The roster keeps growing

Oct. 8, 20095:56 p.m.

This and that from training camp:

  • A new player, forward Henri St. Arnault, is in town and should sign with the Thunder tomorrow. He had 51 points in 59 games for the junior Chilliwack Chiefs in British Columbia. “He’s got some speed, some skill,” Thunder coach Brent Bilodeau said.
  • The Thunder announced the signing of defenseman Jim Jorgensen on Thursday. He has played in 73 pro games, all in the East Coast Hockey League, and is plus-7.
  • Bilodeau will suit up 20 players for the exhibition games Friday and Saturday.
  • The status of goalie Tim Boron is uncertain for the exhibition games. He continues to battle illness.
  • In tomorrow’s paper, I have an update on Mike Batovanja, who is coming off ACL and MCL tears in his right knee. The fiery forward says he still isn’t 100 percent but feels like he is getting stronger. Batovanja has always been a fan favorite, primarily because of his work ethic and intensity. He plays bigger than his 5-7 frame. And he’s active in the community, too. I don’t know if Batovanja will make the team this year – it’s not a given – but he’s a guy most Thunder fans will certainly be rooting for.
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Camp, Day 3

Oct. 7, 20096:24 p.m.

Not much news after three days of camp. Here’s all I can offer:

  • Chris Tarkir continues to look good in camp. I asked coach Brent Bilodeau after Wednesday’s practice who has impressed him, and he again mentioned Tarkir. “He skates hard, does all the little things,” Bilodeau said. Tarkir had 21 points in 62 games last year. Bilodeau also said that Marc Belanger is having a “great camp.”
  • More general thoughts from Bilodeau: “I think usually in camp there are disappointments and some pleasant surprises, and there have been pleasant surprises. Usually, you get a guy or two who you thought was better but he really isn’t, but that hasn’t happened this year. I like all the guys who are here.”
  • Goalie Tim Boron didn’t practice Wednesday due to illness.
  • Bilodeau wasn’t sure if he would make any cuts before the team’s exhibition games on Friday and Saturday. All the players who remain will play in at least one of the games, Bilodeau said.
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Chris McAllister is ginormous, and other observations from Day 1 of camp

Oct. 5, 20097:54 p.m.

Here’s 511 words — most of which are spelled right — about the first day of training camp. That doesn’t make me as prolific as Peter King, but I think it’s sufficient to satisfy Thunder fans who are thirsting for news, notes and thoughts. And since I get paid a buck a word, we’re all happy and “everybody goes home in a limousine,” as Fast Eddie put it. Here we go.

  • My interview with coach Brent Bilodeau following the afternoon practice on Monday was interrupted briefly when his phone buzzed. Another message. During the approximate one-hour workout, Bildoeau received three phone messages and a couple e-mails – all from players (or agents) from the East Coast Hockey League looking for homes. So it’s clear the current training camp roster could grow. “If someone can make us better, I’ll bring him in,” Bilodeau said. “There are just a ton of guys out there. Competition in camp for jobs is gonna be high.”
  • Chris McAllister is big. We knew this already, since he checks in at 6 feet 7 inches, without skates. But I must have heard some sort of variation of the “McAllister is huge” comment five or six times today. “McAllister is huge.” “Dude is really big.” I get it, though. McAllister, because he is tough and played 300 games in the NHL, is a bit of a curiosity and already a fan favorite. I talked to him, and he seems to be a nice guy, too, with a self deprecating sense of humor that you don’t expect from a guy who has played at the highest level.
  • It’s just training camp, of course, but this group appears more ready to compete in the CHL than last year’s team. For example, Bilodeau introduced a neutral zone passing-and-shooting drill on Monday, and the team picked it up right away. Last year, same drill, it took the team 20 minutes to get it. “The overall skill set and hockey sense is better this year,” Bilodeau said.
  • This is my seventh year of covering the Thunder, and I’m pretty sure there was more media at today’s opening practice than ever before. I’m not sure why – there wasn’t even any free food, which always brings out the reporters. The good turnout probably had something to do with the Wingnuts news conference across the street a little bit earlier. McAllister’s presence might have added a little interest, too.
  • Bilodeau said he isn’t sure if he will make cuts this week before the exhibition games on Friday and Saturday.
  • Chris McAllister is, like, gigantic.
  • Good news on Tim Boron, who is coming back after having two hip surgeries in the off-season. After the second session of practice, Boron said he felt “great.” Bilodeau also liked what he saw from Boron. Boron will play in at least one exhibition game.
  • I asked Bilodeau if anything in particular surprised him or stood out from the first day. I thought some of his points were interesting. The entire quote on the topic follows: “McAllister has a harder shot than I thought. (Brett) Beauchamp’s got a pretty hard shot. I liked (Brent) Ottmann today, and (Chris) Trafford played well. (Chris) Tarkir came in in great shape. You know, you can really see the smarts of Glenn (Detulleo) and (Damian) Surma. Obviously, they’ve been around. (Marc) Belanger, I thought, is in better shape this year. He looked good.”
  • The lines on Monday: Trafford-Duda-Surma; Belanger-Detulleo-Heffernan; Batovanja-Thompson-Tarkir; Hanson-Ofukany-Roberts; Ottmann-Kaleniecki-Kneeland. Read into those lines what you will – Bilodeau said they will all be switched up tomorrow.
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Roster additions

