Thunder Claim Former Flyers Draft Pick Klotz

Wichita, KS (March 27th) - The Wichita Thunder, proud member of the ECHL and powered by Toyota, claimed forward Garrett Klotz off of waivers earlier this week and is expected to be in the line-up tonight against Quad City.

Klotz, 26, is a seven-year pro out of Regina, Saskatchewan. The 6-foot-6, 250-pound forward was drafted in the third round by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft (#66 overall). Klotz was described as the 'typical Flyers pick' when he was selected and spent the first four years in the Flyers organization with the Phildelphia and Adirondack Phantoms. He is a big, strong, physical player who will add toughness to the Thunder line-up.

He began the season with the Indy Fuel, recording four points (1g, 3a) and racking up 80 penalty minutes. Last year, he played for the Allen Americans and claimed a CHL Championship while amassing a career-high 257 penalty minutes to go along with 14 points (6g, 8a). Prior to turning pro, Klotz played three seasons in the WHL with the Red Deer Rebels and Saskatoon Blades.

Wichita begins its final road trip of the season tonight in Quad City with the final regular season meeting against the Mallards at 7:05 p.m.

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-