The Stockton Thunder, members of the ECHL — America’s premier “AA” hockey league — have become San Jose’s secondary affiliate for the first time. The Sharks will also share this affiliation with the Edmonton Oilers.

 

“We are very excited to add the Stockton Thunder as our ECHL development affiliate,” said San Jose Sharks Executive Vice President General Manager Wilson. “The Thunder have done a great job bringing winning hockey to their market and we think the proximity of our teams will provide mutual benefits for both franchises on and off the ice.”

"The San Jose Sharks have been one of the premier NHL organizations over the last several years and we're very excited to begin working with them this upcoming season," said Stockton Thunder President Dan Chapman. "For geographic reasons this affiliation makes a great deal of sense and we also look forward to their participation in making the Thunder an even better team in 2010-11." 

Since 2005, the Stockton Thunder has built a legacy on the strength of capturing the hockey imagination, passion and attention of California's Central Valley sports landscape.  For the first time in Thunder history, playoff hockey stretched into the Conference Finals as the Thunder advanced to the third round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs in 2010 - falling six wins shy of a Kelly Cup championship. Such historical highlights have also included Thunder fans boosting a streak of leading the league in attendance for four straight seasons - a feat only accomplished one other time in league history (Florida - 2000-05) and hosting the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game, a featured ECHL contest during the league's 20th Anniversary season that was attended by more than 7,000 fans at Stockton Arena. 

In addition to the new relationship with Worcester and San Jose, a current affiliation with the NHL's Edmonton Oilers and an influx of free-agent talent has taken the Thunder to four straight consecutive Kelly Cup Playoff appearances in 2007-10, while seven players have moved on from Stockton in the last four years to make their debut in the National Hockey League.

(209)373-1500

www.stocktonthunder.com