Thunder to meet Oilers in ECHL pre-season

The Wichita Thunder will get one tune up for its second ECHL season and it will come against a long time rival.

Wichita moved into the new league last season along with the rest of its CHL mates including the Tulsa Oilers, a long time rival. The two will square off as a preview to a regular season that will see the teams going head to head 13 times as they wage their annual battle for the StoneWolf Casino Cup.

The contest is scheduled to be the only exhibition for the Thunder who will host the Oilers at 4 p.m. on Oct. 10. Six days later the team will be in Tulsa to open the ECHL regular season. Wichita will play its home opener the following night at the Wichita Ice Center against the Quad City Mallards.

Here are some other updates from Wichita beginning with its qualifying offers on July 1:

Thunder sends out eight offers

Thunder Head Coach Kevin McLelland started out the month of July sending out qualifying offers to four forwards and four defenseman to begin building his roster for the 2015-16 season.

Theo Peckham: A 27-year-old, 6’2,” 216 lbs. defenseman from Richmond Hill, ON, Peckham was originally selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the Third Round (75th Overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and he has more than 150 games of NHL experience under his belt.

He played his junior with Owen Sound of the OHL for three seasons and then played parts of seven seasons with the Oilers along with a few stints in Springfield and Oklahoma City of the AHL.

Last season, Peckham played 26 games in Wichita, collecting eight points (2g, 6a) and 46 penalty minutes. Late in the year he tested waters overseas with brief intros on teams in pro leagues in both Denmark and Slovakia and he appears to have announced intentions to play at Nottingham in the British League (EIHL) this season.

Dalton Reum: A 23-year-old 6’3,” 170 lbs. defense prospect from Camrose, AB, Reum advanced through the junior ranks, from his hometown Kodiaks and Drayton Valley in the AJHL to Vancouver, then Swift Current of the WHL before making his pro debut at Idaho in the ECHL in 2013-14.

Last season Reum appeared in 26 games for the Thunder picking up his first professional goal and a couple of assists along with 46 penalty minutes.

Michael Trebish: A rugged 27-year-old 6’1,” 194 lbs. defenseman from Yorkton, SK, Trebish appeared in 70 games for the Thunder last season collecting nine points (1g, 8a) and 173 penalty minutes. The goal was the first pro marker for the stay at home blue liner.

Trebish played for his hometown Terriers in the SJHL for two seasons before moving on to four seasons at Ferris State University. He began his pro career in the CHL with Bloomington and then Denver in the 2012-13. The following season he began in Denver, then moved to Arizona and then made the move into the ECHL with the Thunder last season.

Michael Wilson: McLelland was hoping Wilson would return for a third season with the Thunder, but as of writing this, he has commited to Belfast of the EIHL.

Wilson, a 6’1,” 194 lbs. defenseman from Vancouver, BC is an offensive defenseman who last season appeared in all 72 regular season games with the Thunder, contributing 50 points (13g, 37a) and 55 penalty minutes, four points better than the previous season.

Both stand out as the best point production seasons  in his pro career dating back to the 2010-11 season. when he played 54 games with Worcester in the AHL. Wilson started his junior at Langley of the BC but played most of his five season junior stint with Swift Current of the WHL.

Justin Bernhardt: Another native of Yorkton, SK, Bernhardt is a 27-year-old, 6’1,” 181 lbs. center.

He started last season in Germany, but joined the Thunder midseason and put up 30 points (15g, 15a) in just 28 games, his best totals in the league which has seen him in parts of three previous seasons, all in Las Vegas.

Bernhardt played parts of six seasons in the WHL, starting with Regina, then to Kelowna and finally back to Regina where he wrapped it up with a 92 point (35g, 57a) in 2008-09.

Along with his pro years in Vegas, Bernhardt had a brief interlude in Rio Grande of the CHL and sat out the 2012-13 season entirely.

Stephen Schultz: A 27-year-old, 5’11,” 181 lbs. winger from Westbury, NY, Schultz played a dozen games with the Thunder last season, contributing 13 points (3g, 10a) and 12 penalty minutes. He finished the season overseas and as of the writing of this, is planning to join Peckham on the Nottingham Panthers in the EIHL.

Schultz played a season of junior with Lincoln of the USHL before moving on to four years at Colorado College. At the end of his fourth season he got a brief look at pro hockey, playing in five games with the Texas Stars in the AHL.

Before his stint in Wichita, Schultz played with Idaho and Trenton in the ECHL as well as Texas and Binghamton in the AHL and one other season the German pro league.

Jared Walker: The Thunder is hoping to get Walker back for a third season after he appeared in all 72 games last season, collecting 33 points (12g, 21a) and 111 penalty minutes.

A 29-year-old 6’3,” 192 lbs. winger from Winnipeg, MB, Walker enjoyed his best offensive season last year, improving by 11 points on his previous campaign that saw him appear in only 46 games.

Walker played five full seasons of junior in the WHL with Red Deer and Prince George and followed that up with part of a season at the Univrsity of Manitoba. He made his pro debut the same season (2007-08) with Bakersfield in the ECHL before returning for four more years with the Bisons at U of Manitoba.

Before joining the Thunder, Walker played one season with Bloomington in CHL.

Garrett Klotz: This 26-year-old, 6’5,” 234 lbs. winger from Regina, SK moved to Wichita from Indy last season, scoring one goal in eight games in Wichita.

