Researched and compiled
by Carrie Birdsong
League: East Coast Hockey League (ECHL)
Conference: Eastern
Division: North
Founded: 1990
Home Arena: Cool Insuring Arena
Colors: Red, Black, White, Gray
Owner(s): Adirondack Civic Center Coalition
General Manager: Jeff Mead
Head Coach: Pete MacArthur
Affiliates: New Jersey Devils (NHL)
Utica Comets (AHL)
Franchise History:
1. 1990 – 1992 Cincinnati Cyclones
2. 1992 – 2001 Birmingham Bulls
3. 2001 – 2005 Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
4. 2005 – 2015 Stockton Thunder
5. 2015 – Present Adirondack Thunder
2. 1992 – 2001 Birmingham Bulls
3. 2001 – 2005 Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
4. 2005 – 2015 Stockton Thunder
5. 2015 – Present Adirondack Thunder
Championships:
Division Titles:
Division Titles:
1. 2016 – 2017
2. 2017 – 2018, 2023 – 2024
The Adirondack Thunder is a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL that began play in the 2015 – 2016 season. The team is based in Glens Falls, New York, and is affiliated with the NHL’s New Jersey Devils and the AHL’s Utica Comets. The Thunder play their home games at the Cool Insuring Arena.
The Thunder replaced the AHL’s Adirondack Flames after they were relocated to Stockton, California, to become the Stockton Heat.
History
On January 29th, 2015, the Calgary Flames announced that they would be moving their AHL affiliate, the Adirondack Flames, to Stockton as one of five charter members of the AHL’s new Pacific Division(1). The next day, the Flames announced that the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder (they had purchased the day before) would move to Glens Falls in a “market swap”.
The Thunder name, logo, and colors were unveiled on February 11th, 2015(2). Cail MacLean was announced as the team’s first head coach on July 23rd, 2015. (3)
The Thunder made the playoffs during their first season and were the first Adirondack hockey team to make the playoffs in ten years. They defeated the favored Manchester Monarchs four games to one in the first round, becoming the first team in Glens Falls to win a playoff series since the Adirondack Red Wings in 1994. They faced the South Carolina Stingrays in the second round, which they lost in seven games.
During their second season, the league announced the sale of the Thunder from Calgary Sports and Entertainment to a local ownership group called Adirondack Civic Center Coalition on February 28th, 2017(4). The Thunder were the third of the three displaced franchises from the 2015 creation of the AHL Pacific Division to be sold by their NHL owners after relocating. However, for the new ownership group to complete the team purchase, they needed to raise $500,000 by the June 30th, 2017, deadline, and they have since been asking for donations and hosting fundraisers(5). The new ownership group completed the purchase on time but was in debt. They could sell the naming rights to Glens Falls Civic Center to become the Cool Insuring Arena to cover some of the operating costs. (6).
The Adirondack Thunder is a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL that began play in the 2015 – 2016 season. The team is based in Glens Falls, New York, and is affiliated with the NHL’s New Jersey Devils and the AHL’s Utica Comets. The Thunder play their home games at the Cool Insuring Arena.
The Thunder replaced the AHL’s Adirondack Flames after they were relocated to Stockton, California, to become the Stockton Heat.
History
On January 29th, 2015, the Calgary Flames announced that they would be moving their AHL affiliate, the Adirondack Flames, to Stockton as one of five charter members of the AHL’s new Pacific Division(1). The next day, the Flames announced that the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder (they had purchased the day before) would move to Glens Falls in a “market swap”.
The Thunder name, logo, and colors were unveiled on February 11th, 2015(2). Cail MacLean was announced as the team’s first head coach on July 23rd, 2015. (3)
The Thunder made the playoffs during their first season and were the first Adirondack hockey team to make the playoffs in ten years. They defeated the favored Manchester Monarchs four games to one in the first round, becoming the first team in Glens Falls to win a playoff series since the Adirondack Red Wings in 1994. They faced the South Carolina Stingrays in the second round, which they lost in seven games.
During their second season, the league announced the sale of the Thunder from Calgary Sports and Entertainment to a local ownership group called Adirondack Civic Center Coalition on February 28th, 2017(4). The Thunder were the third of the three displaced franchises from the 2015 creation of the AHL Pacific Division to be sold by their NHL owners after relocating. However, for the new ownership group to complete the team purchase, they needed to raise $500,000 by the June 30th, 2017, deadline, and they have since been asking for donations and hosting fundraisers(5). The new ownership group completed the purchase on time but was in debt. They could sell the naming rights to Glens Falls Civic Center to become the Cool Insuring Arena to cover some of the operating costs. (6).
With the Flames no longer operating the team, the Flames and Thunder ended their affiliation following the 2016 – 2017 season(7). Head coach MacLean would also leave to join the Flames’ AHL affiliate in Stockton as assistant coach(8). The Thunder would then officially become the ECHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils for the 2017 – 2018 season(9) and later extended the affiliation agreement for the 2018 – 2019 season(10). For the Thunder’s first two seasons, the Devils’ organization had been sending players to Glens Falls due to the proximity of their previous AHL affiliate, the Albany Devils. The Thunder also hired Brad Tapper as its next head coach.
Under Tapper, the Thunder finished the 2017 – 2018 season first in their division and advanced to the conference finals before losing to the Florida Everblades four games to one. The Devils and the Thunder renewed their affiliation for another season. Tapper was then hired by the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL as an assistant coach(11) and was replaced by Alex Loh as head coach for the 2018 – 2019 ECHL season. (12)
Due to the Covid–19 pandemic, the Thunder voluntarily suspended operations for the 2020 – 2021 ECHL season. (13)
On May 11th, 2022, the Thunder would announce that the organization would be parting ways with Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Alex Loh. This coming after finishing the 2021 – 2022 season with a record of 27 – 40 – 4 – 0, a league-worst .408 winning percentage, and missing the playoffs for the first time since the team relocated to Glenn Falls. (14)
Subsequently, after the teams parted with Alex Loh, the organization announced on June 21st, 2022, that Pete MacArthur would be named the 4th head coach in team history. (15)
Rivals
The Manchester Monarchs were the Thunder’s main rival(16). Following both franchises' relocation from California, the two teams met for four straight seasons in the Kelly Cup playoffs. The teams each won two series, alternating years before the Monarchs ceased operations in 2019.
References:
1. "Flames AHL affiliate to join new Pacific
Division". Calgary Flames. January 29,
Post-Star. February 11, 2015. Retrieved
AS HEAD COACH". ECHL. July 23, 2015.
Archived from the original on
Civic Center". The Post-Star. July 11,
STOCKTON". ECHL. June 8, 2017.
Archived from the original on June 8,
be assistant coach". The Post-Star.
RAPIDS". ECHL. July 2, 2018.
Archived from the original on July 2,
2018. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
Operations". OurSportsCentral.com.
coach Alex Loh". Glens Falls Post-Star.
GAME FIVE LOSS". echlthunder.com.
OPENING ROSTER". Adirondack Thunder.
HISTORY". Adirondack Thunder. October 13,
CAPTAIN". Adirondack Thunder. September 1,
Adirondack opens on road". poststar.com.
October 20, 2023.
