SHARKS RENEW AFFILIATION AGREEMENT WITH WICHITA THUNDER OF THE ECHL
Jul 13, 2023
SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) announced today that the team has renewed its affiliation agreement with the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder for the 2023-24 season.
“We’re looking forward to continuing to work with the Wichita Thunder, including Head Coach Bruce Ramsay and General Manager Joel T. Lomurno,” said Sharks Assistant General Manager and San Jose Barracuda (AHL) General Manager Joe Will. “Having a solid affiliation in the ECHL is important to our player development plan, and the ECHL has a solid track record with preparing prospects for their NHL and AHL careers.”
The 2023-24 season will be the second campaign of the affiliation. Two players who are currently with the Sharks organization appeared with the Thunder last year, including forwards Dillon Hamaliuk and Mitchell Russell.
The Thunder, who play at INTRUST Bank Arena in downtown Wichita, Kansas, will be entering their 10th season as a member of the ECHL and 32nd season as a franchise, having previously played in the Central Hockey League from 1992-2014. Wichita was the Central Hockey League champion in 1994 and 1995 and made the Finals in back-to-back years in 2012 and 2013 before joining the ECHL in 2014. The Thunder finished the 2022-23 season with a record of 33-32-6-1, one point out of a playoff berth.
Joel T. Lomurno serves as the franchise’s general manager and was selected as the ECHL Executive of the Year for 2021-22. Bruce Ramsay serves as the team’s head coach and was named ECHL Head Coach and GM of the Year after the 2020-21 season.
"We are happy to be back with San Jose for another season," said Lomurno. "We had some good young prospects come through here last season and with San Jose’s deep talent pool, we look forward to seeing some exciting new players in a Thunder uniform this season.""
“I’m really excited to be working with San Jose for another season," said Ramsay. "Last year we saw some talented players that came from their system and I enjoyed helping develop them so they can reach their dream of playing in the NHL. We look forward to growing our partnership and working together to ensure success at each level for all three teams."
The Sharks have several ties to the ECHL on the team’s coaching staff, including Assistant Coach Scott Gordon (Johnstown Chiefs), who was the first ECHL graduate to ever play in the NHL and went on to serve as head coach of the Roanoke Express from 1998-2000, Assistant Coach Ryan Warsofsky, who served as an assistant coach with the South Carolina Stingrays from 2013-16 and was the team’s head coach from 2016-18 and Goaltending Coach Thomas Speer, who played for both the Idaho Steelheads and Las Vegas Wranglers in 2011-12 and served as a goaltending coach with then-Sharks affiliate Allen Americans from 2014-17.
Additionally, Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood played in five ECHL games with the Adirondack Thunder in 2017-18, defenseman Kyle Burroughs played in 18 contests with the Missouri Mavericks in 2015-16, defenseman Jacob MacDonald skated in 110 games split over three seasons between the Elmira Jackals and Toledo Walleye and forward Scott Sabourin appeared in three games with the Manchester Monarchs in 2015-16.
The Thunder had previously affiliated with the Edmonton Oilers (2017-22) and Ottawa Senators (2016-17).