Gauthier Named to ECHL All-Star Team

Wichita, KS (Jan. 8th) - The Wichita Thunder, proud member of the ECHL and powered by Toyota, are excited to announce that forward Danick Gauthier has been selected to the ECHL All-Star Team for the upcoming 2015 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic, presented by Visit Orlando on Wednesday, January 21st at the Amway Center. Gauthier (GO-tee-ay) will be the lone Thunder representative joining a team comprised of ECHL All-Stars who will face the Orlando Solar Bears.

Gauthier, 23, has been terrific in his first season with the Thunder and becomes the team's first-ever player to appear in the ECHL All-Star Classic. In his third year as a pro, The Tampa Bay Lightning product is tied for second in the ECHL in power play points with 13 (5g, 8a) and leads Wichita in goals with 14. A native of Brossard, PQ, the 6-foot-2, 207-pound forward split time between the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League and the Florida Everblades last year. He appeared in 19 games with the Crunch, posting seven points (3g, 4a) and 30 games in Florida, notching 17 points (5g, 12a).

Prior to turning pro, Gauthier played 219 career games in the QMJHL, amassing 146 points (76g, 70a) with the Saint John Sea Dogs and Shawinigan Cataractes. His best season came during 2011-12 when he tallied 47 goals and 86 points in 66 games with the Sea Dogs.

The starting lineups are determined in a vote of coaches, team captains, media relations directors, broadcasters and members of the media. Coaches also submit the players who they feel are the top prospects from their team and other teams in their conference which helps determine the final roster. Each of the ECHL teams has either a starter, reserve or alternate named for the ECHL All-Star Classic.

More than 60 players from the ECHL All-Star Game have gone on to play in the National Hockey League, including 46 since 2002 when the lineups began having players who coaches felt were prospects to move up to a higher level. To view the full roster for 2015 CCM/ECHL All-Star Game, click here

Wichita has a day off before beginning a three-in-three on Friday night against Quad City at 7:05 p.m. The Thunder returns home on Saturday evening to host the Evansville IceMen for a pair of games.

Individual tickets are on sale now. Don't delay! Tickets can be purchased at the INTRUST Arena Box office, by calling 755-SEAT or go online at www.selectaseat.com. Stay up-to-date on all the news during the season by visiting www.wichitathunder.com.

About the ECHL

The ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states and has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 28 teams in 20 states and one Canadian province for its 27th season in 2014-15. There have been 541 players who have started their career in the ECHL have gone on to play in the National Hockey League, including 29 who made their NHL debuts in the 2013-14 season. The ECHL had affiliations with 26 of the 30 NHL teams in 2013-14, marking the 17th consecutive season that the league had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com, as well as on Twitter and Facebook.

-Thunder-