The Thunder is down to four healthy defensemen after Rob Stanfield left the team on Monday to return home for a job. Coach Brent Bilodeau said that Stanfield was originally supposed to begin the position in April, but that the veteran was unexpectedly called in sooner. “It’s something he’s trained for, and it’s for life after hockey,” Bilodeau said, “so he had to go home.”
Stanfield was plus-2 with a goal and 14 penalty minutes in six games.
Another defenseman, Pascal Bedard, is out for the season with a shoulder injury.
Bilodeau was working the phones Monday afternoon, trying to find two D men to bring in.