Edmonton Oilers / San Jose Sharks / Stockton Thunder Press Conference on Monday

Press Conference - Monday at 11:00 a.m.

WHAT: The Stockton Thunder, Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks are scheduled to host a news conference ON MONDAY, AUGUST 2, 2010 AT 11:00 a.m. PT to make a significant hockey announcement at Stockton Arena.

The news conference is open to the media and public.

WHO: The following are scheduled to be present at the event:

Dan Chapman, Thunder president and alternate governor
Rick Olczyk, Oilers assistant general manager
Dan Rusanowsky, Sharks radio play-by-play announcer
Doug Wilson, Sharks executive vice president and general manager (available via live conference call)
Matt Thomas, Thunder head coach
Matt O'Dette, Thunder assistant coach

WHEN: 11:00 a.m. PT

WHERE: North Entry Conference Room, Stockton Arena (King's Room)

Specific, one-on-one interviews immediately following the news conference can be arranged by contacting Thunder media relations at 209-373-1520 and by emailing mbenton@stocktonthunder.com.

Parking for media attending will be available free-of-charge at Stockton Arena's "ring road" entry, accessible off Fremont Street.

Doors will open at 10:30 a.m.

Smokin' Ray Says: I was told this May from a great person in Stockton that the Sharks wanted in on the Thunder as it is close for the Sharks to have their players located. I asked the Stockton Thunder a month ago about this, and they politely declined to comment.

It looks like it's going to be official and the info and the suspicions were right.

The Oilers and the San Jose Sharks will be sharing the ECHL's Stockton Thunder.

Who The Fu*k Is Ralph Krueger? Oilers Hire New Associate Coach

Photograph by: Christian Charisius, Reuters

Who the fu*k is this Ralph Krueger fellow the Oilers hired (two year deal) as Associate Coach you ask?

I don't know either. But I did look him up and from the articles that I have read and the way Dan Tencer has talked about him (see below), it seems like he's a very smart and well detailed coach.

He's been coaching the Swiss National team starting in 1997/98 right up until now. When you look at his National achievements with a lower rate team like the Swiss team (no offense to the Swiss), he's done well. I think he will be good or our kids.

THIS IS WHAT DAN TENCER SAID ABOUT KRUEGER

Krueger and Renney both tell me that Ralph's #1 job is to challenge Tom and bring a different perspective to the coaching staff.

Krueger says his best assets all involve building team concept...motivating players, keeping morale high, getting them to buy in etc.

This move was out of the blue for everybody including the media. No one had a sniff of this that I know of.

So what now? *shrugs shoulders* I guess we see what he's like in October and go from there.

I am curious to know how he got the associate title and not just a regular assistant coach title. Is he the successor?

What I do know... I like him more than Steve Smith already.

-Written by Smokin' Ray-

Benton's Blog / Euro Trip / Stockton Thunder Loses Players

EURO TRIP

07/29/2010 10:06 AM - Benton's Blog

Didn't we document in this blog space several weeks ago about the lure of Europe?

It's happening. The lure of big money, less games and international competition has taken some bite out of the Thunder roster from 2009-10:

- Chris D'Alvise (pictured) - Italy
- Justin DaCosta - Czech Republic
- J.F. Caudron - Italy
- Colin Hemingway - England

Andrew Perugini, Kelly Czuy and Bryan Young have also signed overseas, but they're asterisks in the "players leaving" category because they were under an NHL or AHL contract last season, not an ECHL contract.

That's now seven players from last season's playoff roster we can address as "the departed."

Now, stop before you hit that big, red, shiny, imposing panic button.

1. As we've said many times, don't forget how much the ECHL is now a "step-ladder" league where you celebrate your favorite player moving up, not witnessing the huge chunk of veterans whose careers are dying. Europe, as much of the AHL and NHL, is part of that.

2. Don't overlook the leadership core retained from last season (Valette, Marcoux) - with Steve Vanoosten already inked for next season. Anthony Aiello, Garet Hunt and Trevor Hunt have expressed their interest in returning, so we'll see how those play out. Assuming those potentials come to fruition, you have six returners back into the mix.

3. There's also rights retained to Aiello, Ryan Constant, Jason Pitton and more - making the potential returners at eight.

4. There are 19 teams this season - meaning - less jobs, meaning - more premium players available on the free agent market.

5. The affiliation factor and how much it can provide you with supplemental, elite-ECHL level talent and lure more potential free agents with the possibility of playing in front of said affiliated team's scouts and upper brass.