Sept. 30, 20095:09 p.m.

Just got an updated training camp roster from broadcaster Steve Schuster, and there’s a few additions: Forward Chris Tarkir and Brandon Kaleniecki; Will Roberts, who is listed as a forward and D man; defenseman Brett Beauchamp; and goalie Jamie Gilbert. That puts the roster at 26.

Camp schedule: Fans can get their first look at the team next week when camp opens at the Ice Center. Practice times are 9 to 10:15 a.m. and 2 to 3:15 Monday through Wednesday. On Thursday, it’s 9:30 to 11:30. It’s always interesting to check out the new guys, and the Thunder staff is generally very good about providing rosters.

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The Dwight Schrute of the Wichita Thunder?

Sept. 28, 20094:16 p.m.

The popular Thunderbolts feature, “Sitdown with Steve,” returns after a lengthy off-season layoff. I don’t do this for personal glory, of course, but the “Wichita Eagle’s” PR machine wanted me to mention that the “Sitdown” was voted one of Wichita’s Top 20 Minor League Hockey Blog segments in 2008.

For newcomers, I’m the unquestioned star of this deal, providing thought-provoking questions for Steve Schuster, the voice of the Thunder. I expertly tee up the questions, and Schuster does his best to simply make contact. The “Eagle’s” marketing experts recommended the name  “Sitdown with Steve.” But, in the interest of full disclosure, I must divulge that Steve is rather small of stature, so for all I know he was standing up behind his desk during the bit. Here we go.

KL: Hey, Steve. It’s been awhile. You still short?

Schuster: Short on reasons to keep typing…

KL: You just finished up as the Voice of the Wingnuts. From a broadcasting perspective, how do hockey and baseball compare?

Schuster: People ask me this a lot and believe it or not, I find hockey to be a lot easier.  The pace of hockey is much more difficult, but once you nail down the speed, the game pretty much takes care of itself.  It’s a lot like facing a pitcher who throws 100 mph, but only throws fastballs.  Once you’ve got the timing down, you know what you’re up against.  Baseball is much easier in terms of pace, but in order to provide a quality broadcast, you have to be able to fill in all of the in-between time with worthwhile information which takes a lot of research and preparation.  Both sports are great though, and are equally fun to watch.

KL: It seems that coach Brent Bilodeau’s second recruiting season is far superior to his first. Agreed?

Schuster: No question.  Having a year of experience in the league as well as a full summer to recruit has produced dramatic results.  At the end of last season, one of Brent’s biggest goals was to bring in “a little more toughness and a little more experience”.  Looking at the current roster (and I know Brent isn’t finished recruiting), there seems to be plenty of both.  There are four defensemen 6’4’’ or bigger, plus Arthur Fritch who just earned a callup to AHL camp.  The scoring has improved dramatically as well with the additions of Glenn Detulleo and Damian Surma.  You know what you’re getting with Jason Duda, and the general consensus is that Marc Belanger, Troy Ofukany and Joel Hanson have the ability to take their game to the next level after very promising rookie seasons.  You have your grinders in Brad Thompson and Mike Batovanja and a couple of rookies in Chris Trafford and Mike Kneeland that are highly regarded.  It really looks like a well rounded team that has the chance to win games in multiple ways.

KL: Give me two newcomers you are excited to see on the ice. We’ll say McAllister is a given, so don’t include him.

