Training camp is officially open in Glens Falls, NY, as the Adirondack Thunder prepare for the 2023-24 season and head into camp with 31 guys, which is the most guys they’ve had in camp as a franchise. According to head coach Pete MacArthur, all 30 guys will see action between the two pre-season games vs Reading Royals as Filip Engras was recalled to Utica on Tuesday, “We didn’t bring guys here just to be bodies; we brought everyone in because they have a purpose if they don’t make the team out of camp maybe we bring them up later in the year, you saw how many guys we used last season” said MacArthur.
One big name that will be back in Adirondack is Patrick Grasso, who is currently at AHL camp with the Chicago Wolves but scored 37 goals last year, which led the Thunder, “Patrick’s been a high-end scorer since he’s been here; it was great to hear that he wanted to stick around for at least one more year; it’s hard to find guys who can score 35+ goals,” said Adirondack Thunder President Jeff Mead. Shawn Weller is also capping off his career in Adirondack, and when asked what led to his decision to retire after this season, the Glens Falls Native said, “The fact that I’m 37 and I’m running out of miles.” Weller had a strong second half of the season last year, finishing the year with 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points, and is a strong candidate to be captain as Head Coach Pete MacArthur said that the team would have a captain and that is will be announced soon, when asked about what he wants to achieve in his final season, “I think capping off my career in my hometown and winning a Kelly Cup would be pretty cool” said Weller.
There are a lot of new faces on the Thunder’s re-vamped blueline, and leading the blueline is Ryan Orgel, who joined the Thunder mid-season last year, playing in 45 games, putting up a goal and 19 assists and is easily going to be a guy who will be playing in the top four this season, “It’s awesome, it’s great, it’s been a great place to develop, and coach Mac has really helped me with that, and I’m trying to build off the success from last year not only individually but as a team” said Orgel.
Goaltending has always been a topic of discussion, and Adirondack brought four goalies to camp: Vinnie Purpura, Tyler Brennan, Jeremy Brodeur, and Matt Petizian; however, MacArthur said that Petizian will be cut after the pre-season games against Reading. Purpura is the only goalie on the roster who is signed to an ECHL contract, “I thought he competed hard, he made the saves he had to make, and he didn’t lose a game; it’s hard to ignore a 6’6 goofy goalie” said Pete MacArthur when asked about what he liked about Purpura at the end of last season. The ECHL is known for their three in three’s and having three solid goaltenders could play a big part in the Thunder’s success this season, “Ya, everyone’s gotta pull on the rope, Robinson came in, Purpura came in, Petezian came in, and they all had a least a pinky on that rope and had a part of our success whether it’s the goalies or a guy who got called up to fill in as a sixth D-man, everyone’s gonna have to give us what they got, our schedule isn’t easy and it gets harder as the season goes on and we need everyone contributing when they get their chance” said Head Coach Pete MacArthur.
Tryouts
Conor Landrigan (Forward)– Landrigan is a 27-year-old forward who spent last season playing in the Slovakia2 league, where he put up 16 goals and 25 assists for 41 points in 45 games. Prior to heading overseas, he played in 30 ECHL games playing with six different ECHL teams: Tulsa Oilers, South Carolina Stingrays, Orlando Solar Bears, Norfolk Admirals, and Idaho Steelheads. The Pennsylvania Native gives Adirondack another option up the middle as the team has always seemed to never have enough centers, but heading into this season, the Thunder seem to be set up the standard.
Jack Jeffers (Forward)– The 26-year-old forward is the second player to come over from the Ghost Pirates after the Thunder traded for defenceman Tristan Thompson earlier this week. Jeffers played in four ECHL games last season after finishing up his year at Lake Superior University and found the back of the net in his first career ECHL game and finished the year playing four games with that being his only point.
Alex DiCarlo (Forward)– Another center for Adirondack as DiCarlo is the only player on a tryout who doesn’t have ECHL experience as he spent last season at SUNY-Oswego, where he put up 13 goals and 14 assists for 27 points in 24 games with the Lakers before spending ten games in the SPHL with the Roanoke Rail Yard Dogs where he had three goals and four assists for seven points, and played in eight playoff games as the Rail Yard Dogs would go on to win the Presidents Cup.
Jamie Dorsey (Forward)– The Thunder always have a need for a tall defenceman, and that’s exactly what Dorsey gives them as a 6’3 blueliner who split last season between the SPHL and ECHL seeing action in 18 ECHL games, putting up one assist as he split time with Orlando and Greenville. Dorsey is the only blueliner on a PTO at camp.
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