The ECHL Trade Deadline has come and gone, and for the second straight season, the Adirondack Thunder have decided to stay put. There’s no question that where the Thunder were at this point last year and where they sit today are two completely different places but yet the same results when it comes to movement on deadline day. Pete MacArthur certainly had his options with four goaltenders currently in Adirondack, including Tyler Brennan, who once again hit the IR. Mike Gillespie, Grant Jozefek, and Vinnie Purpura were three names that were mentioned as guys who could have been trading pieces for Adirondack to ship out, but instead, head coach Pete MacArthur has found his missing pieces via college signings and the waiver wire. But the question remains: was this the correct route for the Adirondack Thunder?
We have feelers out for other kids that maybe we’d give a look at but it has to make sense. The guys in that room have earned their opportunity to continue chugging along here, there are 12 games left with a lot of travel and that’s a lot of hockey and a lot can happen. Utica is close and they want to be in so were one foot in front of the other here
Pete MacArthur on Wednesday Night when asked about the Trade Deadline
This was the right move for the Thunder because, as Pete MacArthur has mentioned, this group deserves a shot to continue what they’ve started. They currently sit in the top spot in the North Division, six points up on the Norfolk Admirals. They have a big three-game series against the Ads this weekend, including a chance to clinch a playoff spot on Friday Night with a win and some help from some other divisional teams. Grant Jozefek has continued to find his game of late, as he has four goals and five assists in his last ten games and is a guy that MacArthur can put on any line, Jozefek has seven goals and 24 assists for 31 points in 53 games this season and put up 18 goals and 33 assists for 51 points in 68 games last year. Mike Gillespie was the other name that was expendable to Adirondack, as he’s played in 43 games this year with the Thunder, putting up six goals and 11 assists for 18 points since joining the team in November after coming from the SPHL; he also missed a couple of weeks with an injury shortly after the All-Star Break.
When Isaac Poulter was sent down to Adirondack, the rumors of Purpura really began to surface because, at that time, we had not known about the injury to Brennan and that he was headed to IR, and it was highly unlikely the team would have carried four goaltenders. Head Coach Pete MacArthur quickly shut down those rumors on Wednesday night when asked if he’d talked to Purpura about his future, “He’ll be a part of the Thunder.” There’s no doubt that Purpura and Jeremy Brodeur have both played very well and right now, I think it would be hard to choose who the real #1 is. As we’ve seen all season, MacArthur has rotated all three goaltenders. The 6’6 goaltender is 15-3-4 with a 2.61 GAA and .913 SV%, along with one shutout in 24 games this season.
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