With all those factors, eight returners in a roster of 20 active players isn't a bad ratio in a league that can often serve as a revolving door, year-after-year.

It's still only late July, and the hot stove season hasn't even kicked into fifth gear. Enjoy it and with how the Thunder roster for 2010-11 is continuing to evolve!

Mike Benton has served the Thunder as radio broadcaster since the team's inception. Got a question or comment? E-mail Mike at mbenton@stocktonthunder.com

-Written by Mike Benton of the StocktonThunder.com-

*reprinted by OilersJambalaya.com with permission from the Stockton Thunder hockey club*

No More Edmonton Oilers PPV's?

Picture Stolen From SportsnetONE

On the radio yesterday, Mark Spector was talking about how Rogers Sportsnet is going to have SportsnetONE, a new channel that will have more NHL hockey games shown on it. He said the Canaucks will no longer have PPV games because this new channel bought those games to show for free. Mind you, you will have to pay the $2.99 a month to get this extra channel, but if you take into consideration that each PPV game is $14.95 to order, the $2.99 a month sounds cheap to me.

Let's hope that this wicked new channel does the same for the Oilers games too. I HATE PPV's!!! And I'm cheap. ;)

-Written by Smokin' Ray-

Stockton Thunder Signs Prospect Jordan Cyr

Thunder Signs Prospect Jordan Cyr

07/28/2010 9:20 AM - Holy Cross product finished as leading scorer last two seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MORE: Jordan Cyr career statistics
VIDEO: Matt Thomas discusses signing Jordan Cyr

STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers, and head coach Matt Thomas announced today that the team has signed free agent rookie left wing Jordan Cyr (SEER). Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"Jordan was a player we were trying to sign toward the end of last season when college players became free agents, so we're excited to finally get him on board," said Thomas. "He was one of the first players I actively recruited this offseason and all signs point to him being a first year, impact forward, similar to Oren Eizenman and Chris D'Alvise when they were rookies. He has touch, ability to put the puck in the net and make other players better that are around him."

Jordan Cyr led Holy Cross
in scoring for the last
two seasons, leading to
back-to-back program MVP honors.

(photo by Peter Cooke)

Cyr, 24, is the reigning back-to-back leading scorer and Most Valuable Player honoree for College of the Holy Cross (NCAA) and last season, paced the Crusaders with 30 points (14g-16a) in 29 games while registering a career high 16 assists.

The 5-foot-10, 186-pound winger enjoyed a career-high 19 goals and 32 points (19g-13a) in 37 games as a 2008-09 sophomore.

Through three collegiate seasons (2006-07, 2008-10) at Holy Cross and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NCAA), he scored 63 points (34g-29a) in 77 games and was a teammate of two-year Thunder center Oren Eizenman as a 2006-07 freshman at R.P.I.

"I'm looking forward to bringing a very hard working approach and scoring touch to Stockton, night in and night out," said Cyr. "I pride myself on being an offensive player and reliable at both ends of the ice. It's very exciting to come to what seems to be an absolute, first class organization in the Thunder, that has tons of fan support and is a fun place to play."

The contract signing marks the fourth player to sign with the Thunder, joining captain and center Craig Valette and defensemen Daryl Marcoux and Steve Vanoosten.

OPENING NIGHT AND TICKET INFORMATION
Opening Night is Friday, Oct. 15, when the Thunder opens the 2010-11 regular season at home against the Ontario Reign, starting at 7:30 p.m. at Stockton Arena.

The Thunder are freezing Season Ticket Prices for the 2010-11 season, which are on sale now can be purchased by calling (209) 373-1500 or by visiting http://www.stocktonthunder.com/. Thunder Season Ticket Holders enjoy the highest-demanded seating locations in Stockton Arena, preferred parking options, benefits including admission to Season Ticket Holder-only events, discount opportunities on Thunder merchandise, a free e-newsletter, an exclusive gift, admission to the first two rounds of the Kelly Cup Playoffs and more. Information on individual and group tickets will be announced soon.

A two-time recipient of the ECHL "Award of Excellence," Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew over 200,000 fans for the fifth consecutive season in 2009-10. Season Tickets and mini-plans for 2010-11 are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit http://www.stocktonthunder.com/.

-Written by the Stockton Thunder-

*reprinted by OilersJambalaya.com with permission from the Stockton Thunder Hockey Club*