Thunder Finalizes Two Futures Trades; Announces Season-Ending Roster

WICHITA, Kan. (June 16) – The Wichita Thunder, ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Edmonton Oilers, AHL's Bakersfield Condors and powered by Toyota, announced the finalization of two future consideration trades with the Toledo Walleye and Florida Everblades.

Also, the Thunder announced their season-ending roster for the 2021-22 campaign.

Wichita has received the rights to defenseman Chris McKay, which finalizes the trade that saw Matteo Gennaro recalled by Bakersfield and reassigned to the Everblades.

The Thunder also acquired the rights to forward Quinn Preston, which finalizes the trade that sent defenseman Cam Clarke to Toledo.

McKay, 26, recently completed his second year as a pro. A native of Edmonton, Alberta native, the 6-foot-4, 214-pound defenseman began the season with the Toledo Walleye before being traded to the Florida Everblades. The two teams recently just completed the Kelly Cup Finals. He finished with 16 points (4g, 12a) in 46 games between the two teams. 

Preston, 24, recently turned pro after completing a four-year career at Ohio State University. He signed with the Walleye in late March and finished with seven points (2g, 7a) in eight games.

The season-ending roster consists of six defensemen, 13 forwards and one goalie.

2021-22 Season-Ending Roster

Defenseman (6): Billy Constantinou, Chris McKay, Jordan Muzzillo, Alex Peters, Kyle Rhodes, Connor Walters

Forwards (13): Peter Bates, Peter Crinella, Jay Dickman, Giancula Esteves, Billy Exell, Logan Fredericks, Carter Johnson, Stephen Johnson, Ian Parker, Quinn Preston, Michal Stinil, Jake Wahlin, Brayden Watts

Goalie (1): Evan Buitenhuis

Season-Ending Rosters may include up to 20 players. Season-Ending Rosters cannot include any players who did not sign an ECHL contract in 2021-22.

Each team is entitled to reserve rights to a maximum of eight players from the list of 20 by extending a qualifying offer no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on June 30. Of the eight qualified players, no more than four can be veterans (260 regular season professional hockey games played as of the start of the 2022-23 Season). Players on open qualifying offers cannot be traded. Teams are not required to extend a qualifying offer to players who sign a contract prior to June 30.

The qualifying offer must remain open for acceptance until 11:59 p.m. ET on July 16 at which time the qualifying offer becomes null and void and the team may sign the qualified player to any salary or may elect to take no further action. Teams that extend a valid qualifying offer to a non-veteran player shall retain the rights to that qualified player for one playing season.

A team that extends a valid qualifying offer to a veteran player, or to a goaltender who has played more than 180 regular-season games, will retain the rights to that player until 11:59 p.m. ET on July 16. After July 16, if the veteran player or goaltender is not signed to a contract by the team, the veteran or goaltender shall be deemed a restricted free agent and shall be entitled to seek and secure offers of employment from other ECHL teams. Restricted free agents may not be traded.

When a restricted free agent receives a contract offer from a team other than the team with the player’s rights and the restricted free agent wishes to accept the contract offer, the restricted free agent and the offering member must, within 24 hours, notify the ECHL, the team with the player’s rights and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association. The member with the player’s rights shall have seven days after the date it is notified to exercise its right to match the contract offer.

If a restricted free agent is not signed to either an offer sheet or a contract by an ECHL team by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 1, the player shall be deemed an unrestricted free agent. 

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