ECHL: Adirondack Thunder Name Patrick Grasso As Captain

The Adirondack Thunder have named Patrick Grasso as the team’s sixth captain in team history as Shane Harper is undecided on his future. Grasso is entering his third season with the Thunder and did have an “A” on his chest. In 132 games with the Thunder, he’s put up 63 goals and 43 assists for 109 points. The 27-year-old winger had a career year where he put up 37 goals, which was the most in Adirondack Thunder franchise history; he also added two goals and two assists for four points during the Kelly Cup Playoffs. The Iowa Native saw nine games in the AHL last season as he played with both the Utica Comets and Chicago Wolves and was invited to the Wolves camp this season before being cut. Grasso spent his collegiate career at the University of New Hampshire, where he had 49 goals and 48 assists for 97 points in 138 games, and spent the last two seasons with the Wildcats with an “A” on his chest. Adirondack has yet to announce which players will be wearing the “A” for the upcoming season.

With Harper still undecided on his playing career, the Adirondack Thunder did have a few options for captain besides Grasso, and one other name that would have made sense was Shawn Weller, who is entering his final professional season and has been a fan favorite in Adirondack. Grasso, 27, shows that Adirondack is looking for a long-term captain, and that’s exactly what Grasso brings to the Thunder. Grasso and the Thunder will open up their season tomorrow night as they head to Worcester, Mass, to face the Worcester Railers.