Jackson van de Leest

Utica Comets Sign Two Players To One-Year Deals

The Utica Comets have announced that they have signed defenseman Jackson van de Leest and forward Andre Ghantous to one-year, two-way deals for the 2024-25 season; both players spent time with the Comets last season. Ghantous joined the Adirondack Thunder in March after spending five seasons at Western Michigan University, where he put up 53 […]

ECHL: Adirondack Thunder Announce 2024 Season-Ending Roster

The Adirondack Thunder have officially released their 2024 Season-Ending Roster of 20 players following their announcement earlier this week that they were protecting 23 players. Each team is allowed to protect a maximum of 20 players and reserve the rights to eight players; no more than four can be veterans. The ECHL considers any player […]

ECHL: Adirondack Thunder Announce 2024 Protected List

The Adirondack Thunder have announced that they will be protecting 23 players on this year’s protected list. 20 of the 23 players that the Thunder protected played at least one game with the team over the course of the team’s historic 2023-24 season, and six of the 23 players either spent the 2023-24 season overseas […]

ECHL: Adirondack Thunder 2023-24 Season Recap

The Adirondack Thunder had a historic 2023-24 season, putting together a 43-18-7-4 record for 97 points as they would win both the North Division and Eastern Conference during the regular season; it was the first time since 2018 that the Thunder had won the North Division and the first time in Franchise history that the […]

ECHL: Adirondack Thunder Transactions | 05/11/2024

The Adirondack Thunder have made two changes prior to Game 5 of the North Division Finals vs. Norfolk Admirals. Who’s Out Forward Erik Middendorf and defenseman Jackson van de Leest have been placed on reserve. Middendorf comes out of the lineup due to an injury suffered in last night’s game. The Arizona native made incidental […]

ECHL: Adirondack Thunder Transactions | 04/13/2024

The Adirondack Thunder will get a major boost to their lineup for the team’s final two home games of the regular season as defenseman Colin Felix was sent down to the Thunder as he’s split his season between Utica and Adirondack but has not played with the Thunder since February 28th. In 39 games with […]

ECHL: Adirondack Thunder Transactions | 04/09/2024

The Adirondack Thunder have made a couple of transactions as they return back to the East Coast after taking four of a possible six points vs Allen Americans, in which all three games went into overtime. Adirondack finally gets a body back from the IR as Zach Walker will return to the Thunder lineup after […]

ECHL: An Interview With Adirondack Thunder Defenseman Jackson van de Leest

When you think of a player who is 6’7, 238lbs, one of the first thoughts that come to people’s mind is someone who is going to fight and throw around the body, but van de Leest is not the kind of guy who is going to rack up the penalty minutes, “Ya, I think that […]

ECHL: Adirondack Thunder Transactions | 04/01/2024

This week’s theme for the Adirondack Thunder is injuries, and on Monday, goaltender Tyler Brennan would join the growing IR list for the Thunder as he was placed on IR. Brennan, who came off IR on Friday and started on Saturday vs Reading Royals in his first start since 3/8 vs Maine Mariners in a […]

AHL: Utica Comets Recall Two From Adirondack Thunder

The Utica Comets have recalled forward Andre Ghantous and defenseman Jackson van de Leest from the Adirondack Thunder. van de Leest is headed back up to Utica for his second stint with the Comets after playing in his first career AHL game last Wednesday in Binghampton. The 6’7 forward has two assists in 11 games […]