Thunder Announces 2023-24 Protected List

WICHITA, Kan. (June 10) – The Wichita Thunder, ECHL affiliate of the NHL's San Jose Sharks, AHL's San Jose Barracuda and powered by Toyota, announced today its protected list of players from the 2023-24 season.

The list of 25 players includes 12 defensemen, 12 forwards and one goalie.

Defense (12): Ryan Barbosa, Austin Crossley, Dominic Dockery, Nicholas Favaro, Tyler Jette, Nolan Kneen, Shane Kuzmeski, Cole MacDonald, Jeremy Masella, Lleyton Moore, Xavier Pouliot, Ethan Roswell

Forwards (12): Peter Bates, Dillon Boucher, Jay Dickman, Ryan Finnegan, Nick Nardella, Jason Pineo, Brandon Saigeon, Declan Smith, Michal Stinil, Jake Wahlin, Kobe Walker, Brayden Watts 

Goalie (1): Trevor Gorsuch

Teams are allowed to protect as many players as they wish provided the players protected meet the guidelines as defined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the ECHL and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association which state that teams shall retain the rights to each player that:

1. Signed an SPC in 2023-24 with the Member, and has not been traded or released, OR

2. Signed an SPC in 2023-24, and was recalled to the NHL/AHL or IIHF team, and has not been traded or released, OR

3. Had received a Qualifying Offer last summer for the current Season, DID NOT sign an SPC, and has not been traded or released, OR

4. Has been suspended by the Member or League, and has not been traded or released, OR

5. Signed an SPC on or after the first day of the 2023-24 Regular Season, then subsequently signed an NHL/AHL contract, and has not been traded or released, OR

6. Has executed the ECHL Retirement Form, and has not been traded or released.

Protected lists may exceed 20 players.

The ECHL also announced that teams must complete all Future Consideration trades by 3 p.m. ET on June 20 and that teams must submit their Season-Ending Roster by 3 p.m. ET on June 22.

Season-ending rosters may include up to 20 players and cannot include any players who did not sign an ECHL contract in 2023-24.

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