Originally selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the Third Round (66th Overall) of the 2007 Entry Draft, Klotz played three seasons in the WHL with Red Deer and Saskatoon before making his pro debut with the Philadelphia Phantoms of the AHL in 2008-09. He has appeared in 157 AHL games with Philadelphia, Adirondack and Norfolk as well as 104 CHL games with Bloomington and Allen and 76 ECHL matches with Greenville, Fort Wayne, Indy and finally, Wichita.

Miller first signed

A day after the qualifying offers, McClelland made his first signing of the new season, welcoming Kenton Miller back to Kansas.

Miller played 58 games with the Thunder last season, contributing 43 points (17g, 26a) and he also spent four games in Manchester in the AHL on loan.

A 24-year-old, 6’0,” 176 lbs. center from Redvers, SK, Miller played a couple of seasons in the SJHL with Nipawin before finishing his junior career with Spokane, Calgary and Moose Jaw in the WHL.

In 2012-13, Miller made his pro debut, splitting time between Chicago of the AHL and Missouri in the ECHL and he has also played in Utah and Fort Wayne before signing on with the Thunder last season.

“We are very excited to have Kenton back in Wichita for another season,” commented Head Coach Kevin McClelland in a team issued press release. “ He was very solid for us down the middle and improved on his numbers from the previous year. We look forward to see how he can build on that in October.”

Boron announces retirement

After appearing in 45 games for the Thunder last season, veteran goaltender Tim Boron announced his retirement from professional hockey over the summer.

Boron, a 32-year-old, 6’2,” 176 lbs. keeper from Winnipeg, MB was in his second stint at Wichita having appeared previously in parts of 2008-09 and 2009-10 when the team was in the CHL.

In his 45 games last season, Boron posted a 3.15 Goals Against Average and a Save Percentage of .883. He played four previous seasons at Rapid City with one start for a pro team in France in 2013-14 as well.

Boron played his junior with Cowichan Valley of the BCHL before moving on to play three years at St. Cloud University. He made his pro debut with Colorado of the CHL in 2006-07 and then spent time with Stockton and Las Vegas in the ECHL leading up to his first stint in Wichita.

Ruikka-Blazek join Thunder blue line corps

Coach McClelland hoped to strengthen his defense with a late July signings of defensemen Ryan Ruikka and Andrew Blazek.

Ruikka, a 27-year-old 6’0,” 201 lbs. native of Chelsea, NY will be making his North American pro debut having moved on from four years at Boston University to a couple of seasons of pro in France and Finland.

With TUTO Hockey in Finland in 2013-14, Ruikka collected 16 points (1g, 15a) and 20 penalty minutes  in 42 games and finished the season with a +10 ranking. Last season he appeared in just three regular season games and 10 playoff matches Repaces de Gap in France.

Ruikka played his junior with Lincoln and Des Moines in the USHL and New Jersey in the EJHL before moving on to Boston U.

Blazek is a 27-year-old, 6’1,” 190 lbs. native of Pittsburgh, PA. who split time between Cincinnati and South Carolina of the ECHL last year along with  brief loan to Worcester in the AHL. All-totalled he appeared in 24 games and collected six points (2g, 4a) along with four minutes in penalties.

Blazek played three seasons of junior hockey with Des Moines of the USHL along with Texas and Topeka of the NAHL before moving on to five years at Robert Morris University. After graduating in 2013-14 he played 12 games in Cincinnati with the ECHL Cyclones,

Impressed with the accomplishments of both of these players in their college years, McClelland said he is looking forward to getting them on the Thunder blue line.

“I’m excited to get both of these young defensemen into camp,” said  McClelland in a team issued press release. “Ryan had a solid career in arguably the best conference in NCAA hockey and has spent the last two years overseas. I know he is excited to get back to the US. Blazek is a tall, left-handed defenseman who also had a solid career at the NCAA level.”

Gauthier and Macias added to roster

Early in August, the Thunder added a little more to its ECHL roster with the signings of forward Danick Gauthier and defenseman Ray Macias.

Gauthier, a 23-year-old 6’2,” 209 native of Waterloo, QC showed off his offensive prowess with the Thunder last season picking up 68 points (29g, 39a) in 66 games, by far the best totals of his three season pro career.

Gauthier played one game at the end of the 2008-09 career with Shawinigan before moving on to Saint John in the QMJHL in the 2008-09 seasond and then followed that up with three more seasons in Saint John. His final season saw him put up 86 points (47g, 39a) in 66 games.

He made his pro debut in the AHL with Syracuse and he has spent time in all three of his pro seasons there along with Florida in the ECHL. Last season he was assigned to Wichita by Tampa Bay of the NHL.

Macias is a 28-year-old, 6’1,” 198 lbs. defenseman from Long Beach, CA who was selected by the Colorado Avalanche in Round 4 (124th Overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

Last season Macias appeared in just 16 regular season games with Utah in the ECHL, collecting one goal and one assist along with nine penalty minutes. He also played in one playoff match.

Macias played parts of five seasons in the WHL, all with Kamloops before making his pro debut in 2007-08 with four games with Lake Erie in the AHL and another five with Johnstown in the ECHL.

Since then, Macias has played in 178 AHL games with Lake Erie, Springfield and Toronto and another 67 ECHL matches with Johnstown, Reading and Utah. He also played in seven NHL games with the Avs and played two seasons in pro leagues in Germany and Britain.

McClelland is looking forward to the experience these two bring to the Thunder.

“These are two key guys that we are bringing into the fold for next season,” said McClelland in a team issued press release. “Danick is a fantastic offensive player who is dangerous with the puck on his stick. Ray is a solid addition to our defensive corps who has spent time in both the NHL and AHL.”