Schuster: I’m excited to see Damian Surma, who also reached the NHL, and has been a clutch performer throughout his career.  On three separate occasions he has scored an overtime goal that not only won a playoff game, but clinched an entire playoff series.  That’s the type of guy you want on the ice in overtime, in a shootout, or when you’re down by a goal in the third period.  Chris Trafford is another guy I’m looking forward to seeing play.  His college numbers were terrific and I know the coaching staff thinks he has the chance to be a nice rookie surprise this season.

KL: Has Kanye West ever interrupted one of your broadcasts?

Schuster: You would be shocked as to how many baseball players sang along to “You Belong With Me” during batting practice this season.  I’ve never had the privilege of meeting Kanye, but the people who run the sound room for the Wingnuts like to have fun with the opposing team.  The Lincoln Saltdogs had a player named Josh Burruss, and when he came to the plate they put a picture of Plaxico Burress on the video board.  During one of his at-bats at the end of the season, they then played a “gunshot” sound effect in the background which caused me to burst out laughing on the air.  That’s probably as close as I have ever been to being “interrupted.”

KL: Goaltender Tim Boron, by all accounts, is recovering well from off-season hip surgery. Still, I think there has to be a concern there. Your thoughts?

Schuster: I think it will be in the back of everyone’s mind at first, but I know that he feels 100 percent and is ready for camp to begin.  Having talked to him in the office, he says his hips feel better than they have in the past three years.  Think of it this way, he played on two bad hips last season and still put up great numbers.  Imagine what he could do now that he’s healthy and with a ton of protection in front of the net.

KL: What are a couple off-season personnel moves around the league that really caught your eye?

Schuster: I think Thunder fans are somewhat amused by the amount of former Blazers who are now on the Missouri Mavericks.  They have 12 players officially signed on their roster right now, and five of them were in Oklahoma City last season, not to mention Jeff Christian who played in Tulsa for two years.  There is a poll on the Thunder website asking who the team’s new rival will be.  Last I checked, Missouri was in the lead, and that will only be magnified by the number of ex-Blazers playing there this winter.

Take us behind the curtain of the Wichita Thunder. Who is the Dwight Schrute of the Thunder office? I don’t think we have any beet farmers working here, but I did put someone’s stapler in jello over the summer.  See below:

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Boron passes early test

Sept. 22, 20094:37 p.m.

Thunder goaltender Tim Boron took shots last week for the first time since off-season surgery on both hips and looked “very good,” coach Brent Bilodeau said.

Boron had surgery on his left hip in March; surgery on the right hip was performed about a month later.

Bilodeau had a good look at Boron’s workout at the Wichita Ice Center; the former defenseman was the one shooting the puck.

“He’s feeling good, and he seems to be in good shape and he’s moving well,” Bilodeau said. “He’s just got to get that on-ice stamina and, obviously, that only comes from being on the ice.”

Boron’s full recovery will be key to the Thunder’s season. Boron (2.59 GAA, .926 SP) single-handedly kept the Thunder in many games last season.

Early arrivals: Chris McAllister, Jordan Little and Glenn DeTulleo also are already in town, even though training camp doesn’t start until Oct. 5. Bilodeau appreciates their enthusiasm.

“They’re here early, getting the lay of the land,” he said. “They’re excited, ready to go.”

Camp roster: The Thunder has 21 players on its current roster. Bilodeau expects the number to grow to 25 by the time camp begins. There are two goalies on the roster — Boron and rookie Scott Campbell — and Bilodeau said he plans to bring one more to camp.

Keep an eye on him: Forward Mike Kneeland will be a rookie to watch when camp opens. He comes highly recommended from former Thunder coach Derek Laxdal, a proven evaluator of young talent. Laxdal is now with Idaho of the ECHL. Kneeland played three games in Idaho last season. “He (Laxdal) had some good things to say about him,” Bilodeau said. “The kid’s got good potential. We’ll see.”

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Coach, Duda to meet

June 17, 20099:20 a.m.

I had a story in today’s paper about the first signings for next year. Some leftovers from the interview with coach Brent Bilodeau:

  • Bilodeau plans to meet this week with veteran Jason Duda. Duda led the team in scoring (55 points), despite suffering from a bad back much of the season. Duda decided not to have surgery in the off-season, instead opting for rehab. “We’re gonna talk and see how his back is and what his plans for the future are,” Bilodeau said. “I’m sure he wants to come back, but it has to be something we’re both comfortable with.”
  • Goalie Tim Boron, Troy Ofukany (36 points, 122 PIM as a rookie) and Joel Hanson (33 points in 39 games) are hoping to play at a higher level next season, but they want to return to Wichita if that doesn’t work out, Bilodeau said.
  • Mike Batovanja, among the first signees, said he likes the direction of the team under Bilodeau. “We’re gonna win,” he said. “I’m excited to get it turned around.”
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Joel T: Signings coming

June 8, 20092:20 p.m.

