WICHITA, Kan. (June 23) – The Wichita Thunder, ECHL affiliate of the NHL's San Jose Sharks, AHL's San Jose Barracuda and powered by Toyota, announced today its 2025-26 season-ending roster. 

The list of 20 players includes seven defenseman, 11 forwards and two goalies.  

Defensemen (7): Tyler Jette, Robert Kincaid, Nolan Kneen, T.J. Lloyd, Tanner Palocsik, Kirby Proctor, Nico Somerville

Forwards (11): Gavin Best, Spencer Blackwell, Matt Crasa, Nick DeGrazia, Jay Dickman, Ryan Finnegan, Kyle Jeffers, Cameron Mitchell, Declan Smith, Michal Stinil, Oliver Tarr

Goalies (2): Connor Hasley, Roddy Ross

Season-Ending Rosters may include up to 20 players. Season-Ending Rosters cannot include any players who did not sign an ECHL contract in 2025-26.

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 July 7. 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 July 7.

The qualifying offer must remain open for acceptance until 11:59 p.m. EST on July 22, which at that 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 player shall retain the rights to that qualified player for one playing season. Any Player who has played in more than 190 professional regular-season games is ineligible to receive a Qualifying Offer.

All regular-season games played in any of the following leagues shall count towards a Player’s Rookie/Veteran and Qualifying Offer status.

North America – National Hockey League, American Hockey League, ECHL, Central Hockey League (Defunct, but games played count toward veteran status)

Europe – Czech Extraliga (Czech Republic), Liiga (Finland), DEL (Germany), KHL (Russia), Slovak Extraliga (Slovakia), SHL (Sweden), National League (Switzerland)

Teams can start announcing players for the 2026-27 season today. All contracts must be approved by the ECHL Hockey Operations Department before an announcement can be made by member teams.

The schedule for the 2026-27 season is out, and we are counting down the days until Opening Night! Join us on Saturday, October 17 as we host the Tahoe Knight Monsters and help us celebrate our 35th Anniversary Season. Contact us today for more information by clicking HERE.

Season tickets are now on sale for the 2026-27 season. Lock in your seat for all of our 36 home games and catch all the action as we head into our 35th anniversary season. Click HERE to learn more and request a call.