006-2008 inclusive 7.08
2 Richard Munnelly 2002–2004 inclusive 5.78
3 Michael Knights 2003-2006 & 2007-2011 5.19
4 Matthew Roberts 2002–2003, 2004-2014 & 2015-2016 5.17
5 Antti Kohvakka 2019–2020 4.59
6 Lee Featherstone 2002–2008 & 2009-2012 4.49
7 James Roberts 2002–2009 inclusive 4.08
8 Zac Chamberlain 2019-2020 3.45
9 Jacob Corson-Heron 2008-2011 inclusive 3.16
10 Paul Jamieson 2002-2011 3.14

Top ten save percentages
League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2019-2020 season (Players with under 20 appearances not included)
Player
No. Nat. Player Active Seasons Sv%
1 Damien King 2014-2016 inclusive 92.24
2 Jordan Lawday 2018-2019 90.19
3 Tom Annetts 2017-2019 inclusive 89.91
4 Denis Bell 2013-2014 88.96
5 David Wride 2016-2017 88.94
6 Mark Woolf 2002–2014 & 2015-2018 88.91
7 Jordan Hedley 2012-2013 88.17
7 Graham Laverick 2019-2020 inclusive 88.17
9 David Cassidy 2010–2014 inclusive 85.61
10 Kim Taylor 2003–2008 inclusive 81.81

Retired Numbers
Player
Number Nat. Player Active Seasons Acquired
1 Mark Woolf 2002–2014 & 2015-2018 2002 from Milton Keynes Kings

Associated teams

References
  1. "MK Kings live on in Solihull". Milton Keynes Citizen. May 2002.
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