I know, Thunder fans, you want news about player signings. All I can advise is patience. General manager Joel Lomurno said Monday morning that he expects a few player signings within a week. No more details available.

A few off-season tidbits:

  • Lomurno said that coach Brent Bilodeau has had “good discussions” with goaltender Tim Boron and forward Mike Batovanja. Boron’s return could be a major move for the Thunder, provided he is healthy. Boron (2.59, .926) had surgery on both hips after the season ended. “Tim obviously wants to wait it out and see if there are any EHL tryout offers out there, but there is interest on both parties (Boron and the Thunder),” Lomurno said. “Obviously, it depends on how he’s feeling. The surgery went well and the rehab’s going well.”  Batovanja started the season as team captain but was injured in the season opener.
  • Lomurno also said that the team is working to re-sign some “core” players: Marc Belanger (10 goals in 19 games); Troy Ofukany (36 points in 62 games); and Joel Hanson (33 points in 39 games). Lomurno said the team is waiting to see how veteran Jason Duda (team-high 55 points) recovers from a back injury. “Obviously, he’s a guy that wants to come back; he wants to play in the new arena,” Lomurno said. “A healthy Jason Duda would be an asset to us.”
  • The Thunder has hired Ernie Wells, Bryan’s father, to work as a scout in the Western Hockey League and the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. Wells has good connections in the area, Lomurno said. “He’s got an in with the good young players up there,” Lomurno said. “If there’s a guy we really want, instead of just calling him, Ernie’s a guy we can send to meet him face to face.”

  • League honors were awarded at the annual summer meetings. The Thunder won “group sales franchise of the year” for the first time. “Group sales make or break your franchise,” general manager Joel Lomurno said. “It’s definitely one of the more coveted awards. … Next year, group sales will be a little easier. We’ll have many more options we can offer in the new building.” Joe Greene, no longer with the Thunder, gets much of the credit for the honor. He has bee replaced by Jeremy Mock as director of group sales. Assistant GM Sally Knofflock was runner-up for the “merchandiser of the year” award.
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Greene gone; Duda to rehab

April 20, 200911:53 a.m.

The Thunder has lost a star performer – this one off the ice.
General manager Joel Lomurno’s off-season, already challenging given the team’s poor play the past two years, became even tougher with the recent departure of key staffer Joe Greene, who had been with the team for three seasons. Greene was the director of group sales, and under his leadership the Thunder was among the best in the CHL in that department.
Greene is moving to the CHL expansion team in Independence, Mo. He will be assistant GM.
“It’s a big loss,” Lomurno said. “He’s known throughout the league as one of the best salesmen in the league. Joe is going to help start a new franchise, and he thought this would be best for him and his family. We wish him the best.”
Jeremy Mock has been promoted to director of group sales.
“He’s got big shoes to fill, but he learned under Joe and he has a lot to work with,” Lomruno said.

Duda won’t do surgery: Veteran Jason Duda, who struggled with a sore back much of the season, has elected to rehab the injury rather than have surgery. Lomurno said the team will know in about a month if the rehab has worked, or if surgery will be required.
Scott Rozendal (knee), Jason Tessier (hand) and Pascal Bedard (shoulder) have also had surgery since the season ended.

Boron update: Goalie Tim Boron had surgery on one hip toward the end of the season. He has having surgery on the other hip this week. “It’s going to be a big injury to come back from,” Lomurno said.

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Bilodeau to return

March 27, 20093:53 p.m.

Brent Bilodeau, who went 20-41-3 in his rookie season as coach, will return next season. General manager Joel Lomurno has been uncertain about Bilodeau’s status, but he said this afternoon that Bilodeau will get the chance to prove himself next season.

Lomurno said that player support was a key reason he is sticking with Bilodeau. Lomurno also indicated that Bilodeau that will be expected to get off to a fast start next season.

Lomurno said the team’s main weaknesses of experienced scoring and toughness can be “easily fixed” by Bilodeau.

There will be a story in tomorrow’s paper.

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